Being a Connected Educator

October is “Connected Educator Month”, so I have decided to reflect on how I am a “Connected Educator”.  What does it means to be a connected educator?  To me a connected educator is someone who is part of a BROAD PLN.  By broad, I mean more than their own district or school building.  Just because you have a group of colleagues that you can talk with in your district or school when you want doesn’t mean you are connected.  Broad to me means having connections across the state, country, even world.  Also, you need to be connecting more than a monthly staff meeting when the entire building or district gets together.  Being connected is not just a one shot; I did it, and move on.  It needs to be consistent over time.  For me that is every day (several times a day).   One way or another, I make sure to stay connected in some form or fashion.

What tools should one use to be a connected educator?  There are many tools that one can use.  I am an avid user of Twitter, a source that I use on a daily, if not hourly, basis.  I have been told that I have a Twitter problem and need help.  (As Uncle Si would say, “Na”.)  There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t get at least five ideas, articles, useful tidbits, or stories off of Twitter.

I also use Google+ as another source of information and a way to stay “connected”.  I like to call it Skype, Twitter, and Facebook on steroids.  Between the news feed, communities, and Hangouts you can stay connected with many people at once.  I use Hangouts to stay connected with colleagues from around the state and country.  I have learned so much from them and appreciate being included in an awesome 3^rd Thursday PLN hangout.  I have also used Hangouts to plan a proposal for conference sessions.  It makes it more “personal” to be able to talk to someone “face-to-face” while working.

As teachers and administrators, we need to be connected to those that will help us grow.  If you aren’t a “Connected Educator” I highly suggest that you become one.  Start small and work your way up.  Following several people on Twitter, or “lurk” on a few hashtags is a great start.  One way or another, GET CONNECTED!!!!

Hashtags to follow (“lurk”):

#nebedu

#nebedchat

#nebadmin

#ce13 – For Connected Educators

#cem12 – For Connected Educators Month

From these hashtags, you will find MANY wonderful educators to follow (and most will follow you back).

My iOS7 Initial Review

I was sitting with Corey Dahl (@UncommonCorey) from ESU8 at the NNNC Fall Media Workshop in Norfolk the other day waiting for iOS7 to be released.(We did the same thing last year when iOS6 was released.) Waiting to see who would be the first to get it downloaded and installed.  After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, we were finally able to start downloading.  It seems that EVERYONE was waiting for that same moment.  I had to restart my download numerous times, and Corey beat me this year.  

So far I have only updated one of my iPads, I still have one iPad and an iPhone yet to update.  I got a chance to “play” with iOS7 the other day and there are some aspects that I like.

1. The ability to put as many apps as you want in a folder.  No more Math 1, Math 2, and so on.  Only one folder of each type.
2. I like the fact that when you double click the home button, you see not only the app badge, but the application that is open as well.
3. I like the swipe up to “close” the app out.
4. The dynamic background and colors.  I really like the grey personally.
5. When charging and finished charging the battery icon is green.

The jury is still out on the following:

1. Search is done by swiping down on the screen.  I am still used to a screen by itself, but I will get used to it.
2. New icons for Apple Apps.  It will take some getting used to.
3. Multipage folders.  Just getting used to it will take some time, but like I said before all apps of a specific subject in one folder not may.  I will adjust.
4. AirDrop.  I haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but will in the near future and am looking forward to trying it.

I am sure that iOS7 will make some people happy and others upset.  I still have some “playing” to do with iOS7 to fully see what it can and cannot do.  I am looking forward to trying everything out that I can.

F.A.I.L

First Attempt at Learning (F.A.I.L) is something that I have seen all over the place.  It is one of the characteristics that a teacher need to not be scared about.  It is okay to “mess up” when teaching for several reasons.  First, it shows your students you are human and just like them.  Second, you model how to stick with it until you get it “right”.  Third, you can show them there could be more than one way to get to the “right” answer. And lastly, you may come up with more than one correct answer.

