More than 100 educators from 18 rural communities in Nicaragua have gained skills and techniques to elevate their teaching practice, thanks to a ConnectED Fellow who helped to bring training in technology literacy, teaching pedagogy, and open resources to educators in the region of San Juan del Sur.
Before the training, teachers from rural communities in the municipality of San Juan del Sur wanted to improve their teaching skills to provide high-quality education. They felt that their lack of exposure to new pedagogy, mentorship, computer technology, and professional development was limiting their ability to effectively reach their students. Maria Ignacia Guzman was among these teachers. With over 29 years’ teaching experience, a Master’s in Education, and a Spanish teaching license, Maria is the Director of Francisca Hernández School in Ostional. Despite her credentials, she understood the need for self-improvement and wanted local teachers to have access to professional development and learning opportunities to help them address classroom challenges and to advance their teaching practice. Maria believes lifelong learners make great teachers and this has inspired her vision as a ConnectED Fellow.
“It was…very valuable to have had the opportunity to socialize with each of my fellow teachers in the San Juan del Sur municipality.”
– Luis Navas, teacher
In 2016, together with ConnectED and key education mentors from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and the University of Santa Cruz, California (UCSC), Maria helped organize a professional development training for teachers from rural communities within the San Juan del Sur region. Educators were trained on the use of technology in the classroom, tools and techniques for literacy instruction and certification, classroom management strategies, and the socio-cultural role that teachers play. They also gained access to the eCommunity of practice, an Open Education Resource supported by UTSA that links rural educators to an online network of teacher mentors and teaching resources. The training was a success, word spread and soon more teachers from other municipalities wanted to join the training. Maria worked with ConnectED, the Ministry of Education and key education mentors to expand the training to reach more educators from the region.
“Something valuable that I learned is the creation of digital texts, how to create a structure and insert images to facilitate and develop information that is more relevant, and easier to understand and analyze. It was also very valuable to have had the opportunity to socialize with each of my fellow teachers in the San Juan del Sur municipality,” reflects Luis Navas, one of the teachers trained.