Tips for Twitter

Angela Maiers just posted 26 tips for using Twitter. Excellent ideas for those that wonder how to use Twitter and how it can be effective.

How a network in action works.........

Many have a hard time keeping up and finding the purpose of Twitter. Chris Brogan posted on his blog, 27 ideas to improve your blogging. Great post and addresses some of the questions I posed in my post yesterday. Thanks Chris!!

How to keep up?

I have unfortunately had to have some surgery that has put me in the position of having too much time on my hands. With that comes plenty of time to think about 'stuff'. Having the personality that I do, while I can ponder my next vacation, reminisce about events of the past year, and even count my blessings, it doesn't take long before my thoughts come back around to my work. It is a huge part of my life and dedicate an enormous amount of time to work and work-related activities.

When I think about my role as a leader and educator, I am constantly asking myself, how can we do it better? How do we engage students more in their learning? How do I share what we are doing as a school community and gather ideas from others trying to do the same? While there is always research to read as well as a plethora of subscriptions related to education, there is so much more information readily available through blogs and wikis. These media also give the opportunity to ask questions, comment and expand ideas with an immediacy that you cannot achieve reading printed material. So now I spend as much time, probably more reading blogs and wikis and participating in social networks.

I use an aggregator to organize the blogs, wikis and social networks I want to monitor and have a few I automatically go to. There are several I contribute to. I've have often said and written that my learning has grown exponentially and I have gather great ideas to "borrow". While I have never been one to sleep for the suggested 8 hours per night, I do most of my reading and writing in the wee hours of the morn'. The challenge is in keeping up. Do I post? Do I read? Do I contribute? The obvious answer for me is that I want to do it all. I feel that as a leader, I need to be a role model. As our teachers learn to participte in Web 2.0 technology and most recently particpate and share information in a social network, I feel that I should contribute in some way on a regular basis. When that happens, I believe that teachers will see that it is valued and can be a successful and efficient way to share and gather information. I have principals that are now posting agendas for faculty meetings along with minutes to Ning. Social networking is something our students do on a regular basis be it MySpace or Facebook. There are incredible learning opportunities using social networks and we now have several teachers integrating them in their courses. Students blog and read blogs. They have heard and read that our soon to be president, used blogging as part of a comprehensive and awesome campaign. Technology is the way of the world and we can't escape it. We do an injustice if we don't recognize this and at least expose our students to these tools.

With our economic challenges we seek to find less expensive materials to use in school as budgets get tighter. Free is always nice! There are incredible learning tools available on the web at no or little cost to schools. While I don't support sitting a child in front of a computer all day, it does have its place in learning and students are excited and motivated to engage in on-line learning. Not only can students engage in exploration or practice, many tools on the web can track a student's performance so a teacher can monitor if in fact, learning is taking place. I feel that I have some role in investigating and sharing these tools with our teachers.

Then, there is my professional growth and personal commitment to sharing what I have learned with others. I have two blogs that I author and one that I am supposed to contribute to on a regular basis. Which leads to the question, "How DO I KEEP UP?". I wish there was one platform that would serve all my needs. Actually, there is......a wiki. The difficulty is that not everyone is ready to navigate a wiki. Giving people a URL to locate a blog or social network seems to be what the mainstream is capable of. Heck, for many, they continue to 'lurk' and have not taken the leap to comment or contribute to a discussion or forum. In time, it will come. For now, I need to find a way to juggle.

For the answer, I need to hear from my readers. There are so many people that I envy such a Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Will Richardson and Chris Lehman. I also realize that these folks present and blog professionally. I on the other hand, run a school district with a $39 million budget and all the responsibilities that go along with it. To be successful on the web, I know you need to speak to an audience, have something worthwhile to read and need to post regularly. Thus the question that would help me tremendously. What is it that folks would like to read about, learn about and/or engage in dialogue about? Obviously, I see exciting things happen in our schools and classrooms on a regular basis. When I do, I share those experiences and will continue to do so. But is there more? Sometimes you need to take a step back and get feedback. This is that time. If you have been following and continue to be interested in exchanging ideas about how we can make our schools more engaging for students and better prepare students for their future, please let me know.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Technology Benchmarks and Teaching Web 2.0 Tools

For some time now we have been discussing the best approach to teach students about Web 2.0 tools and internet safety.

While most students experience the internet as young as kindergarten, we protect them from certain sites as a means of keeping them "safe". As students begin to explore the internet for the purpose of searching for information, it becomes increasingly difficult to protect them from unsavory web sites or content that may be inappropriate given their age. Young students (and even some adults) tend to believe if something is found on the internet, it must be reliable. Students need to be taught that this is not always the case and that they must learn how to determine if their source provides reliable information. Sorry, no wikipedia bashing here but it is a perfect example of a site often used by students. There is a great deal of legitimate information on wikipedia but that is not always the case. With respect to safety, we want students to learn as early as possible that there are predators on the web and keeping personal information private is the safest course for them.

