Gov’t Continuing Efforts to Advance Digital Education Delivery

The Government is continuing efforts to advance teachers’ ability to deliver effective digital education.

This is being done through the Inter-American Development Bank’s (IDB) Teachers’ Digital Skills Project.

To facilitate this, participants are to be trained under the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards.

Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, says the project’s primary goal is to deliver professional learning for Jamaican educators focused on digital learning and teaching.

“It comes at a great time when we are actively expanding technology in our schools; not just devices in the hands of students and teachers and the labs at school, but also the connectivity. We have a lot of content. But it’s the skill with which the teacher is endowed that will bring all of that together and will make it come alive in the classrooms. We know that, day by day, the technology is moving way ahead of where we are… so we have to bring our teachers along,” she said.

Mrs. Williams was speaking during Wednesday’s (October 4) launch of the Project at the Ministry’s offices in Kingston.

The ISTE Standards are a framework that guides educators, leaders, and coaches in using technology to create high impact, sustainable, scalable, and equitable learning experiences.

Noting that the engagement is a year-long programme, Minister Williams said the significant advancements in technology means that teachers must be competent in utilising digital education in instructional delivery.

“This is more of what education is going to be. It is not [just] standing in front of the class. It also involves helping students become independent learners as well,” she emphasised.

The initiative primary objectives are to transform the traditional teaching learning framework from knowledge-based to competency-based, and from closed to open-ended problem-solving skills among students.

It also seeks to empower the youngsters to make the transition from adult-led direction to student agency for their own learning.