Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/379168
22 TakingITGlobal for Educators http://www.tigweb.org /tiged TakingITGlobal for Educators (TIGed) supports globally-minded educators in utilizing technology to create transformative learning experiences for students, and offers programming, resources and professional development in three key areas: global citizenship, student voice and environmental stewardship. In 2013, the TIGed community grew to 11,866 educators from 4,400 schools from 147 countries. Over 520 new virtual classrooms were created. Educators from around the world added more than 80 classroom resources across various subject areas to the TIGed resource database. A total of 166 educators participated in our professional development e-courses in areas of global citizenship, environmental stewardship and student voice. These e-courses helped educators identify practical ways to implement project-based learning experiences that support the development of 21st century skills among students without compromising unique classroom needs and curriculum requirements The TIGed team is continuously working to find ways to improve our programs, resources, and professional development offerings to ensure they are reflective of current trends in global, collaborative education. ONLINE PLATFORM IMPROVEMENTS In 2013, we made some important improvements to the TIGed platform. The bold colours and section summaries simplifies the browsing experience and increases usability across the platform. The easy to browse TIGed Resources database allows educators to find resources by subject (i.e. science) or issue (i.e. environment), view top resources, educational videos, and active members for each area, and create their own collection of saved resources on the site. In 2013, we introduced a simplified sign-up process for students. If allowed by school policy, students have the option of either creating a TakingITGlobal account or signing in through one of their existing social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr. We also integrated Twitter feeds into the virtual classroom platform, making it possible to feed timely insights from social media into global collaborations and classroom projects. The TIGed team is always available to answer questions and support educators in designing effective global learning experiences, through live chat, Twitter, Facebook, or e-mail. Schools Educators Students 4,412 58,954+ 11,866