Becoming literate in the 21st century puts new demands on learners to be able to use technology to access, analyze, and organize information. Teachers need to develop new understanding to capitalize on the learning potential of technology to address these demands through teacher training and certification.
Teachers who don’t make regular use of classroom technology, lack experience using it. Students today are considered “Digital Natives” who were born and raised in a digital environment and inherently think different because of this exposure to technology, while teachers are considered “Digital Immigrants”.
With in-depth, sustained professional development in technology integration, teachers are more likely to bring technology into teaching and learning.
In order to address the lack of understanding on learning potential of technology, Tabarin Consulting in partnership with Microsoft, Certiport Inc and other partners offer the Microsoft Certified Educator (MCE) program with digital literacy skills training. MCE provides robust tools that help educators drive best-in-class integration of information and communication technology (ICT) into classroom instruction.
Mapped to the UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Educators, MCE program resources include a free self-assessment, free customized eLearning, and the Technology Literacy for Educators (62-193) certification exam. Each of these learning and validation steps aligns to six key aspects of ICT and pedagogy integration:
- Education Policy
- Curriculum & Assessment
- Pedagogy
- ICT/Technology Tools
- Organization & Administration
- Professional Development
The Technology Literacy for Educators (62-193) exam does not assess proficiency in using specific technology tools but whether an educator, teacher or administrator understands how to assimilate ICT tools into the six content domains listed above. This exam is designed to validate these skills in pre-service and in-service educators.
For school administrators, MCE represents a valid and reliable way to measure the effectiveness of your investment in ICT and professional development. Teachers holding an MCE certification have the tools and skill-sets to break though limitations of geography and resources, and begin to apply their knowledge to provide a customized learning experience for their students using technology.