Teaching teachers to harness technology in the classroom

'This is not a 'Yay! Yay! Yay! Technology!' type of conference'

Image | hi-tablet-classroom-03042335-8col

Caption: The Digital Pedagogy Conference at UPEI will focus on what students need in the classroom. (J. Pat Carter/Associated Press)

A group of P.E.I. educators is learning how to best use technology in the classroom in an intensive three-day workshop.

Image | Bonnie Stewart, UPEI

Caption: You can no longer master all the digital knowledge, says Bonnie Stewart. (Bonnie Stewart via Twitter)

"This is not a 'Yay! Yay! Yay! Technology!' type of conference," said Digital Pedagogy Lab P.E.I. co-ordinator Bonnie Stewart.
"This is very much more, 'What are the challenges that we need to deal with?'"
Next week's event will involve educators from Kindergarten to Grade 12, colleges and universities from Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.

Focus on classroom needs

Stewart said the focus will be on general digital literacy and what teachers need to know specifically for the classroom.
"You can no longer master all the knowledge that is out there," said Stewart.
"All of the educators who participate will be bringing back a little bit more confidence and a little bit greater digital literacy to their own workplaces, sharing that with colleagues, creating sort of a conversation that will spread."
The keynote speech by educational technology critic and writer Audrey Waters will include an opportunity for the public to chime in on Twitter using #digped.