Using Educational Technology with English Learners from Coursera

This course is designed for early career teachers to learn about evaluating and incorporating technology into the classroom to engage students, especially English learners (ELs). Teachers face the challenging expectation of helping ELs achieve grade-level standards and to develop additional 21st century skills, including citizenship, collaboration, creativity, communication, character, and critical thinking. Selecting and utilizing appropriate, high-quality educational technology as part of the learning process can motivate students and facilitate academic success.

Throughout the course, we will raise awareness of special linguistic, cultural, and pedagogical considerations for using educational technology with English learners. Teachers will apply best practices to select and use educational technology effectively, and evaluate online educational tools and resources for classroom adoption. Course participants will watch interviews with highly-experienced English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers who will share their personal experiences of utilizing technology to teach 21st century skills to English learners. Teachers will interact with peers in the educational field to discuss how to apply course concepts in their own teaching environment. Finally, course participants will receive practical, classroom-ready recommendations for helping ELs develop 21st century skills using technology.

By participating in this course, teachers will increase their own digital literacy skills and be better prepared to serve the English learners in their classrooms through educational technology.

What's inside

Syllabus

21st Century Skills and Facilitating with Technology

In Module 1, you will learn about the importance of digital literacy and facilitating other 21st century skills with technology in the classroom. We'll briefly explore the history of computer-assisted language learning (CALL), and discover how you can implement CALL components to engage English learners. Wrap up the module and prepare for the rest of the course by reflecting on your experience and comfort level incorporating technology into meaningful learning activities.

Technology for Collaboration and Culture/Citizenship

In module 2, you'll learn about citizenship (or culture skills) and collaboration as crucial 21st century skills. We'll introduce some practical classroom activities and projects that incorporate educational technology to help English learners develop these skills. You'll hear from a highly-experienced teacher about considerations for assessing collaborative projects that involve technology. We will introduce need-to-know information about principles of universal design (UDL) that may impact your selection of educational technology in the classroom. Finally, we end the module by demonstrating how to evaluate educational technology for use with English learners. After becoming familiar with this week's evaluation rubric, we'll ask you to do the same.

Technology for Design/Creativity and Communication

In module 3, you'll learn about creativity and communication as crucial 21st century skills. We'll introduce some practical classroom activities and projects that incorporate educational technology to help English learners develop these skills. You'll hear from a highly-experienced teacher and experts in the fields of communication studies and psychology about considerations for teaching and assessing creativity and communication using technology. We will introduce need-to-know information about accessibility guidelines that may impact your selection of educational technology in the classroom. Finally, we end the module by demonstrating how to evaluate educational technology for use with English learners. After becoming familiar with this week's evaluation rubric, we'll ask you to do the same.

Technology for Character Education/Connectivity and Critical Thinking

In module 4, you'll learn about character and critical thinking as crucial 21st century skills. We'll introduce some practical classroom activities and projects that incorporate educational technology to help English learners develop these skills. You'll hear from a highly-experienced teacher and experts in the fields of social policy and education about considerations for teaching and assessing character and critical thinking using technology. We will introduce need-to-know information about copyright law and open source media that may impact your selection of educational technology in the classroom. Finally, we end the module by demonstrating how to evaluate educational technology for use with English learners. After becoming familiar with this week's evaluation rubric, we'll ask you to do the same.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Builds a strong foundation for English learners to develop 21st-century skills using educational technology

Provides practical classroom activities and projects that incorporate educational technology

Instructors are experienced English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers who share their expertise in utilizing technology to teach 21st-century skills to English learners

Offers a comprehensive study of educational technology tools and resources for English learner instruction

Introduces principles of universal design (UDL), accessibility guidelines, and copyright law for selecting and using educational technology

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Using Educational Technology with English Learners with these activities:

Read "Teaching English Language Learners Through Technology" by Sarah Mercer

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This book provides practical guidance on how to use technology to engage English language learners and help them succeed in the classroom.

View Teaching and Learning with Technologies in the... on Amazon

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Read the book
Reflect on how you can use the ideas in the book in your own classroom
Implement some of the ideas in your classroom

Volunteer at a local community center or school to work with English language learners

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Volunteer at a local community center or school to work with English language learners and gain hands-on experience in teaching English.

Browse courses on 21st Century Skills

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Find a local community center or school that offers English language learning programs
Contact the program coordinator and express your interest in volunteering
Attend a volunteer orientation
Start volunteering

Follow tutorials on how to use Google Classroom and other educational technology tools

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Follow tutorials on how to use Google Classroom and other educational technology tools to improve your teaching.

Browse courses on Educational Technology

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Find tutorials on how to use Google Classroom and other educational technology tools
Follow the tutorials
Practice using the tools in your own classroom

Five other activities

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Meet with other teachers to discuss how you are using technology in your classroom

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Meet with other teachers to discuss how you are using technology in your classroom and learn from each other's experiences.

Browse courses on Educational Technology

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Find a group of teachers who are interested in using technology in the classroom
Meet with the group regularly to discuss your experiences and ideas
Share resources and support each other

Practice using Edpuzzle and Kami extensions in Google Classroom

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Practice using Edpuzzle and Kami to make lessons more engaging for students.

Browse courses on Educational Technology

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Find an existing Google Classroom assignment to use with Kami or Edpuzzle
Make a copy of this assignment
Use Kami or Edpuzzle to add new content, such as notes, highlights, or audio feedback

Attend an EdTech conference or workshop

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Attend an EdTech conference or workshop to learn about the latest educational technology trends and best practices.