Showing students you're not perfect can allow for more learning to take place.  Learning by you and them together.  This will allow for more innovation in the classroom learning environment.  (I am on an integration vs innovation kick, I know.) This just doesn’t have to be innovation with technology, but with anything you do in the classroom.  Take it up a notch and show them that if you do “fail” you learn from those mistakes and still learn.  You may even need second, third, fourth, or more attempts to get something right.  Just tell them about Formula 409, the 409th try. They stuck with it and finally were able to get the results they wanted.  They weren’t afraid to fail 408 times.

There are multiple ways to get to the right answer.  I always told my math students I am just giving you several ways to do this, if you have a different way and show your work, I learn too.  Also, as in life, there can be more than one correct answer to a problem.  Getting to that correct answer may take 20 different way in your classroom to come up with that answer.  As long as they stick with it and remember that not getting to the desired result is LEARNING, then we are building life long learners.

Don’t be afraid to FAIL!!

ISTE NETS

Continuing on the theme of Integration vs Innovation in this post as well as thoughts from ISTE13.  

I am going to start with a question that may be a little bit silly, but I am going to ask it anyway.  How many of you know about the NETS?  If you did or didn’t do you know there is a NETS-S, NETS-T, NETS-C, NETS-A, and NETS-CSE?  It is the ISTE version of standards.  They break it down into different levels: students (NETS-S), teachers (NETS-T), coaches (NETS-C), administrators (NETS-A), and computer science educators (NETS-CSE).  Downloadable PDF two-page synopsis of the NETS standards can be found on the ISTE website.  

The main reason I bring the standards up after the Integration vs Innovation post is actually pretty simple.  If the teachers don’t meet some standards and basic knowledge of technology, how can they be expected to innovate with technology in their classrooms.  The same works for students, administrators, coaches, and computer science educators.  If students don’t have a basic knowledge/standard of technology skills, how can they be expected to use the technology in the innovative ways their teachers are asking them to do their assignments.  Administrators also need a set of standards for technology to support and guide their schools.

I know that I am a little behind in some of the NETS-C standards.  I need to sit down and see where I rank and figure out an IPDP (Individualized Professional Development Plan) that will help me in the area that I am “weak” or “lacking”.  I am ever wanting to learn and improve my technology skills to better assist the schools that I serve.  This is going to be an honest self-reflection of my skills, unless I am honest with myself I cannot improve.  Until ALL teachers, coaches, and administrators do this on their own, how can they be innovative in the classroom and build their students skills and knowledge.

I have another challenge for teachers, coaches/integrationists, and administrators.  Where do you rank in your specific NETS?

Integration vs Innovation

There is an interesting dichotomy in schools of what integration actually entails.  (I know it is early in the year and post to be throwing out the $10 words, but I just thought it was the right word for what I was wanting.)  There is an interesting TEDx talk by Richard Culatta that you only need to watch the first two minutes of the video and you will probably be able to name at least one person in your building or district that is doing what Richard Culatta is talking about.

We need more INNOVATION with the technology in our schools!  We need to be more TRANSFORMATIONAL with the technology as well!  We need to move WAAAAAAY beyond digitizing our curriculum.

How do we do this?  That is the Million Dollar Question!

I attended several session at ISTE this year that dealt with the Integration vs Innovation concept.  The thing that I have talked to teachers about with regards to this topic are several models of integration.  Each has its own flair and usefulness.  The three models are: SAMR, TPACK, and TIM.  I like the simplicity of the SAMR model with four levels of Integration/Innovation, as I will call it.  The TIM has a great matrix that allows a teacher/administrator to easily see where they are with regards to technology, not only themselves but their students uses.  The TPACK is the most complex and one that I am still learning more about.

I recently spoke with a couple of schools and challenged them, as a staff, to implement one of these models of Integration/Innovation.  I do the same to you.  Pick one of these models and  do a self-evaluation.  Are you just substituting/digitizing your material or are you innovating/transforming your classroom.  Change won’t happen overnight.  Raise yourself to the next level first and work your way up.  The next thing you know, you are transforming the learning of you students and being an Innovator.  Also don’t forget to SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!