Twitter and Professional Development

Twitter can if be part of your personal PD?

My responnse would be absolutely! My work partner Greg and I have had many discussions about how the world of twitter has been an amazing means to personal growth in our profession and in helping otheres. As Educational Technology Consultants we have been able to connect with other educators in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, US and around the world to share information regarding technology integration, great lessons, new apps, up and coming trends, student exemplars and professional readings that prompt you to learn how to do something new.

It actually is PD on steriods as you can get extremely addicted and want to be in twitter land bookmarking, responding, tweeting, retweeting, favoriting etc. The great thing is that there is so much you never feel like you missed something. As one of my previous post states it also makes you feel good to share your ideas, share other people's ideas by retweeting and ask for advice from the world.

Twitter is a social media tool that can meet many needs and be a great source of information. It can be used in the classroom in so many ways, I hope to explore that more in my next post but for today, make sure you join twitter so that you can make the PD connections and share your great ideas, links, research finds, books and articles to read!

Make sure you check out the following resoures to help with your twitter adventure:

101 Twitter Resources: http://traffikd.com/resources/101-twitter-resources/

Twitter Tools Resources: http://www.twitter-resources.com/

Students Voice.... do we hear it?

Students teaching us...... stop and listen to their voice.


So when they told me I would be going to a High School, I was stunned. I wasn't sure that is where my talents would best be used. Was I wrong...

I have had the honour and pleasure to work with some amazing students and staff over the past few months. Not only did I learn that what we as individuals feel our talents are can be so off base but I also learned that you are placed where you are needed and where you will learn.

So often as educators many people see what they can do for their students and that is awesome and inspiring but if we would stop for a moment and see what they can do for us, we would realize that this learning journey is a two way street. Sometimes we are the ones following and learning from the students who given the chance can lead!

Inquiry based learning has so often freaked out educators, parents and those around our students with the idea that how will we know what they have learned, they need more structures, etc. But if we can just learn to reflect and let them show us what they know in their own way we might be surprised at what they have learned, the connections they have made and the direction they might lead us to make new connections.

It isn't just the use of technology that enables our young people today, it is that in the online environments and social networks they have a voice and people hear them, respond to them and actually act on their ideas. Can we say this is true of all of our classrooms? Do we hear them? Do we respond to them in a way that they feel heard?

Is everything they say important, necessary, or even on topic... probably not. But the question is do they have the opportunity or do they see the classroom as a place that they just sit and take in information? Social Media provides them with a place and they know that they are welcome to give their ideas, opinions or questions.

More than ever we need to model for our students how to use that forum to thier dvantage and to use it properly. If we can model the use of social media to promote ideas, critically provide feedback and share information instead of bullying, being rash in decision making or just using it to be abusive we can help our young people to make a difference using their voice.

A voice that we do want to hear and a voice that often has so much to offer. I am challenging myself and educators I know to see if we can hear those voices clearer in our day to day work.

Using Technology to Demonstrate Process not just Product

I have had the great fortune to work with some amazing educators and leaders in using Technology with their students. One of the areas we are currently exploring is the use of basic tools to demonstrate understanding and as a means of documenting and reflecting on process.

Often times educators can get stuck in final products, or displaying of content but how do we assess the process taking place as the student creates, collaborates and connects?

Our group has been exploring the use of digital cameras, SMART Notebook recorder, Microsoft Photo Story 3, Audacity and simple audio recorder on most computers to record the process and have students reflect on their learning journey

This exploration has also let to the idea that Digital Storytelling can be used to reflect on these processes not just create a "story" that is our traditional story but tell the story of learning.

It provides us as educators with insights into their thinking, their understanding and their misunderstandings.

Simple topics that we have experimented with as a group include, Math talks where students explain a strategy, an answer to a problem, or a comparision of concepts. Another area includes retelling of an event in Social Studies, or Religion. A few classess have documented the process for solving an inquiry project or task and identifying the roles of each person in the group, the strategies used, the creation of the "bridge" "water test" and then the testing of the experiment. Their reflections on their success and what they would change or do differently is just as important if not more important than the actual product.

We recommend that every classroom keep a digital camera on hand for the students to grab and snap what is happening. Use the audio recorder on a laptop in a small group to capture group discussion, debate or just the brainstorming of a problem or taks. It will give us an eye /ear into the student thinking without comprimising what they want to say by our presence.

Even the Phys. Ed classroom could have cameras to document skills being learned, before / after. What other ideas can you think of for documenting process not product???

Share your ideas with our team!

Twitter as a Professional Development Tool

Can Twitter serves as a PD tool for educators? My response would be absolutely. My work partner Greg and I have had many discussion on how twitter has opened a world of professional development that we had not been a part of previously. As educationl technology consultants we have been fortunate to meet fellow educators in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, US and around the world that are willing to share their ideas, expertise, lessons, websites, articles, trends and upcoming technology with others.

In fact Twitter is like PD on steroids as it provides you with a direct link, you can personalize your learning and you can get addicted very easily. The great thing is when was the last time you heard a teacher say I am addicted to PD??

This kind of pd is perfect for today's learner, it is available 24/7, but you don't have to be in it 24/7. It can provide many collaborative spaces so you are not alone. It also celebrates that we are all lifelong learners regardless of age, work experience or education.

There is so much educators can do with Twitter in the classroom but I will save that for another post. For today I encourage everyone to use Twitter to find areas they want to explore in their field of teaching and learning, branch out to try something new and meet some great people.
Follow someone with the same interests and you never know where you will go!

I have included some resources that can be very useful for begining your Twitter journey.
Twitter Resources for Teachers
http://www.classroom20.com/profiles/blogs/twitter-resources-for-teachers
100 Tips and Resources for Teachers on Twitter
http://www.onlinecollegedegrees.org/2009/03/19/100-tips-apps-and-resources-for-teachers-on-twitter/
Twitter Resources for Educators:
http://nfsteacher.edu.glogster.com/twitter-resources-for-educators/
Twitter in the Classroom
http://janeknight.typepad.com/socialmedia/2009/08/twitter-in-the-classroom-10-useful-resources.html

March already? Zeros for Students

Well, my resolution to blog regularly has "failed" must have been that I didn't prepare a rubric with which to assess myself, or was I just not engaged? Might it have been that I hadn't set out reasonable, measurable goals? Did I have choice in what I was doing?

Okay so I am not going crazy but these are the kinds of things we would ask of why students are not motivated, engaged or desire to complete tasks. Is it the task? Is it the content? Is it our instructional strategies? Combo anyone?

I don't profess to have answers but I do believe that if we as educators don't reflect and ask these kinds of questions when are students fail to rise to the occassion, skip classes, omitt assignments, engage elsewhere then we are failing as educators. We can't just slap a zero and say oh well, kid should have done their work.... or can we?

Now, I know the next argument is, do I wait forever to get the assignment? wellllll...... that is a whole other blog entry.

But I would love to hear other peoples views and comments on this...

Wednesday Dec. 8th

To Share or Not to Share....

I confess I am a sharer! I feel that if I have something others might use it is only logical to share with them....
Recently at the 2010 ATLE conference I attened a session on Social Media with the Couros Brothers... although the topic was about Social Media, we engaged in the conversation of sharing. It has had me reflecting and thinking about this not so new idea but one that faces many of us in Ed Tech, Teaching and Learning. So this is my ponderings, please let me know your thoughts.

Do I need credit?.... not really.
Do I like it when people are grateful for the sharing? Of course, we all like our work to be appreciated. But is the simple act of someone using your material evidence or a sign of gratefulness?

When is sharing going to get easier for those that feel they put the hours into the work and therefore others should work for it too? Am I old fashioned, idealistic to believe that once we share, we will receive, and then we share more and we receive more.... crazy cycle but I like it!!

As educators we teach our students to share, we ask them to collaborate, to work together, to work cooperatively, to develop group working skills, yet often the concept of sharing with each other is a challenge to many teachers.
My question is why?
Is it greed?
Is it a need to be acknowledged?
Is it fear that their work/resources are not good enough and don't want to take the next step?
Is it horading ?
Is it competition?

What do you think?

December 3rd, Twitter and it's role in Education

I have had a twitter account for some time but didn't really begin to use it for educational purposes until this summer. We were participating in the Emerge Conference in Banff Alberta and it was exciting to use the hash tags (#emerge2010) to follow along. We also introduced peers to the program. Once back at work though it became hard to follow.
My personal committment has been at least once a week check, comment and tweet. Sometimes I have many more, other times hard to get one in.

I have found some interesting people to follow in education, they have inspired me to create some lists to organize those I follow. I have also been introduced to Tweet Deck, Twitterfall and the idea of reviewing other lists to determine who you would like to follow. However the question we often here is, but what do you get out of it???

Well,

• I get a chance to meet peers I might never meet and hear their great ideas.
• I follow individuals who point out great lessons for smartboards and other technology integration.
• I am directed to blogs, wikkis, articles and webspaces that have some very interesting trends, research and reflections on educational technology practices.
• I feel like I am a part of a larger community, beyond my jurisdiction.

What do I want to get from it?

• connections to people, places and practices.
• enrich my understanding of content, concepts and issues facing educators.
• challenge myself, discover new interests, reflect on my practice.

How will I get there?

• Well, my plan is to learn to use Tweet Deck and Twitter Fall efficiently.
• To find individuals to follow that inspire, motivate and give me cause to reflect.
• To share what I learn along the way and hope that others will provide me with guidance and advance.
• To committ to checking my twitter account regularly and to add it to this blog.

Let's see what happens, how are others using Twitter? Any advice out there or suggestions?

M

ATLE Conference In Red Deer

Presented "All the Right Stuff" with partner Greg Woitas at the conference. Theme of team building was evident even in the evening events. Lots of laughs, fun, team building and relationship building.

Enjoyed listening to the Courus Brothers speak about Social Networking and the use of a blog or twitter account. Amazing what educators can do across the space/time continuim if they put their minds to it.
So many peers out there with great ideas, thoughts, challenges. Having your peers in other places in Alberta, Canada, the World to chat with, discuss and provoke questions that make you want ot seek out answers if what being part of a social network is about.

It is also knowing they are there! Having the net of collegues that you haven't even met is an amazing feeling.
Check out some other blogs by educators interested in social networking and educational technology:
http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/
http://georgecouros.ca/blog/
http://shareski.ca/Home.html

Sept. 6th 2010 Interactive Whiteboards....so?

Well, I have some more ponderings. Interactive whiteboards are taking many classrooms by storm. It isn't just the main brands but many other interacitve devices and even the newest projector that will make the surface interactive. Is this something we need or just cute? Does it actually provide students with 21st century learning skills.... does it promotoe collaboration, critical thinking, global connections, organzing and analyzing? Well some would argue yes and others would argue no. My concern is the cost of providing educators with this kind of device and then it is used as a whiteboard, screen to project on.... is this really worth the cost?

How long do you wait for it to become a useful tool? My other ponder is, can educators fall into the trap of using an IWB as the old "worksheet" and make students interact but keep the learning at a level that is just knowledge and fill in the blank??

My goal is to find examples of great use of IWB and working with students to help foster the 21st century skills.

Just wondering out loud...

Sept. 2010 Is technology ready for Education?

So everyone keeps writing about how technology will support and help education but my question is reversed... Is technology ready for Education? One might ask, is she crazy, what does she mean?
Well it has been my experience that there is ample Web 2.0 tools, gadgets, tools, seminars, interviews, multmedia videos and products that will help you integrate technology but then come the restrictions... security, privacy acts, filters, policy, permissions, bandwidth, infrastructure, etc etc.
So we get our teachers all excited about what is possible and then we tell them, but wait... you can't really do that yet, or this is great stuff but beware of ....... and check with.....

Wouldn't it be nice to just be able to be explorers that push boundaries and discover new lands without the worries of what is going to work, fit, secure, will download, etc.
Just a thought... share your thoughts...

P.S. Below are my posts from last year's adventure in Scotland at the Scottish Learning Festival. Amazing Conference. Sorry for the absence of posts but I am going to committ to more frequent blogging as a chance to converse with others about Technology and Education. Please comment away to keep the conversation going.

Post Scotland Learning Festival

Well, it is only been @ 6 weeks since I was in Scotland participating in the Learning Festival and I feel like I have a million quesitons, follow ups and other topics to pursue.

I am very happy that there are many resources still on the Learning Festival Website:

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/slf/index.asp

One of the sections I love to review is the Conference in Pictures section which has cartoons of peoples opinions, sessions, reflections and thoughts during the conference. Some great food for thought.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/slf/whatson/conferenceinpictures.asp


Can't wait to go back to Scotland.

Thursday Sept. 24th 2nd day #SLF09

The second and last day of the Scottish Learning Festival. I couldn't possibly write about all of it so I want to mention a few key items.

A/ Sessions were very interesting, it is wonderful to know that as educators we are all facing similar challenges in working with and creating the 21st Century learning atmosphere, I can't say the learner as they already exsist but they need to the skills to succeed, this is where we as educators have to step up.

B/ One of the great features of the conference was a wall they called Conference in Pictures, there was a gentleman there who talked to the participants and then in seconds creted a cartoon of their main idea and the thoughts they had about education. I took some great photos. He would be amazing to have at a pd session or when you are trying to capture the thoughts of many. I guess after the conference all the cartoons are then made into colour hardcopy posters that will appear on the SLF and LTS website.

C/ Video link with a school in Aberdeen, well I had a great time with students from a variety of schools. One of the schools had 2 level 6 and 2 level 7 students running their booth, they also had a live link with their school. It was great. I have connected with the teacher and am looking forward to making a connection with the one to one students at Corpus Christi.

D/ Intel, man they can be creative. I had the pleasure of chatting with this robot, yes we chatted, it came up to me and asked me all kinds of questions and then offered to do a spin for the camera, told me it liked my camera etc. I have a picture here but will later post a podcast of the conversation with the computer.

E/ Oatcakes, I was treated by a group of students who had travelled by plane from one of the north islands to join the conference. They told me all about their island, their school, traditional foods and they even taught me some Gaelic.

Wonderful day of learning and meeting new people. Interesting to me that the integration of technology is progressing but at the same time the issues of engaging students continues to be front and foremost. I was most pleased to hear that the ideas of assessment, peer assessment, feedback loops, critical thinking, analytical thinking are all being discussed in this Education system too.

A few pictures from the Day One at the SLF/conference..... #SLF09

Well the displays were definitely interesting, here are a few pics from the conference. Also wanted to note that they are using Twitter, Blogs and Flicker to collect all info from attendees on the conference. Interesting and very good way to use this new medium of social networking. Just have to add #SLF09 to blogs and twitters and they will scan and add to their website results.

Wednesday Sept. 23rd - Scottish Learning Festival and School Site Visits

First I have to say, I love SKYPE!!! Being able to connect and talk to my family while i am so far away ahs been an absolute dream. With the built in web camera I am able to see them at home and they are able to see me here.

Okay, on to my day. First I took a Taxi to St. Clare Catholic Primary which I discovered is located about 25 minutes car ride from city center. It is one of the last communities to the NW of Glasgow before you leave town. The school is located in a beautiful old community however it is a realatively new school.

It has many open bright spaces, two stories with a nursery that shares space. The nursery I have learned takes children from 6 weeks old, imagine teaching in an area where you can go visit babies on your break?

The school has @ 257 students from Level 1 to Level 6 which I seem to have translated from our K to Gr. 6 class. Level 1 is 4 and 5 year olds. The cool connection for me with this school is the name of the Headmaster which happens to be the identical name of my former principal at Corpus Christi. She showed me around the school and introduced me to the students. They were delightful and aside from uniforms and an accent just like my former students at Corpus Christi.

Technology is part of the Curriculum of Excellence here in Scotland and different schools are at different stages of working towards integrating but like us their main focus appears to be Student Engagement not just the technology. Building learners for the future, not just passing "standards".

I could write about St.Clare's for hours but I will move on to my next visit. I was honoured to see the children, speak with the staff and learn from them. I look forward to maintaining a connection with them in the future.

