Center for 21st Century Skills participated in the first-ever Digital Learning Day on February 1, 2012. Several members of our team joined the 15,000 educators from 39 states around the country to inspire students and promote innovation and creativity in education through the use of technology in the classroom. According to DigitalLearningDay.org, this annual event is “a nationwide celebration of innovative teaching and learning through digital media and technology that engages students.”

 Matthew Worwood, Sarah Schauss, and Kerry Macfarland visited EDUCATION CONNECTION‘s Head Start program to work with Pre-K students. These students filmed their pre-rehearsed play of the fairytale Three Billy Goats Gruff using iPod touches.

Head Start students practice filming with iPod touches

Frank views a student's Storykit digital story

Students prepared masks for each of the Billy Goats and the Troll, and used other props to create a space in which to perform their play. They then took turns acting in the play, recorded sound effects (the students used rhythm sticks to mimic the sound of clopping hooves), and filmed their production using the iPods.

Frank LaBanca visited second and fourth graders at Sandy Hook School in Newtown for Digital Learning Day. Using iPod touches loaded with the StoryKit app, Frank, fourth grade teacher Ted Varga, and the fourth grade students created riddles that modeled the literary device personification. Students selected an inanimate object in the room to personify.

Some examples of their work include:

•  Pen, Pencil Sharpener, and Plants
•  Hand Sanitizer, Clock

Frank also visited second grade teacher Robin Walker’s class. Using the same app, students recorded observations of growth patterns of the Wisconsin Fast Plants they are growing as part of a science unit.

Justine LaSala visited 1st and 3rd graders at Middlebrook Elementary School. First grade students in Miss Berry’s class used iPod touches loaded with the StoryKit app to create digital storybooks about the different species of penguins. Mrs. Lopez’s third grade students wrote, illustrated, and recorded their own adventure stories using the same app.

Here are some examples of student work from Middlebrook Elementary School:

Justine helps a student with their iPod

1st grade:

• Emperor Penguins by Ryan and Dylan
• African Penguins by Lily and Magdalena

3rd grade:
Picnic On The Beach By Lauren And Amanda

Jennifer Silverman will be visiting Miss Porter’s School in Farmington to conduct a Digital Learning Day activity with freshman enrolled in Algebra 1. Students will first translate set situations into algebraic sentences. Then, using an iPad loaded with a graphing calculator app, they will then compare the costs of developing a product from two different companies. Students will work with a number of variables to answer the algebraic problems using a new  technology.

Center for 21st Century Skills is proud to have been a part of the first-annual Digital Learning Day. Thanks to all of the schools, teachers, and students who participated!