Celebrating Technology Month on the GSN

At NYLC we are celebrating Technology Month as we near Digital Learning Day, a national campaign that celebrates teachers and shines a spotlight on successful instructional practice and effective use of technology in classrooms across the country. NYLC is proud to be partners with the Alliance for Excellent Education in this exciting campaign.

During Technology Month, we’re recognizing the ability of technology to advance service-learning. Here are a few of the things we’re doing:

The Generator School Network is giving away a Kindle Fire to one lucky GSN member who updates their tech-focused service-learning project between January 1 and Digital Learning Day on February 6. Only tech-focused projects are eligible. GSN members are doing creative things with technology in service-learning, like connecting with their community through social media, or like Member of the Month Elissa Cottle, through a student-run newspaper.

Elissa is the GSN’s featured member for Technology Month, and is among the ever-expanding group of service-learning practitioners boldly embracing technology as a way to enhance their practice. As part of her afterschool project students, can learn about journalism and photography, exercising important skills the regular school day can’t always make time for. Interviewing students and staff on school issues, the digital publication they create serves student body, parents, and teachers alike. Elissa also encourages any young artists to submit cartoons and creative writing for publication.

“Helping students tap into their creativity opens the door to a fulfilling relationship with oneself,” Elissa said in describing her passion for service-learning. You can read more about Elissa's projects here.

NYLC is featuring technology-oriented resources this month. On Thursday, January 24, NYLC is hosting a webinar, Technology and Service-Learning: An Engaging Combination, in which we will explore the parallels between service-learning and technology, as well as specific technology tools that lend themselves to project-based learning and service. The session includes project examples from the field to show how technology can enhance reflection as well as direct, indirect, and advocacy forms of service. Webinars are free to attend, sign up today!

We also have recorded webinars available to watch any time, on integrating STEM and service-learning, or about online learning cohorts and professional learning communities.

This is a remarkable time for technology and for service-learning. We hope you will join NYLC and so many others across the service-learning field as we marshal these unique strategies for student success and engagement.