Of TXD: Teacher Experience Design

Education has changed.

A new trend in education has risen over the last few years: classrooms have become learner-centered; lessons are focused on the process of creating learning experiences, which should enable the learner to achieve the desired learning outcome in a human-centered and problem-solving environment. Learners are given a more empowering role in their own education: they have been given ownership of their learning.They have been fostered to unleash their creativity in a collaborative way; they have been given a space to think critically; they have been given a voice.

Empowered learners are motivated, confident, engaged, and ready to tackle whatever task they are given. We are preparing an entire generation of thinkers, makers, and go-getters. 

Have I forgotten anything...?

Of taking the next step

I have been learning quite a bit about EdTech in the last few... years? months? lives?

Well, anyway. Today I decided to take the next step.

Of technology, cardboard paper and Virtual Reality

Ever since I started this incredible journey into EdTech, one thing that has always intrigued me was Virtual Reality.

Actually, it started much earlier than that, because Virtual Reality is not new. When I was a kid, watching sci-fi movies such as "The Lawnmower Man" and "Back to the Future": whenever they showed VR, I was mesmerized! 

Never in a million years could I imagine then, that I would be one day getting familiar with this tool!

Of soccer as a cultural barrier breaker

Can we teach culture to teens?
Yes, we can! But, how?
All you need is a lesson plan, a great app and a passion in common. I chose to raise cultural awareness by discussing soccer, part of so many cultures.

I used the app from Cambridge, Cambridge English FC, available here: http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/learning-english/games-social/cambridge-english-fc/

With this app, students can learn vocabulary and grammar by answering English grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation questions to help their team pass the ball, get to the goal, shoot and score.


After playing, they are able to have a conversation about soccer with absolutely anyone in the world! They can learn about cultural differences and similarities, while having fun.

Of post-its: they can help you be a better person

I had a great class. 

It feels so great to say this. 

And my class really touched me in many ways: as a teacher, I felt proud and accomplished: they learned what they were supposed to.

As a human being, I felt like I made a difference.

Of Amplifica! A video about my experiences

Amplifica took place in March.

But it feels like it was a million years ago!

Of adults, Google Classroom and Iron Maiden

Teaching adults is completely different than teaching teens. That much is obvious, right?

But I was having a hard time with one of my groups: they are all adults, and they are all really successful in their professional lives. 

So anything ordinary in the classroom, like a mistake or team-work, becomes such a big deal for them!  

Of going from clueless to fearless to Google

I had no clue.

In terms of technology in class, I believed that the most I could do was allow my students to use their phones to search the meaning of a word or to search information on a certain topic.
Little by little, I started to find out what more I could do for my students.