8 Digital Skills Every Teacher Should Have

@LisaBerghoff/@MrKimDHS

Coming straight from The Learning Technology Center for Illinois is a short list of 8 practical digital skills every teacher should be comfortable with in today's classroom. Luckily for us, remote and hybrid learning was probably the most effective (albeit forced) EdTech professional development educators around the world ever engaged in. So without further ado, here are 8 digital skills with some examples of supportive programs.

Blending Learning:

The pandemic signaled a major paradigm shift regarding society's professional and educational workspaces, as well as how individuals interacted there. While no one is eager to return to asynchronous eLearning, remote or hybrid work has been embraced by myriad firms worldwide and is having a lasting impact on the labor market, as well as the commercial real estate markets. Luckily for our district, we were already embracing blended learning by adopting the learning management system, Schoology, by the time our doors were shut. Teachers should no longer be limited by the physical space and contact time of their classrooms. Schoology, and other programs like it, allow instruction to manifest itself digitally which aligns expectations for future work.

Examples: Schoology, Wakelet, Padlet, Symbaloo

Content Creation:

Now no one is threatening to take away posters and tri-folds, but students now have the ability to express their creativity through digital mediums. Visual arts and design skills are exceptionally important, and there are accessible ways for every teacher to experiment and design content to support their instruction. Canva and Google apps like Youtube, Draw, and Sites, are increasingly popular ways for teachers to infuse their instruction with visually appealing content.

Examples: Canva,  Google Drawings, Jamboard

Video Creation:

Important enough of a distinction with other forms of content creation - instructional videos are becoming increasingly relevant in a digital world. With mini televisions/video recorders in every pocket, this type of accessibility can be educationally helpful if done correctly. Movies or music videos can be a fresh alternative to traditional presentations or written assignments. Utilize students' mastery of iMovie and social media for fun, and interactive assignments.

Examples:   Flip (formerly Flipgrid), YouTube, Canva

Screencasting and Recording:

We've all probably benefited immensely from the expertly crafted videos from Khan Academy. While our production value may not be on par with Sal Khan, your students may get more from your personally created videos than those made for a general audience through Khan Academy. I hope this does not bring out too many bad memories from Remote/Hybrid learning. Screencasts and recordings can be powerful tools for students who may need to revisit a topic/concept without having to meet individually with a teacher.

Examples: Screencastify, Google Meet, Zoom

Presentations:

While most of us are comfortable with Microsoft Powerpoint and Google Slides by now, you can augment your presentations with programs like NearPod or Pear Deck. While undoubtedly your expertly-timed jokes and anecdotes are doing wonders in tethering students to reality during your lessons, we can all use a little help. Check out district-funded programs like Pear Deck to take your presentations to the next level.

Examples: Pear Deck, Google Slides, Canva

Data Collection:

How do you know if your students are learning in your classroom? Thumbs up and head nods? Staff should feel comfortable aggregating (or disaggregating) student data, qualitative or quantitative. You can take traditional modes of data collection through Google Forms and Sheets, or you can work with programs like GimKit, Survey Monkey, or Kahoot! to feel the "pulse" of your class. You can also take advantage of Panorama Education's ability to collect, organize, and categorize student data pulled directly from Infinite Campus.

Examples: Panorama, Google Forms/Sheets, Quizizz

Digital Assessments:

Now I know that this is somewhat of a sore subject, what with our digital assessment security program, Lockdown Browser, failing somewhat miserably for us the last few years. But let's face it, when it works well, digital assessments have too many perks to ignore. Instant grading, data storage, and easy access/dissemination are all benefits of digital assessments. If only we can work out test security, retakes, extended time, etc....

Examples: Schoology Assessments, Google Forms, EdPuzzle

Resource Collection/Sharing/Organization

Let's face it, we should just call this one Google Drive. As an educator and colleague, do you have the skills to create, organize, and share content on Google Drive? Do you know where your most important documents are? Are they organized in a coherent manner? Can you easily share and access documents in a timely manner? Google Drive is quietly one of the most impactful programs in education today, and it's worth taking the time to learn.

Examples: Google Drive, Padlet, Wakelet

OK, that was a lot. We're not saying you need to be able to effectively use everything listed in this blog. But you should strive to be more and more comfortable with these digital skills. Perhaps make it a point to touch upon these skills throughout your semester. The more you are comfortable with these skills, the better model you can be for your 21st century learners. Need more help with these digital skills? Please reach out!