Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — With support from Google, more than 500 teachers from public schools across North Carolina will receive free professional training from the Department of Public Instruction, preparing them for the Google Educator Level 1 Certification. This specific level of certification helps teachers master skills in Google’s digital tools to support student learning, better manage coursework and improve student outcomes.

More specifically, Google Educator Level 1 Certification will support teachers in growing students’ digital literacy skills, allow teachers to connect and collaborate with educators worldwide and help them to grow data and gather feedback from students and colleagues.

N.C. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Catherine Truitt said she is excited to see this training applied in classrooms and appreciates the opportunities it will bring to educators.

“The pandemic has shown us the value and necessity in equipping our educators with the knowledge to grow and sharpen their technical skills,” Truitt said. “Google’s support helps us invest in the very people who inspire and lead North Carolina students every day while promoting teaching and learning that’s both engaging and dynamic.”

Vanessa Wrenn, chief information officer for the Department of Public Instruction, said students will ultimately benefit from the support from Google.

“Technology and innovation play a critical role in creating a best-in-class education experience for students that will help prepare them for the jobs of the future,” Wrenn said. “Google is a key partner in our schools, and we are proud to have been selected for this partnership. To know our teachers will be equipped to directly impact the student experience. We are excited to see the knowledge they gain from this in their classrooms.”

The free professional development program from Google is in intended to help teachers enhance their effectiveness at using online tools for teaching and learning.

“Teachers around the state have excelled in the face of incredible challenges over the last couple of years,” said Amber Tillman, Google’s regional head of Data Center Public Affairs. “From our ongoing support of the NC Business Committee for Education to our growing commitments in the Triangle region in connection to our Google Cloud engineering hub in Durham, Google supports the communities where we live and grow, which includes helping advance the education of our children and support of our teachers.”

The goal of the Google Educator Level 1 Certification is to help teachers better use the latest cloud-based software and show how these tools can be used to create even more meaningful learning experiences for students.

APPLICATIONS

The Google Educator Level I Certification application is now open. Educators are encouraged to apply HERE.