Transform.Ed Briefing #64

Inside the Briefing: From enabling learners to engage in online communities to unpacking the UNESCO ICT competency framework for teachers - digital learning in action.

Mar 28, 2024

The ubiquity of technology cannot be denied anymore, even in education. As technology gains prominence, digital skills, and information literacy become increasingly important components of foundational learning.

The UNESCO Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Competency Framework for Teachers delineates 18 competencies across six aspects of teachers’ professional practice. In addition to honing these skills and the ability to cultivate the ICT competencies amongst our students, there is a pressing need to focus on utilizing technology to help the students become more collaborative, inquisitive, innovative and responsible members of society.

However, technology serves as a means to an end, and an overemphasis can lead to ignorance of its potential drawbacks, including loss of human touch. In our poll last week, we asked our readers about the major challenges educators may face in the domain of digital learning. 50% of the respondents identified digital literacy as a significant challenge, while the remaining half cited issues pertaining to technological access and privacy.

With one in three young people across 30 countries experiencing cyberbullying and one in five admitting to skipping school due to cyberbullying and violence, as educators, we are compelled to think: how do we ensure our students are equipped to navigate these challenges? How can we instill responsibility in our students regarding their technology usage?

Share your thoughts and experiences with your global peers in the comments below or join the conversation on the Global Citizenship Foundation’s Educational Leadership Community, exclusively dedicated to educators worldwide. If you haven’t signed up yet, please get in touch with us here.

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As a first-generation learner and educator, I understand the value of inspiring educators in the lives of learners; the most inspiring educators I've encountered in life are those who never stop learning. Together, let's embark on this incredible journey of learning and transforming education for human and planetary flourishing! Subscribe to Transform.Ed and be at the forefront of shaping the many futures of education!

In service of education and visionary education leaders,

— Aaryan Salman
Director-General
Global Citizenship Foundation