College of Education Pledges to Prepare Future Educators with the Tech Skills to Thrive in Digital Learning Environments

In an effort to prepare educators with the skills to successfully use technology for learning in face-to-face, hybrid and online classrooms, the University of Maryland College of Education signed the Educator Prep Programs for Digital Equity and Transformation Pledge, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Education and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

“We are committed to partnering with others to support the expansion of digital equity,” said Ebony Terrell Shockley, executive director of Teacher Education at the University of Maryland. “We recognize that accelerating transformative digital learning empowers students, and by signing the pledge, we reaffirm our shared vision to increase access to digital resources, reimagine technology's role in our global society, promote innovative applications, and create opportunities for all students to thrive in digital environments. This becomes one of many existing pathways that will help prepare educators to advocate for equity.” 

The College joins 22 other institutions committed to preparing teachers to thrive in digital learning environments; use technology to pursue ongoing professional learning; apply frameworks to accelerate transformative digital learning; equipping all faculty to continuously improve expertise in technology for learning; and collaborating with school leaders to identify shared digital teaching competencies. 

“Knowing how to use technology to support student learning is an essential skill for any teacher to thrive in a post-COVID world,” said Richard Culatta, CEO of ISTE. “I’m thrilled that the University of Maryland College of Education is committed to embedding tech skills into their program so all of their teacher candidates will be prepared to hit the ground running.”