Building Educator Competency

Building Educator Competency:

This standard encourages educators to enhance their competencies in using technology, ensuring that they feel confident, capable, and empowered to make informed decisions about which digital tools and strategies are best suited to their teaching and students' needs.

1.  Mentoring and Support: Experienced educators support less experienced colleagues by sharing their knowledge of technology, helping them become more confident in using digital tools for teaching and learning.

2. Pedagogical and Technological Integration

Educators develop strategies to meaningfully integrate technology into their curriculum, ensuring that digital tools serve instructional goals and enhance student learning. Educators choose and use technologies that complement and enhance their instructional practices. This includes selecting tools that help differentiate instruction, engage students, and allow for personalized learning.

3. Digital Literacy and Competency

Educators should possess a robust understanding of digital tools and be able to use them competently in their teaching. This includes proficiency in common educational technologies, as well as a familiarity with more advanced tools for content creation, collaboration, and assessment.

Educators model responsible and ethical use of technology for their students. They teach students about the importance of digital citizenship, including issues like privacy, cybersecurity, online behavior, and responsible digital interactions.

4. Modeling Effective Use of Technology

Educators use technology in ways that are transparent and accessible to students. By modeling how to use digital tools effectively, educators help students develop the skills necessary to use technology responsibly and creatively. Educators scaffold students’ use of technology by providing guidance and support as students learn to use digital tools for research, collaboration, and creation.