Designing Rigorous Learning Experiences in a Tech-Rich Classroom

Strategies For a Blended or Personalized Classroom Using Purposeful Technology

We recently had the privilege of connecting with Dr. Monica Burns to host a webinar on designing unique, rigorous learning experiences using technology. Dr. Burns is an education consultant, blogger, and former classroom teacher in New York City. She is the author of the popular website classtechtips.com, and a new book, Tasks Before Apps. She tweets at @classtechtips.

If you missed the live event, don’t worry! You can still catch the full webinar in its recorded state. Find the recording below, and read on for a quick overview of the fantastic teaching strategies Dr. Burns will provide in the webinar:

The Big Ideas

This webinar is all about what Dr. Burns calls the “tasks before apps mindset” — or the idea that we must focus on putting the learning first, and using technology to design rigorous learning experiences for students. In the webinar, Dr. Burns asks you to consider: what can we do to support students as they use a variety of digital tools throughout the day?

First, she suggests you think about how students are interacting with the content:

• How are your students acting as CONSUMERS of content?
• How can we empower students as CREATORS of content?

Dr. Burns explains that we can differentiate so students can exist on the consumer — creator spectrum based on needs, but also empower them to navigate the digital world, where they will need to know how to function as both consumers and creators.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to use the “ACES” framework to help you implement technology in learning design
• How to examine each component of the “ACES” framework in the context of content and technology
• How to strategically choose learning moments where technology implementation will drive learning
• All about “creation” in terms of student interaction with content: the variety of types, range of features, multiple purposes
• How creation can change student roles in the classroom and provide them with unique opportunities for learning experiences

What You’ll Get:

• Simple, direct guiding questions to adopt and implement the tasks before apps mindset
• A list of simple creation tools to kickstart your experimentation with creation in learning design, and specific project ideas for each tool
• An understanding of how to use tech tools to promote student creation, for a variety of student needs and abilities — all with the aim of empowering a student to create a product that shows what they know

Watch the full webinar here: