TakingITGlobal

23 Countries Educators participated in TIGed's Professional Development e-courses Global Encounters events connected 174 students from 12 classrooms nationwide 147+ 166 20 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT http://pd.tiged.org Our professional development program at TIGed continued to flourish, with e-courses and in-service workshops being offered to educators around the world. Our three e-courses, Project-based Learning for Global Citizenship, Empowering Student Voice in Education, and Education for Environmental Stewardship attracted participants from 19 countries. Our in-service workshops and keynotes took various team members to Brazil, Costa Rica, China, Australia, and across Canada and the United States, where we met so many inspiring and passionate educators. PARTNERSHIPS AND INITIATIVES Toronto District School Board (TDSB) Partnership TIGed was thrilled to initiate a partnership with the Toronto District School Board in 2013. We worked with a family of 18 Toronto schools to engage more than 100 TDSB educators and administrators through a blended professional learning program aligned to our three values: student voice, environmental stewardship and global citizenship. The program culminated in final projects developed in school teams, comprised of education units or projects that were showcased at an innovation fair in May 2013, and are currently being implemented in schools across Toronto. In collaboration with TDSB's research team, we were able to assess the outcomes of our work together on this program. Highlights include: •  A 50% jump (61% to 91%) in educator skills around integrating global educational concepts in the classroom •  A 66% jump (42% to 70%) in educators' ability to enrich students collaborative and cross-cultural learning experiences from global partnerships •  73% growth (52% to 90%) in the ability to design student voice projects to meet curriculum goals and school policies •  A 78% increase (47% to 84%) in creating a culture of global leadership, in which students are empowered to engage in controversial global issues and create positive change In December 2013, 20 educators were selected to participate in a two-part follow-up workshop to reflect and share lessons learned on project implementation to date, explore how to grow the impact of projects designed as part of the courses, and learn more about fostering social innovation and design thinking in teaching practice. As an organization focused on making global connections and addressing international challenges, this tie to our most local school board is critical. The adage "think global, act local" rings true for us here. The potential to affect change on a system level is evident in this initial collaboration, and we look forward to continuing this partnership in the coming year. Education Fast Forward On November 21st, 2013, TIGed participated in Education Fast Forward 8: New Pedagogies - Is this the time?, a live debate made possible through Cisco Telepresence. Educators from around the world had a chance to discuss the meaning of deep learning. The shift in the roles of students and teachers to a more collaborative partnership, where everyone has the role of the learner and educator simultaneously, was discussed at length. Experts also pondered the educational experience beyond the confines of the classroom. Deep learning, which relates to risk-taking and accepting change, was the over-arching theme. Global Citizenship Environmental Stewardship Student Voice

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