NMPED News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico teachers now have access to training to optimize the virtual-learning environment this fall, thanks to a partnership between the Public Education Department and Central New Mexico Community College.
CNM Ingenuity, a nonprofit affiliated with the college, is collaborating with experienced virtual educators around the state to create and facilitate a series of professional development workshops for K-12 educators.
The New Mexico Public Education Department is providing free access to the workshop series for public school educators as remote-only learning resumes in August. Registration opens today, Friday, July 31 at this link.
“This is a meaningful partnership and one that conveys the PED’s commitment to working with institutions of higher education in the state as well as our deep commitment to the educators who serve our students and families,” said Gwendolyn Perea Warniment, deputy cabinet secretary for Teaching, Learning & Assessment.
“Just as students across New Mexico deserve access to technology for remote learning, so too do our educators deserve access to professional development that supports their transition into the virtual environment,” she said.
Up to eight workshops will take place via Zoom each day except Sundays between Aug. 7-18 with up to 300 teachers in each workshop. A total of about 18,000 teachers are eligible to attend.
After Aug. 18, a self-paced online course will be available for teachers who couldn’t make the in-person presentations.
Workshop sessions will offer strategies for engaging students in the virtual learning environment and leveraging the virtual environment to support differentiated instruction. Sessions also will cover project-based learning, collaborative learning and show educators how to use Zoom features like breakout rooms and chat feeds to facilitate online discussions.
“We recognize that you could be a 20-year veteran teacher who’s mastered the in-class environment, but thanks to these new challenges it might feel like you’re back to your first year of teaching,” said Erica Volkers Barreiro, CNM’s Future of Work strategist and a project leader.
Similar workshops will be offered later for parents, who are critical partners in virtual learning and may need support to manage both work and children attending school virtually.
