On Saturday, July 28, 2012, The School of
Education, Staten Island campus, hosted its second annual Digital
Literacies Summer Institute, a full day of hands-on workshops that
included Web 2.0 online tools, Smart Board Techniques, Arts and
STEM education, and Video Gaming and Learning. The Institute, which
attracted K-12 educators from the five boroughs, featured practical
techniques to help educators utilize digital literacies and
multidisciplinary approaches to enhance learning in their
classrooms.
Dr. Aliya Holmes, a presenter and co-director
of the Digital Literacies Summer Institute, underscored the
innovative elements of the sessions: “The workshops placed the
participants in the driver seat as developer, explorer, inventor,
teacher and learner. Whether a skilled user or novice with
digital tools, this Institute offered something for everyone and
emphasized how simple tools and techniques can take an
experience from ordinary to extraordinary."
“The Institute was a terrific success,” says
Dr. Sandra Abrams, co-director of the event, “and the participants’
feedback indicates a real need for such hands-on professional
development and collaboration.” Abrams echoed some of the
participants’ sentiments, which included, “The information provided
was clear and can be easily incorporated into any teaching style
and level.” And, “This was a wonderful workshop and I am happy to
be a part of it.”
The workshops supported the collegiality and
experimentation necessary for educators to consider the realm of
possibilities that 21st century tools offer. For instance,
Dr. Debbie Greh, a presenter and co-director noted that working
with Art resources is always great fun. “When looking at Google Art
Projects, for example, classroom teachers discussed how they could
use Art to keep the other core subjects alive.” Though
educators saw the immediate application of the resources explored
at the institute, the overall goal of the institute was “for
educators to build upon what they learned and make it their own,”
says Abrams.
Without question, the momentum continues as
the committee plans for this year’s third annual Digital Literacies
Summer Institute, to be held on Saturday, June 1, 2013 on the
Staten Island Campus.