Keys to Successful Technology Leadership

Happy Leadership Day!  We all know how important leadership is to a school.  A strong leader, who cultivates positive culture and acts as an instructional leader will find themselves at a school who will have a lot of success.  What separates a strong leader in the area of technology from a weak leader in the area of technology?  Why do some leaders struggle with technology while other seem so successful? I believe there are a few things that administrators and school leaders can do to develop themselves as a leader in their building in the area of technology.  

Develop Your PLN

We all know the power of a Professional Learning Network.  Teachers are encouraged to work together in their PLN to become reflective teachers and create a shared vision with regards to teaching and instruction.  The same should be true for administrators!  A PLN can help to find new resources, develop yourself professionally, and expose yourself to new ideas.  Try to find a school to connect with are share ideas, successes, and opportunities to grow from.  If you grow your PLN, you grow yourself!  

Make Professional Development a Priority

One of the commonalities of technology programs that fail is a lack of support for teachers.  Professional Development is the key to success with technology in the classroom.   It is super easy to invest in the flashy new tech and forget to save money for the support!  Integrating technology in the classroom can be a huge task for any teacher.  I have heard an 8th year teacher say that it felt like they were a first year teacher all over again.  A way to support those teachers is with coaches and professional development.  If we leave this key piece out it is incredibly difficult for teachers to experience success with their technology integration.  

Find Your Expectations and Stick With Them

Many teachers are looking for clarity on what they should be doing with technology in the classroom.  There is a limitless world of options in the world of technology.  It can be overwhelming to decide where to go, what to use, and how often to use it.   Clarity of expectations for technology use can help teachers to find a starting place.  In addition to setting a bar, these expectations can also be good for teachers who are ready to rise above and find their way to being an exceptional teacher.  Once you have created these expectations but sure to stick with them and back them up.  

I challenge you school leaders out there to try to do these three things.  If you are already doing these items, kudos and keep going!  To read a blog by an awesome leader click here!

  

Professional Development is key to technology integration

Why QR Codes?

Scan this QR Code using an app like
QRafter

This summer I have spent a lot of time participating in, planning, and delivering professional development.  Throughout the course of the summer I have received a lot of feedback from teachers and found out more of what they want to learn.  One of those things that teachers wanted to learn more about was QR Codes.
QR Codes, in my opinion are pretty awesome.  You can find them everywhere from magazines, nutritional labels, and packaging.  In the classroom they can be very useful. QR Codes can link a user to a variety of resources.  You can link to anything with a web link.  I have seen teachers use QR Codes for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to:

Create wearable QR  Codes!

• link students digital work in the hallway, like a digital bulletin board
• direct students to morning work
• share 'I'm finished with my work now what" extension activities
• Scavenger Hunts
• Links to parent resources outside the classroom
• Links to the school or teacher's website

The next question I get after what can I do with them is how do I make them?  They are surprisingly simple to create!  There are a variety of free websites that will generate them for you.  Simply google 'Create a QR Code Free' and many options will be found.  I like to use Kaywa.  You have to create a username and password, but then it saves QR Codes that you have created.  Copy the link of whatever you would like to create a QR Code for, and paste it in the field that asks for the URL.  On Kaywa you will need to be sure to switch the slider to static, this site allows static codes for free**, and click generate.  Your QR Code will be displayed.  You have a variety of options as to how you can download the code which is also nice.  You now have you QR Code to display!

If you are looking for an app to use to scan QR Codes, I recommend QRafter.  It is free and works with apple products.  Happy scanning!

**Stay tuned for a blog post on the difference between dynamic and static QR Codes

A Fun Way to Reflect!

A letter to yourself to inspire and reflect!

