February 5 marks the Alliance For Excellent Education’s 3rd annual national Digital Learning Day (DLD). I love the many ways the Digital Learning Day website and program encourages and showcases best practices in supporting students as digital learners and global citizens. The video below highlights the importance of digital learning from a student perspective, with a strong message that digital learning is no longer optional or simply an add-on:
If you are wondering how classrooms, school sites, and districts are participating in DLD, a great starting point is the Digital Learning Day Celebration Map, which includes a search bar and the registration form. As of today, Alabama, New Jersey, and California educators are the top contributors.
Of the many ways you and your students can participate in DLD, here are a few of my favorites:
- Connected Classrooms Student Debates – The actual debating classes will be selected, but more information will be coming for students and teachers to view the debates before and after, and then use that to fuel their own debates.
- Upstanders, Not Bystanders – A call to write, a call to action – From the California Writing Project, in collaboration with Common Sense Media, the downloadable toolkit includes a wonderful array of lessons and resources to harness technology in ways that empower students to stand up, speak out, and cross the line from bystander to upstander. One of my favorite resources is the Upstanders, Not Bystanders VoiceThread. I have to disclose that this is a global project I co-curate with Natalie Bernasconi through the Digital ID wiki, but I am still in awe of the fact that, kindergarten through adult, every voice and story equally matters.
Another option we are offering through our Digital ID partnership with the California Writing Project is an #Upstanders Tweetout.
- #Make4DLDayChallenge – The National Writing Project has provided a set of digital storytelling activities, with accompanying samples, for Digital Learning Day.
Wherever you are and however you involve your students in any of the above or other DLD activities, please be sure to visit the DLD Map Celebration and enter your information. I look forward to learning from and being inspired by a national network of DLD contributors!