College Signs Pledge for Effective Teaching and Learning with Technology

BY NATIFIA MULLINGS

The College of Education has signed the Educator Prep Programs for Digital Equity and Transformation Pledge, reaffirming its commitment to preparing educators with skills to support student success in a digital environment.

The pledge, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), was created in response to the rise of online learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We recognize that accelerating transformative digital learning empowers students, and by signing the pledge, we establish another pathway to help prepare educators to advocate for equity,” said Ebony Terrell Shockley, executive director of Educator Preparation.

Institutions signing the pledge, more than 60,

Tare committing to preparing teachers to thrive in digital environments, use technology to pursue ongoing professional learning, apply frameworks to accelerate transformative digital learning, equipping all faculty to continuously improve expertise in technology for learning, and collaborating with school leaders to identify shared digital teaching competencies. “Knowing how to use technology to support student learning is an essential skill for any teacher to thrive in a post-COVID world,” said Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE and member of the college’s Board of Visitors. “I’m thrilled that the University of Maryland College of Education is committed to embedding tech skills into their program so all of their teacher candidates will be prepared to hit the ground running.”