It's summer and there are two days left until I head back to work.  I'm trying to take care of the things that once the whirlwind of the school year begins I'll forget about, like cleaning the kitchen cabinets, I know super awesome, when my husband came home with the mail.  There it is, staring at me from the top of the pile, the letter I wrote to myself back in January!
This past January my district asked to attend a conference in Chicago put on by SDE.   Of course, it was awesome!  The closing keynote was lead by Rick Wormlei.  He chose to use this time not speak to us, but provide us with time to reflect on what we had learned.  He gave each of us paper and an envelope.  The challenge was to write a letter to ourselves that we would receive in the summer, remind ourselves of all that we had learned in the past 3 days and keep ourselves accountable.  I LOVED this idea.  I ended up writing 3 pages.  Through the rest of the school year it did help to remind me to do things that I wanted to do.  I wanted to blog, kept my promise, and start ups a BYOSS session, which I did and will blog about later.  The letter reminded me to go back and look at my notes on rigor and relevance, making differentiation happen, and PBL.  The letter said to either look through them right now, or set an alarm for later in the week, I chose the later.   It also said to blog about this letter right now so I am!
I would definitely recommend us all to write a letter to our future selves that we should open when we're tired or at the end of the year.  Make goals, keep yourself accountable, but provide support in case your forget or leave things behind. I think I will try to include this in my first training sessions this Monday. If Rick should happen to read this post, THANK YOU!  You made my day, reminded me to think back, and got me excited for the beginning of the year.

Summer Learning: Blogs

Learning together at Apple Academy

I have been blogging a lot more this summer than I have during the school year.  I think this has been happening for a few different reasons.  First, I have more time than I typically have had during the school year. I know I will get busy again, but I plan to post with more frequency now that I have been getting in the swing of things.  Secondly, I have had time for learning this summer.  I have been lucky to attend two awesome experiences, Apple Academy and ISTE, as well as hosted many summer learning options for my district.  I have found that the best way for me to learn, is to reflect.  Blogging is the platform that is the easiest for me to reflect on my learning.  When I think back to the school year there were many times I was able to learn, but I spent little time reflecting.  I plan to keep up with the blogging when the school year begins, not only to keep up, but to help me reflect on my experiences as I go.
One of the themes that I wanted to blog about this summer was ways for teachers to take control of their summer learning.  Reading blogs and writing blogs is another way to do this.  If you have an experience that effects you, you blog about it!  Use your blog as a platform to reflect.  Not only does that support your learning, but then others can learn from your experiences as well!
Even if you choose not to blog, you should read blogs.   Twitter and Google + are great places to find blogs to read.  Find the blogs that interest you and save them for future posts.   I encourage you not to only read the posts, but leave comments as well.  See an awesome comment strand on this post by MattBGomez here.  Commenting and replying to comments challenges you to reflect even further.
I have recently been encouraging teachers in my district to blog.  You can find some here, here, and here.  I'm glad they are taking the digital leap into blogging and hope that they get the same benefits as I have.
So challenge! Read more blogs, comment on those blogs, and start your own.  Further you own learning and you never know you could even contribute to someone else's.  Happy Learning!

Its Not the Technology Its Us!

I have been sitting on this blog post for a while now.  Been looking for the best way to talk about how technology isn't amazing because its an awesome tool, it's because there are awesome teachers.  At today's professional development session I facilitated the teachers helped give me the words that I was looking for.

Teachers working to keep tech integration fresh!

Today I facilitated another two sessions on the SAMR model.  If you are interested in more info on what SAMR is you can watch this super awesome video or read my blog post on the SAMR model.  Each session had awesome conversation around which level of SAMR is related to different tech and tasks.  What we finally drilled it down to is that the technology tool isn't at a certain level, its the expectation of the teacher.  It's not the tech its us!  Many different tech options, from Promethean Boards to apps, can be integrated into the classroom.  The expectations and tasks that the teachers support and set out are what makes the difference between a classroom simply substituting technology with minimal gains, and a classroom blowing it out of the water and being innovative.  Technology is awesome, but its the teacher that makes the real difference for the students.
Later in the afternoon after the professional development sessions were done I met with a science teacher in my district who is trying to integrate iPads into her classroom, check out her blog here.  Writing grants, meeting with me on a regular basis, and research has inspired our district to repurpose Generation 1 iPads to her class.   To many these iPads are junk and belong on a shelf.  To her, its an opportunity to utilize Edmodo to support tasks via Google Drive, Educreations, and research capabilities.  It's not the technology it's us!
No matter what you have in your classroom for technology you, the teacher, are the real tool that is you the teacher!  Be sure to keep yourself fully updated!  Keep reading, learning, trying, testing, and asking.  Reach out to your peers, coaches, PLN, and social networking circles.   Join Twitter and build your circle!  It's not the technology it's us!

