More than 1,500 tech-savvy teachers in schools across the School District of Palm Beach County are firing up their Chromebooks and sparking the imagination of their students as Technology Trailblazers in their classrooms.
Trailblazers in both elementary and secondary schools have undergone extensive training over the summer and will not only bring their skills to the classroom, they are also ready to train other teachers on their campus on how to integrate technology into their classrooms as well.
“Students are drawn to technology, and incorporating it into classwork and instruction only better prepares them for a digital workforce,” Director of Educational Technology Dr. Adam Miller said.
Each principal selected teacher leaders on their campuses in math, science, language arts and social studies to learn effective methods for empowering classroom instruction with technology during a two-day summer institute. Training at the institute included personalizing the content for students, increasing learning and engagement and using technology in the classroom.
Once trained, Technology Trailblazers are the first to receive a set of Chromebooks and a touch-screen flat panel whiteboard for their classroom. The district is expected to distribute more than 25,000 Chromebooks this year, and every classroom will receive a flat-panel screen over the next two-and-a-half years, thanks to funds from the penny sales tax.
In order to qualify to be a Technology Trailblazer, teachers must first complete training to become Google Classroom certified, taking approximately 13 hours of training. The School District of Palm Beach County has more Google-certified teachers than any school district in the nation.
“The willingness of our educators to engage in professional development to increase their proficiency with technology and its use in the classroom shows that our teachers know where to engage their students and prepare them for life after school,” Miller said.
