OTAN News

See How These Educators Are Using Classroom Tech to Maximize Teaching and Learning

This resource features five masterclasses hosted by Digital Promise Leaders. External Link Icon opens in new window or tab Threaded throughout are OTAN resources which complement them.

Masterclass Topics

1. Sparking Student Creativity

   Facilitated by Lisa Jobson, Director, Global Youth Voice

   In classrooms across the U.S., teachers are using technology to spark student creativity and deep thinking. In this masterclass, three educators from a variety of contexts showed how they are using Canva External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, Garage Band External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, iMovie External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and Newsela External Link Icon opens in new window or tab to increase relevance and unlock student engagement and ownership.

   OTAN Resources

   Newspapers in Our Classrooms using Newsela External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   Canva: Make an Infographic External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   Canva Basics: Video Presentation External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

2. Realizing Competency Based Learning & Assessment

   Facilitated by Jhacole LeGrand Dunn, Director, Adult Learning

   Competency-based efforts hold great promise to meet diverse student needs but realizing that promise requires time and energy – two resources that are in short supply. In this masterclass, teachers demonstrated how they are leveraging Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Navigator External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, Pivot Interactives External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and Pear Deck External Link Icon opens in new window or tab to achieve their competency-based learning goals.

   OTAN Resources

   ALVN: Connecting research with practice: Video Presentations External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   Keep Students' Attention: Delivering Interactive Lectures with Pear Deck External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   TDLS 2023 - Using Thinking routines with Interactive Slides to Amplify Learning External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   Adult Learner Variability Network: News Article External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

3. Previewing Classroom Tech’s Future

   Facilitated by Vic Vuchic, Chief Strategy Officer

   Big data. Artificial intelligence. ChatGPT. Metaverse. Machine Learning. What does it all mean, and how might innovation in the larger technosphere impact classrooms? Educators and technologists in this masterclass envisioned how emerging technology will impact future learning by demonstrating how they are using Pressto AI External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, Verizon Innovation Learning Labs External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and Kyron Learning External Link Icon opens in new window or tab.

   OTAN Resources

   OTAN Artificial Intelligence (AI) Presentations External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   4 Lessons from California's Teaching with AI Guidance External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

4. Serving the Whole Child

   Facilitated by Jessica Jackson, Director of Professional Learning, Learner Variability Project

   Teachers understand that the best learning happens when a child feels safe, valued, and heard. Educators in the “Serving the Whole Child” masterclass took a deep-dive into how technology like Thrively External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, Amira Learning External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and Everfi External Link Icon opens in new window or tab can increase a sense of belonging and deepen whole child approaches.

5. Accessing Personalized Professional Learning

   Facilitated by Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, Director, Micro-credentials

   Professional growth can and should meet the needs of an educator’s unique journey. Teachers showed how they are using the Digital Promise Micro-credentials Platform External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, Math ANEX External Link Icon opens in new window or tab, and Verizon Innovative Learning Teacher Training Pathways External Link Icon opens in new window or tab to own their professional growth journeys and shared tips on how other educators can gear up for their own journey.

   • Todd Rigney, Houston Independent School District: Verizon Innovative Learning Teacher Training Pathways External Link Icon opens in new window or tab
   • Wanda Colon Dias, Clark County School District: Digital Promise Micro-credentials Platform External Link Icon opens in new window or tab
   • Janet Hollister, Santa Barbara Unified School District: Math ANEX External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   OTAN Resources

   What OTAN Offers: PD Sessions External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   Upcoming Sessions External Link Icon opens in new window or tab

   Technology and Digital Learning Symposium 2025 External Link Icon opens in new window or tab