Managing Your Learning on Twitter

This past Thursday my school district hosted a day long learning event for all school staff called Summer Splash.  From my perspective it was a very successful event.  Teachers were able to register and sign up for sessions hosted by coaches in our district.  Sessions included everything from how to differentiate your classroom, how to be a reflective teacher, to integrating technology.  I lead three sessions, Twitter for the Classroom, The SAMR Model, and Small Groups with the iPad.
I received a lot of great feedback especially in my Twitter session.  One question I was asked was how do you manage and "file" everything that you learn on Twitter.  There is a lot to learn on Twitter and it can be overwhelming.  So I began to think, how do I organize and store my learning from Twitter. Here is what I came up with.

Create bundles to organize saved links

Bitly
When I find a link to a blog post I like, I will retweet it or share it out.  Twitter saves all of your tweets but it's in a timeline and can be to remember where that great blog was.  I use bitly to shorten all of my links.  Bitly will store your links and save them.  You can also bundle together links that are similar.  If you create bundles its easier to find those links again.

Save Blogs in Feedly

Feedly
Another way I save and organize my Twitter Learning is with Feedly.  When I find a blog that I like I add it to my Feedly account.  You can also organize by groups here.  It makes it easier to sift through the blogs you like to read.  Kinda like a digital magazine of all my favorite reads.

Lists
One last way to organize your Twitter Learning would be through creating lists in Twitter.  I have not played with this a lot yet but it's something that has been added to my to do list.  When you gain more people to follow your timeline can become overwhelming.  If you have a lot of time to sit and sift through that's fine, but what about when school comes and free time gets more and more scarce?  Creating lists can sift through your feed and highlight people's Tweets that are in that list.  Timesaver for sure!  You can also follow other people's lists and they can follow yours as well.  Great way to organize and build your PLN.

So there we are, my two cents on organizing Twitter.   Happy learning!

Click to follow me on Twitter!

The Key to Tech Integration: SAMR

Higher levels of achievement as you move up the levels.

Over the past year I have been working with my district to integrate technology into the classroom.   Many teachers have been excited to use new ideas and try something new.  It has been an exciting time but I have had the feeling that I have been missing something.  I wasn't sure what it was but I knew there had to be a key to the success of integrating tech.  Over the past year I have been very fortunate enough to go to conference and connect with other educators around the country and world.  I've learned a lot and I found that missing key, the SAMR Model.
The SAMR model is one of the models of tech integrations.  It's a way to evaluate the integration of technology based upon research by Dr. Ruben Puentedura  His research in Maine showed that all technology implemented by teachers falls into four categories; Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition.  To learn a little more about the SAMR model watch this amazing video by Candice M. on YouTube.
I have led a few trainings on this model with the teachers in my district and received good reviews.  I think that this model is what the teachers have been hunting for as well.  Before the goal was to have the students using the tech.  Now the goal is to facilitate learning opportunities for student that will engage and create previously impossible opportunities.  As a result, students will achieve higher levels of academic achievement.  All future trainings of mine will have a portion of time dedicated the SAMR Model.  Regardless of what technology you are using using, the SAMR Model can help you to evaluate how you are enhancing the students learning experience.
I challenge you!  How have you been using technology in your classroom?  Where does your tech integration lie?