Browse courses on Educational Technology

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Find an EdTech conference or workshop that interests you
Register for the conference or workshop
Attend the conference or workshop
Network with other educators and learn about new educational technology tools and resources

Create a lesson plan that incorporates technology to teach 21st century skills

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Create a lesson plan that incorporates technology to teach 21st century skills, such as creativity, communication, and critical thinking.

Browse courses on 21st Century Skills

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Choose a topic that you want to teach
Identify the 21st century skills that you want to teach
Find or create resources that will help you teach these skills
Develop a lesson plan that incorporates these resources
Teach the lesson and reflect on your experience

Participate in the ISTE Standards for Students Coding Competition

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Participate in the ISTE Standards for Students Coding Competition to showcase your coding skills and knowledge of the ISTE Standards for Students.

Browse courses on Coding

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Gather a team of up to four people
Choose a coding project to work on
Submit your project to the competition
Present your project to a panel of judges

Career center

Learners who complete Using Educational Technology with English Learners will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Educational Researcher

Educational Researchers conduct research on teaching and learning. They work with teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders to improve educational outcomes for students. This course will help you succeed as an Educational Researcher by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively conduct educational research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Educational Researcher

Instructional Designer

Instructional Designers plan, develop, and implement educational programs. They work with subject matter experts to create learning materials that are effective and engaging. This course will help you succeed as an Instructional Designer by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively design and develop educational programs

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Designer

E-Learning Developer

E-Learning Developers plan, develop, and implement online learning programs. They work with subject matter experts to create online learning materials that are effective and engaging. This course will help you succeed as an E-Learning Developer by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively design and develop online learning programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for E-Learning Developer

Learning and Development Manager

Learning and Development Managers plan, develop, and implement training and development programs for employees. They work with subject matter experts to create training materials that are effective and engaging. This course will help you succeed as a Learning and Development Manager by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively design and develop training and development programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Learning and Development Manager

Bilingual Teacher

Bilingual Teachers plan and implement classroom instruction to help students learn English as a second language (ESL) and succeed in their academic studies. They prepare lesson plans, deliver instruction, and assess student progress. This course will help you succeed as a Bilingual Teacher by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively teach ESL students. You will learn about the latest research on best practices for teaching ESL, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of classroom settings. The course will also help you to develop the cultural competence you need to work effectively with ESL students and families.

See salaries and explore the career path for Bilingual Teacher

Technology Integration Specialist

Technology Integration Specialists work with teachers and administrators to integrate technology into the curriculum. They provide training, support, and resources to help teachers use technology effectively in the classroom. This course will help you succeed as a Technology Integration Specialist by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively integrate technology into the curriculum. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in technology integration, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with teachers and administrators.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technology Integration Specialist

Literacy Coach

Literacy Coaches work with teachers and students to improve literacy skills. They provide support, resources, and professional development opportunities to help teachers improve their instruction and help students improve their reading and writing skills. This course will help you succeed as a Literacy Coach by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively coach teachers and students. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in literacy coaching, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings.

See salaries and explore the career path for Literacy Coach

Reading Specialist

Reading Specialists work with students who have difficulty reading. They provide assessment, instruction, and support to help students improve their reading skills. This course will help you succeed as a Reading Specialist by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively work with students who have difficulty reading. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in reading instruction, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings.

See salaries and explore the career path for Reading Specialist

Special Education Teacher

Special Education Teachers plan and implement classroom instruction to help students with disabilities learn. They work with students with a variety of disabilities, including learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and emotional disabilities. This course will help you succeed as a Special Education Teacher by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively teach students with disabilities. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in special education, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of classroom settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with students with disabilities and their families.

See salaries and explore the career path for Special Education Teacher

Curriculum Developer

Curriculum Developers plan, develop, and implement educational curriculum and materials. They work with teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders to create educational programs that meet the needs of students. This course will help you succeed as a Curriculum Developer by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to develop effective educational curriculum. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in curriculum development, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders.

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Educational Consultant

Educational Consultants provide guidance and support to schools and other educational institutions. They work with administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders to improve educational outcomes for students. This course will help you succeed as an Educational Consultant by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively consult with schools and other educational institutions. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in educational consulting, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders.

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Teacher Librarian

Teacher Librarians work with teachers and students to provide library services and resources. They help students develop their information literacy skills, and they provide access to books and other resources that support the curriculum. This course will help you succeed as a Teacher Librarian by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively manage a school library. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in school librarianship, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with teachers and students.

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Instructional Coach

Instructional Coaches work with teachers to improve their teaching practice. They provide feedback, support, and professional development opportunities to help teachers improve their skills and knowledge. This course will help you succeed as an Instructional Coach by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively coach teachers. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in instructional coaching, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with teachers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Instructional Coach

Language Arts Teacher

Language Arts Teachers plan and implement classroom instruction to help students develop their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. They prepare lesson plans, deliver instruction, and assess student progress. This course will help you succeed as a Language Arts Teacher by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively teach language arts. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in language arts instruction, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of classroom settings. The course will also help you to develop the skills you need to work effectively with students.

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School Administrator

School Administrators plan, organize, and manage the operation of schools. They work with teachers, staff, students, and parents to create a positive learning environment. This course will help you succeed as a School Administrator by providing you with the skills and knowledge you need to effectively manage a school. You will learn about the latest research on best practices in school administration, and you will have the opportunity to practice these strategies in a variety of settings.

See salaries and explore the career path for School Administrator