Summer Tech

For those of you in ESU7 that cannot go to NETA, there is an alternative at the end of May.  The NNNC Summer Technology Institute is two great, fun filled days of technology at the Lifelong Learning Center in Norfolk.  The dates for this year’s rendition are May 29^th and 30^th, so mark your calendars and plan on attending.

This year Meg Ormiston will be our Keynote Speaker and will also have some breakout sessions.  Planning is continuing on other presentations, and if you are interested in presenting there is still time to submit your proposal.  We are accepting all types of presentations, even ones that involve students.  Students and presenters even have their own prize drawings.  Students can win iTunes gift cards, as can presenters.  The big presenter gift is a 16GB iPad mini.  There is also a mini in for the participant drawings along with iTunes gift cards.

Registration is now open, all you need to do is visit the STI website.  The website will be updated with the schedule once it is finalized, so check back regularly for update.

See you in May.

EdCampOmaha

Coming up in a couple of weeks, March 23^rd to be exact is a wonderfulf FREE professional development opportunity, EdCampOmaha.  This will be my first time at an EdCamp of any type, but from what I have heard, read, and seen it is a valuable learning experience.

The idea behind EdCamp is FREE, unscripted professional development.  It is in the form of an un-conference, sessions for the day are set that morning during the registration time.  No pre-planning on your part, just show up and decide what you want to go to.  It is just a conference of breakout sessions, no specific keynote session. 

This is exciting to me for several reasons.  I am usually a structured person, here are the sessions I want to go to and I will go to them.  This will make me think on my toes and take advantage of various opportunities for discussions that may arise.  Also, if I feel like “leading” a session I can.  The more you participate the more you will get out of it. 

Another reason is the networking that can be done in a short amount of time.  I will get to meet people I know from Twitter face to face for the first time.  I will also meet new people that I can add to my Twitter PLN and increase my knowledge and professional development opportunities.

If you are not able to go, you can follow along all day on Twitter.  If you are going to follow along on Twitter the hashtag will be #EdCampOmaha.  If you are interested in going or need more information see the EdCampOmaha website.  Registration is FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Follow EdCampOmaha on Twitter: @EdCampOmaha

Spring Tech Visits

In about a week I get to start something this spring that I did in the fall.  I get to go out and visit the wonderful teachers of ESU7.  I enjoy going out on these “Technology Visits”.  If I can help one or two teachers in a building, I consider it a success. 

On these “Tech Visits” I sit in a common place, go to the teachers room, or wander for three hours.  Being new to the unit, eight months now, I am still getting to know the schools and some of the teachers in the districts.  Plus, I get to see what is going on with technology in the building I see. 

Teachers of ESU7 are doing amazing activities with their students and technology.  I enjoy seeing what they are doing and being able to share with others how they are using it.  This helps give them ideas of what they can do in their classrooms as well, and maybe take it to the next level or make it fit for them. 

It will be a nice change to be “out of the office” for two or three days a week.  It has been some time since the fall visits ended.  We are now on the backside of our accreditation visit, so look out schools of ESU7, we are coming for a visit.

Google+ Redo

There have been some changes to Google+ since the last time that I talked blogged about it.  Google+ is now available for education domains.  With this change, you are also allowed to have up to fifteen people in the hangout compared to ten on the personal side.  This could allow for bigger group tutoring sessions, on-line class offerings, and collaboration between many groups in the school.

On the education side there are some restrictions.  Students under thirteen (13) years old cannot have Google+ profiles.  Schools are still responsible for the safety and digital citizenship education of students.  Students can still hangout with those outside the domain, but they are the ones that have to initiate the hangout.  There are other restrictions that those managing the domain can restrict.

Another addition to Google+ is Communities.  These Communities are groups of people with something in common.   Communities can be public or private.  On the education side for classes, keeping the community private would allow only those in the class to participate in those discussions.  A teacher could create communities for each subject or class that they taught.  It would be similar to a “Fan Page” in Facebook.

I know of schools that have opened up Google+ for their teachers on their domain to see how it goes.  I think that this is a good way to get it going.  I can see uses for students, but there are conversations that will need to happen with administration and policies set before deployment to students.  Educating students on what to do and what not to do will be the key when opening up Google+ to the entire domain. 

Nebraska Ed Chat

It has been some time since I last blogged.  I need to get back in the habit of writing on Monday, revising through the week, and posting on Friday.  So for my first blog back in a while I am going to talk about something fun and educational that goes on Wednesday nights from 8-9 PM CST.  If you are in the “Twitterverse” you already know what I am talking about, if not I will fill you in. I am talking about Nebraska Ed Chat (#nebedchat) on Twitter.

Nebedchat, is a wonderful place to converse with educators from all across Nebraska.  There are even participants from other states who join us for our chats.  A moderator, who is different every week, chooses a topic to ask questions about.  Those participating in the chat, answer the questions, reply to answers that they like, re-tweet answers you like, or just lurk.  You don’t even have to have a Twitter account to follow along, but you will have to have one to comment.

If you don’t have an account, just go to twitter.com and search #nebedchat and follow along for the night.

This is a fast paced hour of wonderful professional development and PLN building.  You will be amazed by how quick the hour goes.  Please join us every Wednesday at 8 PM CST, I know you will be hooked! When you post to the chat, be sure to use the hashtag, #nebedchat.  See you on Wednesday nights.