The Why, What and How of Technology Integration

This article is cross posted at the Technology & Learning Advisor blog.

If your school district is anything like mine you have been deeply entrenched in creating Professional Growth Plans (PGP) and Student Growth Objectives (SGO) for the better part of last and this school year. With all of this busyness we can lose focus of the continuing need for professional development and research to improve our craft. It’s time that school leaders let us all get back to what we do best, teach, no matter what evaluation model you may follow.

With that in mind, and that fact that we are getting bombarded by ed tech companies all the time, we need to have some guidelines to follow when it comes to integrating new technologies. I recently attended a symposium that reinforced some standard, and maybe forgotten, guidelines to follow for the integration of technology both in the classroom and district.  The keynote speaker, Joshua Koen of Passaic Public Schools in NJ, did a great job outlining some important things to remember before we purchase and integrate technology into the classroom.  Here are some of his points with my own added:

1. You need to have a good reason why.

If you can’t specifically answer why you want to integrate a technology into your curriculum you need to go back and rethink your process.  With shrinking budgets and more demands on all staff you have to do your homework and not be won over by the hype that technology vendors create in their products. We need to approach it with a critical eye and look at marketing campaigns with the same media literacy skills we try to impart in our students. From the top down, we have to make sure that it will improve instruction and that we can’t use an existing technology, in an innovative way, that does the same thing. We live in a more technologically open world now than ever before, with lots of great free tools, so we should really have good reason why before asking  to purchase new classroom technologies.

2. You have to know what you want.

As the saying goes “Sometimes you don’t know, what you don’t know.”  We have to be sure that we know exactly what we want to accomplish in our classrooms to make the biggest impact. Teachers have to be researchers and work with their technology and curriculum people to get the right fit for what they want their students to accomplish. Have your administrators or tech director call vendors and ask for demo units that will allow you to run a proof of concept trial before making the purchase. This is really important since we all know that we don’t always get what is advertised, or it’s just not the right fit.  I have seen this happen too many times and it creates frustration and the technology ends up not being used. Only the classroom teacher can know if it’s the right fit, so don’t force it, and ask the vendors for those demos.

3. Have a plan for how to make it happen.

We all know how important planning in education is for success. Looking back at the first step and remembering the reason why you want the technology will drive the planning process. Teachers need to collaborate in their professional networks, and look at best practices to help inform their decisions and instruction. If you do make the purchase, put the time in on the back end with professional development and training before you introduce it to the students . Start slow and pilot it with a chosen few students to give you feedback since they are the end users that should matter most. Most of all innovate as you progress and leverage this new technology to go beyond it’s initial purpose. Just like any tool a multi-tasker is much better than an expensive, specialized, single  use one. Finally, by all means share your experiences with your colleagues and your Personal/Professional Learning Networks (PLN).

By following some common sense guidelines you can save yourself, and your district time, money and frustration. You can also make the most of the district's funds, improve instruction, and create an authentic and collaborative learning environment that will help you and your students achieve those professional development and student growth goals and objectives.

Why Can't All Professional Development Be Like an Unconference?

This article is cross posted at the Technology & Learning Advisor blog.

A little over two years ago myself and a small group of educational technologists in my area discussed the unconference model for professional development (PD).  We all thought that it had a lot of potential and that the Edcamp unconferences cropping up around the country were really great.  So, one of our group said that we should put together an unconference dealing with mobile devices, mainly tablets, that day PadCamp was born. This summer we held our second PadCamp on a beautiful August day at the Southern New Jersey shore.  Over 300 educators and students, yes students, ran sessions and shared ideas and resources.

Shoot, they could have gone to the beach! It was a gorgeous sunny day and the ocean water was warm! But they didn't and that's profound. They didn't because they were "hungry" and wanted to learn and do it in a way that was productive and collaborative. So I said, "Why aren't more school districts holding their own unconferernces?"  We all have gone through too many in-service days where the end result was boredom and frustration. Or, people got so "off course," due to being told what to do, that nothing productive come out of it. Many school districts have gone to the "turn key" approach to PD where a few staff members go out and get trained and then come back to train their peers. Don't get me wrong, this is can be effective, but it can be better.

Just imagine a day where the staff walks into the school cafeteria or auditorium, with a blank schedule in hand, and are asked to create a PD day that they control. I think that the thought of this makes many administrators cringe in fear. But, as professionals we have a lot to share and sharing is what it's all about. Remember, collaboration is a twenty first century skill!

The unconference model fosters sharing and collaboration. It gives a voice and platform for educators to share best practices and resources.  How great would it be if  the people that organize PD in school districts would take that chance? I firmly believe that people would leave feeling empowered, excited and motivated to go back and implement what they just learned. I have seen it in person and it's too obvious to not stand up and pay attention.

We are at a crossroads as educators.  We are asked to teach to a test in a prescriptive manner that stifles our creativity. If we can take take come control of our professional growth and learn what we need and want, instead of going through more of the same, we can grow better professionally and our students will benefit as well. The unconference model of professional development gives you a voice and allows you to do what you do best - teach, learn and collaborate. Unconferences don't have to be technology related either, just use your imagination.  So, if you haven't attended an EdCamp, PadCamp or any unconference yet please do!  It's a PD experience that will be well worth your time.

Book Review: "Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds"

This article is cross posted at the Technology & Learning Advisor blog.

There is a new book on the market, that I think, is a  much needed "guide" for those that want to collaborate in their classrooms but are not quite sure how to get it done.  Julie Lindsay and Vicki Davis have provided a wonderful resource in their book "Flattening Classrooms, Engaging Minds - Move to Global Collaboration One Step at a Time."  This is more than a book, it is designed using an interactive, action based approach that puts readers through a three part process that involves fifteen actions to give you, "a live learning experience connecting you to other learners."

In part one -  "Meet the Flat Classroom,"  the authors will familiarize you with the concepts of flattening your classroom through solid research and examples.  You will read how to embed and enhance current projects as well using stories from educators and students that are globally collaborating.  Part two - "Seven Steps to Flatten You Classroom," will get you involved by teaching you how to connect and build your global reach as well as communicate effectively.  The authors include information about how to sustain your projects, build relationships, while teaching digital global citizenship using what they call the "7 Steps to Flatten Your Classroom."  Finally, part three - "Project Development," guides the reader through the framework to create and manage their own global projects. These final chapters take the reader full circle from connecting, to collaborating, and then creating and managing your own global projects. Every chapter ends with a great summary, some essential questions, one of the fifteen challenges, a diary entry from one of the authors, and case studies. These features give great closure and application to all of the concepts that have been covered.

As I stated earlier, this is an interactive book with many great features that help educators apply what they are learning, and share them at the same time. Just about every page has a QR Code to scan, a website to visit or resources for connecting to others. For instance, they list key people to follow on Twitter under "Add Friend" or give the address of a recommended social network.  Furthermore, the ISTE NETS Standards and 21st Century Skills that are discussed can be found listed in the margin on the same page. Plus, they give you six months of free access to their PD Toolkit that is chock-full of case studies, downloadable tools, templates and assignments.

Overall, this is a great book written by 21st century educators, for 21st century educators, in a way that not only instructs, but engages that reader and gives them the tools to act and lead. I have met and spoken with so many educators that want to include 21st Century learning and pedagogy in the curriculum but feel overwhelmed and are not sure how to start. I now have a resource to point them to that is a complete and actionable resource to make them not just global collaborators, but leaders that can share what they learn and spread the "Flat Classroom" ™ movement. Or, better yet, become a Flat Classroom ® Certified Teacher!

Three Simple C's of Social Media Success for Educators

This article is cross posted at the Technology & Learning Advisor blog.

I have to admit that when I first started using social media several years ago I was skeptical about how valuable it would be for me as an educator. But, the more that I learned about it, as well as how to leverage it for my needs, the more I wanted others to see that it really can be a valuable resource that saves time. But in order for you to be successful, and not be overwhelmed with the vast assortment of resources out there, you need to do some research and pre-planning as to how you will build your social media "tool kit."  Don't just jump in with both feet, but do some testing and talk to others that have had success to see which tool is right for you.

I like to keep things simple and efficient.  So, after reflecting on it a bit, I  have broken it down to the three steps or three C's that guide me in social media participation.   My three simple C's to social media success are Connect, Contribute, and Curate.

1. Connect - This is pretty self-explanatory. You need to get connected to the right social media tool that works for you. There are many out there so do the research, sign-up, or "lurk" a bit by spending some time "playing" with them. Starting a free blog and inviting people to join is an easy place to start. Of course, Twitter, Facebook, Ning, Google + and Posterousare all great places to start too. This is an important first step because you want to pick a tool that will address your needs.When choosing, think about how easy it will be to use in order to connect with the right people to address your needs.  If you are a math teacher, and not that many math teachers are connected to the social network that you are looking to join, then you will only be frustrated. Keep looking and lurking.You have to get started so get connected!


2. Collaborate- This may seem obvious but many people forget how important it is to success.  So many people connect to social media but do not leverage the "social" aspect it offers.  Yes, we have all heard the horror stories of the dangers of social media. But, if you are smart about your privacy you will be fine; and by all means keep professional and personal use separate!Let's say you join Twitter and just consume the information that is being shared. If you fail to contribute back to the community of people you are connected to you will be missing out on some really valuable connections. By contributing you will also gain more followers that will in turn allow you to increase your connections and collect valuable resources. If you have a blog see if your host allows you to connect to Twitter or Facebook. If so, whenever you create a new post it will automatically generate a tweet and/or wall post to all of your followers and friends with a short message and link back to your blog.


3. Curate- OK, so you have all of this information, now what do you do with it?  Well, I am a big fan of using tools that make your job efficient while allowing you to integrate resources together in one neat package.  It is easy to become a "digital hoarder," when you see all of this great information coming your way. By selecting tools that allow you to sort things out and remain organized you will then be able to receive, and share what you have learned, more effectively.  You will be able to extend your reach in the realm of social media by becoming an efficient collaborator.By using a free social media "dashboard" like Tweetdeck or HootSuiteyou will be able to include multiple social media sites in one location that will allow you to both consume, contribute, and curate information. They will also allow you to curate who you follow. This is good because you need to make some decision as to whether someone is still a valuable resource.  You will need to curate your personal learning network (PLN) as well as your digital library of information.One of my favorite tools for digital curation is the social bookmarking site Diigo. Since many of the resources you receive point back to blogs or web sites, it's a great tool that will allow you to save, share, and organize your resources. You can connect with others that share their bookmarks as well as share your own to a group with like interests. Diigo has some very nice web services as well.  One that I use allows you to link your account to your Twitter favorites, so whenever you create a favorite in Twitter, it is automatically saved in your Diigo account. You just have to go in and organize them into lists, etc. afterwards.  The Diigo toolbar is also great for quick bookmarking as well as highlighting and note taking.That being said, don't be sucked into the practice of digital hoarding.  Go back occasionally and do some tidying up to make sure you stay current and you don't share out-of-date information. If you are a digital hoarder check out this blog post by Leo Babauta for a 3-step cure.

So, if you are ready to take the next step, I hope you find these three C's valuable.  Please, do your homework and get connected. Then find the right people to collaborate and share with and share them with others too.  Finally, if you take the time to carefully select and curate your shared resources you build a valuable network of colleagues and resources that will improve not just your professional experience, but those you share it with.

The Top Three Most Important Issues Facing K-12 Educational Technology for 2011-12

This article is cross posted at the Technology & Learning Advisor blog.

Recently, Christine Wiser T&L's Managing Editor, asked the Tech Advisors the following question:

What do you think are the top three most important issues facing K-12 edtech this year?

I thought that this was a great question that would generate a lot of discussion. So, I wanted to share with you my top three and see what you have to say. After all, sometimes, the more voices heard the more progress can be made.

