Here are three tools that you can use to keep up to date with what is happening. We cannot wait for that magazine to show up in your mailbox to keep current and learn the new educational trends. It isn't enough to attend a conference once a year and expect to get all the professional learning in two short days.
We expect our students to be lifelong learners. Are you? Why do some of us just give up and say we are too busy? We would never accept that excuse from our students.
Will you opt out or opt in?
Will you opt out or opt in?
By far the best resource I have ever found. Is there a lot of junk on twitter? You bet. Here is the tip, just don't follow the junk and forget what you already know about twitter.
Twitter in Plain English
Videos
Signing up for twitter
Find and follow
Twitter in Plain English
Videos
Signing up for twitter
Find and follow
Here are a few things I learned in the last day on twitter. It took maybe 4 minutes to find these resources.
Virtually dissect a frog on your android tablet - I think this app could apply at about any grade. So many learning opportunities within a click of a button. I know a few teachers K-12 would could use this.
Critical Thinking - infographics I know a number of teachers who are interested in learning more about infographics. This was a great post and I looked like a great guy when I shared this with a few teachers.
Blogs about technology integration - Teacher always need great examples of what solid technology integration looks like. There are a handful of blogs and I don't have time to read them all. I just send this link out to a few people who I know will benefit from the information.
5 Ways to make class discussions more exciting - I have been working with a few teachers who are interested in breaking out of a rut the classroom seems to get into from time to time. A very easy read that sparks some new ideas and conversations between teachers.
IBM reveals its top 5 innovations predictions for the next five years - Who doesn't want to read this?
Virtually dissect a frog on your android tablet - I think this app could apply at about any grade. So many learning opportunities within a click of a button. I know a few teachers K-12 would could use this.
Critical Thinking - infographics I know a number of teachers who are interested in learning more about infographics. This was a great post and I looked like a great guy when I shared this with a few teachers.
Blogs about technology integration - Teacher always need great examples of what solid technology integration looks like. There are a handful of blogs and I don't have time to read them all. I just send this link out to a few people who I know will benefit from the information.
5 Ways to make class discussions more exciting - I have been working with a few teachers who are interested in breaking out of a rut the classroom seems to get into from time to time. A very easy read that sparks some new ideas and conversations between teachers.
IBM reveals its top 5 innovations predictions for the next five years - Who doesn't want to read this?
Who I follow.
Here is a tiny list of people that I currently follow on twitter.
Here is a tiny list of people that I currently follow on twitter.
- Eric Sheninger - principal
- Scott McLeod - Director of Innovation (Such a cool title!)
- Doug Peterson - teacher, share a ton of great stuff early in the morning
- Joyce Valenza - librarian
The Follow Trick
How do I know who to follow? Pick someone from this list. See who they tweet and follow. Find someone interesting. Follow them. Repeat that process.
Google+
Have a gmail account? Then you have a Google+ account already. The idea here is finding a tight knit community that is centered around an idea or interest that appeals to you.
Videos
Here are a few communities that I belong to.
Have a gmail account? Then you have a Google+ account already. The idea here is finding a tight knit community that is centered around an idea or interest that appeals to you.
Videos
Here are a few communities that I belong to.
- Instructional Technology Integrators & Coaches - Many good ideas and things to think about.
- Google Apps for Education - Are you using Google Apps in your school? This is a place I have asked questions that I could not solve and received an answer within minutes!
- Team Tech Guy - A community built around one of the best podcasts ever. It isn't about education but all things technology.
Zite
This reminds me of magazines I used to read about ten years ago. The idea was to have one thing I could pick up and get all the information between the covers. Zite is only accessible on your mobile devices. This makes it so easy to pick and read during my long lunches.
FAQ - check these tips out about using Zite.
IMAGE
How did I learn about these three tools? I logged in and just started clicking on stuff. When I got stuck I checked YouTube for answers. I asked a student or someone else. I did all the things we expect our students to do. To keep learning is part of our professional responsibility. Think of where education will be in five years. It is safe to assume there will be so many parts that will be completely different. How do I know that? Look back five years ago.
This reminds me of magazines I used to read about ten years ago. The idea was to have one thing I could pick up and get all the information between the covers. Zite is only accessible on your mobile devices. This makes it so easy to pick and read during my long lunches.
FAQ - check these tips out about using Zite.
IMAGE
How did I learn about these three tools? I logged in and just started clicking on stuff. When I got stuck I checked YouTube for answers. I asked a student or someone else. I did all the things we expect our students to do. To keep learning is part of our professional responsibility. Think of where education will be in five years. It is safe to assume there will be so many parts that will be completely different. How do I know that? Look back five years ago.