Notre Dame Secondary School is an all girls Catholic secondary that begins at about age 11 to age 18, our 7 to 12 grades. Here I was greeted by the Headmaster and Prinicpal Teacher, the headmaster and I could be mirror images when it comes to teaching style, beliefs and passion for teaching and learning. She invited me to join one of her classes where I had the opportunity to speak to the girls, I brought gifts from our MP Neil Brown of Alberta/ Canada pins (badges they call them here). They were thrilled to receive them and were very excited to hear about school in Canada. They then proceeded to show me some of their presentations for a News and Views series. The students choose the topic, research it, then compile in a format of their choice and present. The rest of the class provides feedback and then they edit, revisit etc. Topics interestingly are exactly what our students would want to research and discuss.

After getting used to the idea it is an all girls school I toured the building and took photos of some of the work and the spaces. This school like St. Clare believe in honouring and celebrating student work, student learning and student engagement. Although St. Clare is fairly new Notre Dame is over 100 years old. The building site is a historical site and although it went through some revising the original building had to be left as is and only restored. Original tile on the walls makes it a very unique building as do the people that walk the halls.

Again I could go on forever about Notre Dame but I will save some for my reflections later on. I proceeded via Taxi to the SECC center to attend the Scottish Learning Festival. This is on the River Clyde in a complex collection of buildings that are used for conferences, SECC standing for Scottish Exibition Conference Center. The "Armadillo" is where the Clyde Auditorium is located and where the keynote speakes presented. Including Carol Dwerk author of Mindsets.

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/slf/aboutslf/index.asp

Tuesday Sept. 22nd Edinburgh

Well with the death of my computer I was unable to receive the emails confirming some of my school visits. Thank goodness I was able to check on my ipod late Monday night and discovered that there was a need to reorganize my times. This gives me a chance to go to Edinburgh on Tuesday. I will venture to the trainstation again and be off for a 50 minute ride to see the castle and hopefully walk the Royal Mile while making my way to visit Holyrood Palace.

Ah, all is well. The train was amazing, the tour bus incredible and I was able to walk yet another hill to the fabulous Edinburgh Castle. Amazing is the only word I can us and it doesn't justify it. I felt an incredible urge to get emotional as I walked up to the entrance. I said a prayer and thanked God for getting me there as I went through picked up my audio tour and began my next adventure.

Technology, do we think of audio as technology? We should, these handy devices they give you (for a price) contain bits of information that have been recorded to provide background sounds to make you feel like you are there back in time, in the lulls you have beautiful Scottish music to listen too. Each location has a sign with a number that you enter if you should want more information. With the hundreds of people walking through the gate each hour, or less how could one possibly have tour guides ready to give all that information in all those languages, but alas technology to the rescue again and you smile as you see fellow tourists walking and smiling, looking and thinking and you realize they too are entranced by the voice on the recording and gathering up as much information as they can as they soak in the view and the ambiance of this magnificent place. The tour bus also provides an audio tour, they have taken it one step further, you plug your earphones into the wall of the bus and you have a choice of 8 languages, you hop on and off at your stops and the audio continues from where you left off. Palace of the Holyrood, also provides the audio and it gives you indepth knowledge of the working Palace. I had a fantastic day again and head home on the train, oh, one bit of technology wasn't working today to the dismay of a few individuals, the trainstation toliets have a machine that you need to put in 30 p inorder to proceed and someone's money got stuck making other que up which I don't think they really wanted to do. I found it quite interesting myself.

Off to see schools tomorrow and start the conference, can't wait!
Oh, that silly monkey Marty got into that last shot!

Monday Sept. 21st, Ontour to the Highlands/ Loch Ness!

So the computer is dead, I am using my ipod touch to find out where I need to meet my bus that I booked my online tour with from Calgary. It says it is in St.George's Square by the information center. Well I have to be there by 8:20, so Google Maps help me out which side of the square am I going to? Tada! Quick as a flick I know I have to go to the north side of the square. Now I can grab a coffee at Starbucks and get ready to go.