Here are my top three:

1.  Mobile device adoption. Especially bring your own device program implementation.

   Obviously, mobile devices are very popular and just about everyone has one.  They come in so many “flavors” that there are many to choose from. Also, with school district budgets not getting any better they are becoming more attractive for schools to explore due to their overall lower price points.

   Furthermore, with the diversity of technology assets available to consumers, bring your own device (BYOD) programs are starting to crop up all over the country. I really like this idea and think that with more and more students owning technologies that can meet their needs for school, BYOD promises to have benefits well beyond cash savings for school districts.

   The challenge lies, just as it does with a one-to-one program, in the implementation.  Policies have to be properly written, to protect not just your network but to comply with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA).  Web filtering needs to be selected carefully so staff and students can still pass through the filter with their device so inappropriate sites can be blocked and network security solutions have to be carefully considered in order to protect the integrity of your staff and student data.

   So, although I believe that this is the way to go, there are many things that need to be considered and it’s important enough that we all, as educators, collaborate on effective models for success.

2. Getting people to really understand what is meant by 21st century teaching and learning.

   Twenty first century teaching and learning is defined in many ways. For the most part it is teaching our students the following skills - Communication, Collaboration, and Creativity and Innovation. But, many educators are overwhelmed with the task of implementing a plan to address these needs. More understanding and training needs to take place and districts need to implement plans that work for them. This will help bring those reluctant, late adopters, along at a comfortable pace that will allow them to have small successes that will motivate them to continue and build confidence.

   One skill, which I believe is very important for our students to learn is empathy and I am not alone. In a February 2008 eSchool News interview entitled “Four things every student should learn...but not every school is teaching,” Alan November discussed global empathy -

“November said he was talking with a senior executive at a global investment bank recently, and he asked the executive: What is the most important skill for today’s students to learn so they are prepared to succeed in the new global economy?

“Empathy,” the executive replied—the ability to understand and respect different points of view.

Most of today’s companies do business with customers all over the world, and several also have branches in multiple countries. Chances are good that when students enter the workforce, they’ll be working with—or doing business with—someone from another nation, with its own culture and its own unique perspective, at some point in their career.
It’s not hard to find people who are smart, the executive said. What is hard to find are employees who have to ability to empathize with, and be sensitive to the needs of, people from other countries.”

So, we need to teach students skills that will prepare them to not only to be intelligent, creative thinkers, but also to have emotional intelligences to succeed in future jobs that are still to come. This is quiet a challenge, with a skill set that many educators need to learn in parallel with their students.

3. Anytime, anywhere learning.

   This is the piece that links together numbers one and two. If school districts are provided the opportunities to give students, and staff, the ability to access school resources outside of the classroom then powerful learning can take place.

   The advent of virtualization and cloud computing can allow a BYOD program to succeed.  Access to software and resources at home will allow students to do their work without having the fear of not having the correct software.  It can also save a school district money over time.

   If technology departments would look at putting resources into their “back end,” network development by implementing, for instance, a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), then students with just about any device can safely and securely access learning resources and files.

    Mobile and BYOD programs can then be designed using the VDI environment as the vehicle to enhance and supplement teaching twenty first century skills.  Students and staff can use their own technologies, if they want to, and school districts can effectively extend the life of some of their older systems since VDI is server-based and requires a much less powerful workstation The teachers and students can then work on projects that will allow them to use the same tools both at home and at school.

   So there are my three.  What are yours? I urge you to take time and reflect on the question. Then contribute and let the readers of T&L know what you think. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Student Centered PLN's

I was thinking the other day just how much I have been able to learn from my Personal Learning Network (PLN) and how I have been able to take the information that I get from it and share it with my colleagues. The information that I have received from some of the most respected names in educational technology, as well as teachers in the "trenches," has been priceless. I primarily use Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and a variety of Ning's to aggregate and share information. As professionals we need to develop the skill of choosing these tools, as well as who to follow, what hashtags to use on Twitter, and how to "mine" for the information that we are looking for to achieve our desired result.

But, what about our students? In our 21st century learning environments it would be an injustice if we didn't teach them how to develop a PLN. If they can realize the value of the information that they can receive and share with others, as well as the collaboration that can take place, they will have a tool that will help them throughout their lives.

