Online Learning Resources LibraryWhen in-person learning shifted online in 2020, there was a sudden rush to find resources, tools, and lesson plans that could help educators across the country manage this unprecedented crisis. In response, Digital Promise created an Online Learning Resources Library that allows users to search by resource type, grade level, and subject. All of the resources are free and meet student data privacy criteria. Users also have the option of recommending a resource for review by Digital Promise staff. Even as schools return to in-person learning, online learning still presents a powerful option for many students, keeping these tools relevant in this new education landscape.
Resources for Supporting Learners with DisabilitiesThe move to distance learning during the pandemic was destabilizing to many educators, students, and their families. This was especially true for learners with disabilities. As schools transitioned, it was imperative that equity be kept at the center of all learning. It’s why we created a searchable library of Special Education resources and edtech products for educators. Users can filter by grade and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) disability categories. All of the resources are free and meet student data privacy criteria. As schools return to in-person learning, there are still many lessons about the power of digital learning that can be carried over from 2020, including the ways in which different students thrive in different learning environments.
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we introduced the Digital Learning Playbook, which includes strategies for establishing leadership teams, planning for technology implementation, assessing human infrastructure needs and capacity, and identifying tools and resources for school and home use. Establishing digital learning environments will remain vital to districts because they promote personalization and student agency in all learning scenarios. No matter where your district or school’s starting point lies, the Playbook can help support the development of powerful, effective digital learning.
Micro-credentialsEducators and learners found countless ways to adapt and grow in 2020. To support the transition to widespread digital learning, we published the Transitioning to Digital Learning micro-credentials. The stack joined our existing library of over 550 micro-credentials, published in partnership with over 50 organizations, available to recognize the skills of educators. In 2020, more than 131,000 educators visited the micro-credential platform. Educators most frequently searched for content related to powerful use of technology, digital learning, media literacy, and supporting diverse learners. Micro-credentials offered educators flexible, virtual avenues to earn recognition for the many ways they shifted practice to meet the needs of students in unprecedented conditions.
COVID-19 kept us away from the in-person events that fortify and expand our networks. Still, while there weren’t opportunities to meet and learn with our networks in person, we found and created new ways to interact and learn. Digital Promise established a regular webinars program, including (but not limited to) webinars focused on Education Leadership for a Digital World, integrating technology into online or in-person learning, personalized learning, learning sciences, and much more. Since May 2020, Digital Promise has organized more than 130 webinars, with plans to continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
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