One of the last projects I was working on at MSU has concluded – and I realized I never shared any updates/info on the grant! In May 2017, Margo Glew, Kyle Greenwalt and I were awarded a grant from the Longview Foundation titled: Digital Badging for Global Teacher Learning. We proposed the following:
This proposal seeks to develop two learning modules for global educators, both inservice educators and preservice educators who have reached the field placement portion of their program. These modules will be available to teacher candidates and practicing teachers anywhere and will engage participants in two areas of global education practice: the first module (for elementary educators) will focus on developing competency in global project-based learning curriculum design, and the second (for secondary educators) on integrating global citizenship education into the teacher participant’s subject area. These modules will consist of a combination of online learning and collaboration, specific classroom projects, and preparation of curricular units and lessons.
The design of the learning modules will center around the development of competency in one area of global teaching (project based learning/global citizenship education) and not, as is common in other forms of professional learning, the completion of “seat time” at a workshop or presentation. In addition to receiving continuing education credits, teacher participants will, at the successful completion of the learning module, be recognized for their competency with a digital credential. This digital badge will be available for teachers and teacher candidates to display on their LinkedIn or other social media profiles to communicate their expertise in this area of global education. Teachers will also receive the badge in the form of a vinyl cling to display outside of their classroom door. The modules will be developed by a team of colleagues from Michigan State University’s nationally recognized teacher preparation program and K12 global educators and education leaders to meet the specific needs of practicing global educators and global educator teacher candidates. The purpose of the project is twofold: 1) we seek to develop and deliver two global education micro-credentials to practicing teachers and teacher candidates; 2) we seek to develop a framework for the learning pathway, technical infrastructure and administrative infrastructure for managing, reviewing and awarding digital badges for global education so that future credentials may be developed and implemented. It is our goal to ultimately develop and deliver a range of micro-credentials for a variety of competency areas for the global educator.
We partnered with Kelly Jacobs from the Lansing School District and Robert Lurie from Waverly High School. I was responsible for the website and editing the podcasts (the teachers and Kyle/Margo created the content.) Here is the final result of our efforts (three modules!) which we used to run a pilot this fall:
http://gravesle.msu.domains/GlobalEd/
I had SO much fun editing the podcasts (it was great to get back to my audio production roots) and I learned a lot about publishing to iTunes!
The pilot has ended (thus, no more Michigan Continuing Education Credits) – but – you can still download all of the podcasts here on iTunes (or, directly download the mp3 files from the Microcredential Website.)