Timberbush tours picks us all up at 8:20. The bus has @ 22 people. No one exchanges money or tickets but our names are all on a list, I hear at least 5 other languages, internet again? I think so! Connecting us all from our respective countries to a tour company and an interest in seeing the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness.

It is a windy and rainy day. (technology, nope, just the plain old typical weather!) The sun does break out and is wonderful at Urchardt Castle. The boat on Loch Ness is also wonderful as is the entire day as we travel up into the highlands and back down again to Glasgow. I can't help but wonder with the farming and the textiles, how much is traditional and how much is now using modern technology? Is this good or bad???

Stirling Castle Sept. 20th Sunday afternnoon

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I made my way to Queen Street Station, wow!
Quickly popped a credit card in the machine, picked Stirling, out came a ticket, put it in another digital scanner, the gates open, I am now on the platform, train leaves in 3 minutes, on the train I go. Arrive in Stirling 40 minutes later, pop the ticket back into another machine and the gates open and I am out on the streets of Stirling. I love it when technology works!
The streets and buildings of Stirling are simply amazing. I loved weaving my way through the center and up the very steep hill to make it to the castle. When I say steep I mean STEEP! The castle was amazing and the history behind it incredible. Many children, youngsters here today with their familie as there is a re-enactment today.

How long would it have taken them in the 17th century or earlier to make it from Glasgow to Stirling? Not 40 minutes on a high speed train like me! Nor would they have had the information I had about Stirling simply by access to google! Again our world is connected by time, space and travel.

Glasgow; Sunday Sept. 20

Today I ventured out to pick up my Heritage Explorer pass that I purchased online using that wonderful technology the "Internet". No real glitches except that when they say pick up at Glasgow Cathedral they should include the times that the actual person is there for pick up. I arrived at 10:00 am, to read that services would be held at 11:00 but that the Catherdral for tourists opens at 1:00 pm. So off I went a wondering, I looked around and discovered the Necropolis, (cemetery) well for a geneology person like me, forget the technology for a moment and look at these tombs. Amazing, the grandeur, the history, the magnitude! But then let's go back to how data bases are helping people to find their ancestry and trace lineage. It is because of that amazing history that we need technology to help preserve and make it available globally.

After that I went to the service which was very intersting and the cathedral is amazing. I then checked out St.Mungo's museum and returned promptly at 1:00 to get my pass. The attendant then informed me that she would not be open until 2:00 for the pass but I was welcome to check out the cathedral. Having just spent the am there, I said a prayer and made the best of it, I toured the level below which was fascinating. I received my pass at 2:00 and then walked down high street on my way to the train station to visit Stirling Castle.
See the Stirling entry for more about the technolgy that got me there!

Failure in Technology delays blog ....

So, everyone says, "make sure you bring your transformer and adapters", which I did. But for the life of me couldn't figure out how to make the laptop plug work as it has 3 pins and the transformer that changes the current only has two. I have all the right plug adaptors but how do I change the current. Well battery goes dead, and I wait, searching all kinds of stores. Then I stop at a computer store...... well unknown to me, the power adapter that comes with every laptop already converts the current! AH HAH! So I just had to buy a different half to my power cord and ta da, computer that is charging nicely!

So I have a swack of stuff to catch up on but first, just wanted to fill in the Technology part!

Scotland arrived and the technology was there for me!

So I have landed in Glasgow, wow! I still can't believe I am here but just listen to the talking and you know your not in Calgary any more. I arrived at my hotel and asked about using a phone card with the hotel phone, sorry but you will have to use a pay phone on the walking zone. But I have wi-fi with my room so have no fear, with in the first 1/2 hour I am chatting with Guy and Silena via Skype! How cool is that. They are just starting their saturday and I am ready to go find som dinner and call it a night. We had a great conversation, using the webcam Silena could give me feedback on the wallpaper in my room and see me. I even talked to my Mom. With in seconds even chatted with my sister. Now that is global connecting!



Marty is out of the suitcase and ready to go on an adventure tomorrow so we will podcast after. For now I will put up a few pics fo ryou to see!

Love this place already!

Melina