As we prepare students for college, life, and career, its important that we foster abilities that will guarantee trainees are effective. As educators, weve become aware of the significance of the “21st century 4 Cs” to our students future success. Post-secondary schools and employers are trying to find trainees and a labor force that can interact effectively, work collaboratively, think seriously, problem-solve, and use imagination in different settings. I believe there is a 5th C that is also important– and that is Choice. If our scholars have a choice, they have a voice.

As an ETS, I work together with teachers and assist in developing technology-infused standards-based lessons and activities.

In my experience as an Educational Technology Specialist (ETS) and several years as an intermediate school instructor, something I have actually learned is that if students have a choice in demonstrating their understanding and showcasing their skills, they are frequently more bought the job or final result. I used job choice boards for all my units when I was a gifted English Language Arts instructor. Furnishing students the chance to select the means and methods for practicing acquired skills, modeling newly discovered concepts, and producing initial material increases student engagement.

Here are five way educators can promote trainee voice and imagination:

Get imaginative with Adobe Spark

As we prepare students for career, life, and college, its crucial that we foster skills that will make sure students are effective. In my experience as an Educational Technology Specialist (ETS) and many years as a middle school instructor, one thing I have actually discovered is that if students have an option in showing their knowledge and showcasing their abilities, they are frequently more invested in the job or end product. Furnishing students the chance to choose the ways and approaches for practicing gotten skills, modeling recently discovered principles, and creating initial material increases student engagement.

Adobe Spark is an user-friendly web-based tool with a drag-and-drop interface and several customizable templates. Students can create videos, posts, and web pages to highlight their understanding of crucial concepts. They can utilize the video voice recording function to talk through their thinking, in addition to app smashing– producing initial content with other tools and including them to their Adobe Spark productions.

Jennifer Hall, NBCT, Educational Technology Specialist, Atlanta Public SchoolsJennifer Hall, NBCT, is an Educational Technology Specialist with Atlanta Public Schools.

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