“For us as educators, we need to understand it’s not just about an app,” said Rhonda Sumpter, instructional specialist for technology at Bay District. “Students need to know how to seamlessly integrate technology into their work and we need to be able to guide them in their technology options. It’s not about recommending an app, it’s about knowing which tools can help them reach the digital skill level they need.”
According to the technology specialists at Bay District, the minimal technology requirements grade-by-grade include:
- K-1: Read and produce writing with visuals using digital tools; collaborate.
- 2: Add audio recording to speaking/listening tasks as well as K-1 skills.
- 3: Produce and publish using technology, keyboarding and visual displays.
- 5: Add multimedia (audio, visuals) to reading, writing and speaking.
- 6-8: Writing—multimedia and visual media, using credible sources and formal citing (MLA, AP, Chicago)
- 9-12: Use hyperlinks; display information in flexible and dynamic ways; strategic use of digital media including text, graphics, video, audio; and interactive elements such as blogs and wikis.
To help students develop the digital producing, collaborating and personalizing skills they need to succeed with Common Core, the specialists at Bay District developed a list of Common Core tools, distinguished by grade level and skill, that will aid educators in teaching critical digital skills.
Common Core tools for digital skills
K-2 skills: digital storytell, collaborate, animate, keyboard, online note-take and organize, create podcasts and audio, blog, and use interactive tools for writing.
K-2 highlighted tools: Storybird, Voki and Picle (digital storytelling). Aurasma (podcasts/audio); and kidblog (blogging).
A full list of tools for the full list of skills, as well as detailed examples, can be found on Bay District’s Livebinder FETC 2014 presentation, located here.
3-5 skills: All skills included for K-2, plus multimedia.
3-5 highlighted tools: Tools, which have been upgraded in features to cater to older children, include Voki and Prezi (digital storytelling); Blendspace (collaboration); Face Talk (animation); and QR stuff (multimedia).
A full list of tools for the full list of skills, as well as detailed examples, can be found on Bay District’s Livebinder FETC 2014 presentation, located here.
(Next page: More grade-by-grade skills; PD)
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