Teach Middle East Magazine May-June 2018 Issue 5 Volume 5 | Page 36

Featured Teacher BARBARA ANNA ZIELONKA USES ICT TO CONNECT HER STUDENTS TO THE WORLD. I BY LEISA GRACE WILSON first heard of Barbara and the work she was doing with her students in Norway, when the top 50 finalists of The Global Teacher Prize 2018 were announced. What struck me about her was how practical and effective the methods she was using were, in getting her students to become connected 21st century learners. To my delight she was chosen as a top ten finalist, which meant that I would get the opportunity to meet and interview her when she came to Dubai for the awards ceremony. I not only got the chance to interview her, but I also had the honour of being a part of her master class during which she explained how she uses technology to engage her students. She also shared with us some of her favourite technology tools and applications. The session was extremely engaging. Barbara teaches English and International English at Nannestad High School, Norway. It is a public school with academic and vocational programmes. In 2007, she earned her master’s degree from the University of Silesia, Poland. She knew that she wanted to move abroad at some point in her life. She had visited Norway several times, and it felt natural to move there and start one of the biggest 34 | May - Jun 2018 | | Class Time