So, how do we do this and still accomplish our curricular goals and satisfy the requirements for standardized tests? Well, I have to say that I definitely don't have all the answers but, if we use the power of this PLN and collaborate then maybe we can all benefit. So here are some of my ideas:

1. Be A Model - Show your students your PLN and have a conversation with them about how you went about developing it. Let them know the work you had to put in at first and, if your like me, how it just got easier as you made those connections and learned about more resources. Remember, once they get the concept, and see the value, they are going to start to get more and more ideas.


2. Start with an inside out approach - Start in your classroom. Develop a PLN amongst you and your students. It's an easy thing to do with Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs and wikis. Start a class blog for discussion and collaboration or maybe a wiki for students to share resources or brainstorming ideas. There are a whole host of other tools out there, just think about how you can use them to start a class/course PLN. From there encourage your students to invite other teachers, administrators, or even parents to your PLN. You may be surprised at the response you get.


3. Social Networking - Of course, there is Twitter and Facebook and Ning's, and now Google+. But, depending on the grade level that you teach, they may not be feasible. Facebook has a policy that you have to be thirteen years old to be a member, so that disqualifies most of the younger students. Some Ning's may not be appropriate for students and Google+ isn't widely available yet.
   Twitter is valuable if you use it appropriately. One idea is to teach your students about hashtags or create lists for them to follow on Twitter. It's important for them to see social networking as a tool for learning.

OK, so there are three of my ideas. You may think that they are pretty obvious but if you are innovative enough, and listen to your students ideas, then you will reap the benefits of your hard work. If you can get your students to buy in to the value of PLN's, and allow them to explore a bit, they will do much of the innovation for you. Heck, you may even learn something!

One of the goals of this post, as all blog posts should do, is to get your opinion and collaborate. So, please comment and post your ideas or resources for developing student PLN's here for others to see. Also, why not post to Twitter. Use the hashtag #studentpln and let's get the ideas "flowing." Remember, we are the examples!!

Collaboration, Community and ISTE 2011

This article is cross posted at the Technology & Learning Advisor blog.

Last week I had the pleasure to attend the annual International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in Philadelphia. This was really exciting for me since the last time it was even near me, I am in Southern New Jersey, was when it came to Washington, DC. Even then, it was far enough away that the budget, both mine and the school district's, was only able to handle one day. That day was spent just trying to make it through the vendor area, and poster board sessions.  Talk about a head spinning, overload of information!! This year was going to be different.

If you couldn't make it this year I suggest that you check out the following resources to give you a "flavor" of what you missed.  As well as the opportunity to get some quality PD.

Here you go:

1. The ISTE YouTube Channel - It has some great videos of the key notes (see Chris Lehman's and be inspired), interviews and overviews of the conference.


2. The ISTE Unplugged Wiki - It was created for those that always wanted to present but were not selected.  This wiki, run by Steve Hargadon, allowed attendees to sign up for spots to present to their peers. Don't be fooled, the recorded sessions (45 of them) have some good quality PD. Check it out!


3. Use your Twitter hash tags to search out some good information that you may have missed.  Just do a search for #ISTE2011, #ISTE11 or, if you are an ISTE member and belong to a Special Interest Group SIG just plug-in the initials of your group.

As huge as this conference was it was still all about collaboration and sharing.  If you went and just wandered around this year with stopping in a "Playground," or a poster session you missed out.  For example, I was walking through the videoconferencing playground and got a chance to stop and talk, live, with the distance learning person at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  I got a fantastic resource from a guy who was just sitting there on a computer screen waiting for someone to talk to him.  Overall, it was a chance to see the best of the best showing off their talents and being more than willing to tell you about how they do it.  That's what it's all about.

If you went, keep sharing and innovating. If you didn't, try to go when you can and look for the resources that are still out there for the taking.  There are plenty of blogs for information as well as other resources from this conference.  Do some searching, it will take you a whole lot less time then getting through the vendor area.  I can promise you that!!