Well, we’ve been working like busy little bees for nearly a year and it’s finally time to make the big announcement! We are releasing a new product - TechYES Technology Literacy Curriculum (or TechYES TLC) in June.
It’s been a long time coming and a lot of hard work, but we are finally getting near enough to the finish line that we can begin to share things publicly.
TechYES TLC is all online, with nothing to install or download. It’s completely new and (we hope) the best, most engaging project-based technology literacy curriculum out there. It’s geared towards middle school, just like our TechYES Student Technology Literacy Certification model, but it goes deeper than just certification.
Engaging, student-centered activities
In the five years since we created the TechYES - Student Technology Literacy Certification model, we found many schools in search of new curriculum to use for their technology classes. Not satisfied with existing technology curriculum, they want to give students a more engaging, student-centered experience using a project-based, constructivist philosophy and 21st century tools.
This is the big idea behind TechYES TLC. Units include:
- Web safety, netiquette, cyberbullying, ethics
- Internet searching, copyright and citations
- Peer mentor training
- Digital publishing - presentations, word processing, visual literacy
- Web publishing - websites and wikis
- Online collaboration - email, blogs, RSS, networks
- Media literacy
- Graphics - photography, drawing, art, animation
- Audio - editing, podcasting, music
- Video - production, editing, digital storytelling
- Computer programming
- Simulation and modeling
- Web 2.0
Each unit contains multiple activities and mini-projects, all with resources, teaching tips, and extension activities. Included are training and support, with suggested pathways to customize the units to fit multiple timelines such as rotations, block schedules, trimester, semester, year-long, even multiple years.
Technology literacy reports and project tools
And it’s not just lesson plans, there are online tools that support projects and authentic assessment:
- Individual student project planning and evaluation
- Blogs and wikis for students to document the progress of their technology projects
- Customizable reports that track student progress towards technology literacy certification
- Plus the Generation YES special brand of support (the TLC) for our schools
Permanent license means a sustainable solution
By the way, for those of you with your eyes on the bottom line, this curriculum is available as a permanent site license. No renewal fees, all future upgrades included.
There is much more information on the website, and we’d be happy to start giving online tours after NECC in June. If you are going to be at NECC in Washington DC, be sure to stop by our booth and see it live!
Whew! It’s been a long road and a lot of hard work, but we are so very proud of TechYES TLC. We hope it finds its way into many schools!
Sylvia