We have had great success in exposing students to Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, social networking and podcasting. There are many educational applications for these tools. Thus far, many teachers are exposing students to these tools while teaching their content. While integrating technology and the tools available on the web is our goal, we have heard from many students they wish they could be exposed to the technology separate from their course content. Each summer we have many teachers doing curriculum development alignment and revisions. This summer a group of talented teachers have come together to identify technology benchmarks for our students at each grade level. In addition to keyboarding, beginning this year students will be exposed to various tools on the web. Obtaining information, social networking, collaboration and internet safety will be a focus both in classrooms and computer classes. It is our hope that by doing so students will have a myriad of tools that will help deepen their knowledge in the content areas as they progress through middle and high school.

It has now been legislated that students are given direct instruction in internet safety. Since we began our technology initiative we have always discussed internet safety but it has not been as prescribed as it could be. In addition to teaching students about predators and safety precautions, they also need to be taught about intellectual property (ownership of information written on the web), copyright infringement as well as how to protect their work posted on the web. By next week, a curriculum guide will be developed for teachers to use at the various grade levels. This is happening as I type this post. I am anxious to see the product our talented teachers develop. Once completed, I will post more specifics. Digital literacy is a 21st Century skill we know our students must acquire. This will be the foundation upon which those skills can learned.

High School's New Face 2008

High School's New Face was again an incredible experience for participants. National presenters such as Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Giselle Martin-Kneip, Dennis Sparks, Tony Wagner and Ken Kay just to mention those most known to educators and our teachers. The conference once again inspired us to continue to bring our high school, our instruction and our students into the 21st Century.

We know that engaging students in meaningful learning is the key to improving student achievement. We also know that students will do better in school if they feel that they have a connection with their teachers. Students need to feel that the adults around them genuinely care about them. We want to find what students are interested in and make a connection to the content/subject being taught. Our Thoughtful Classroom initiative is helping us to personalize learning much more than in the past. Lessons are being designed that meet the needs of individual learning styles of students and teachers are thoughtful about designing lessons and activities that have something for each type of learner in the class. We want to find more ways to make that personal connection with students. Conversations we will be engaged in during the coming school year.

Our students are constantly engaged with media, technology, text messaging and socializing. Images flash in front of them on computer screens and information is a click away. "Sit and Get" type lectures will no longer capture the heart and minds of students. Lessons need to be creative, hands-on and engaging. More and more students are reporting that our teachers are doing 'something' different. Students are engaged. At the same time, students are being asked to change, and take more responsibility for their own learning. They are being asked to collaborate with each other, create projects instead of writing essays and make presentations as part of their learning to become proficient at public speaking and communicating their ideas and knowledge. I highlight these changes with some sense of pride that at Iroquois, we are on the right track.

A focus of High School's New Face was the need to teach 21st Century Skills. I have written about these skills before in a post about a report Tough Choices, Tough Times. They include skills in collaboration and teamwork, creativity and innovation, and communications skills including reading, writing and speaking. These are a few of the skills our business community tells us that workers in the 21st Century must be proficient in. Added to the list include critical thinking and problem-solving. These are skills employers need their workforce to possess. The skills related to the "product" a business is involved in is something the businesses/companies can teach. As we move forward, we need to emphasize these 21st Century Skills with our students. I believe that many of these skills are being taught as a result of our Thoughtful Education focus. We may not however, identify these skills for students. We need to talk about them and incorporate them into outcomes for students.

Proficiency in Information and Computer Technology is another area we have been integrating with instruction. We are quickly approaching the point where access to technology will no longer be the issue. Many students come to school well versed in the Internet and how to access information. But, are they able to determine if the information they find is from a credible source? Are they able to gather information and share it in a concise and efficient manner? Can they take the information they find and put it into their own words? We also know that the Internet can be a place where predators lurk, information posted can never be retrieved and just as written work is protected by copyright, so is information posted on the web. Students need to be educated to make the best use of the power of the world wide web. We are discussing how we can provide this learning to students. A group of teachers will be meeting in the next few weeks to discuss technology standards and benchmarks, Internet safety and how best we can teach this essential information to our students.

This is an exciting time in education. While accountability is at an all-time high, the environment (and our economy) is demanding that we do things differently than what has been done in previous decades. In a future post, I will discuss the need for 21st Century Skills and the imperative coming from our business community.

We took a great team to this year's conference. I would like to thank Ross Esslinger, Anne Obersheimer, Sean Lauber and Catherine Stojanovich for taking time out during summer to join in the learning and inspiration tha High School's New Face provides to our region.

Has there really been a change in the quality of education this year?

I will maintain that the answer to this question is yes! There is a different feel to the high school this year. Teachers are again excited about their craft. They're sharing their expertise in true learning communities. Students notice a change in the manner in which teachers present information and solicit their feedback.
These are just a few of the changes attributed to two major initiatives: Thoughtful Education and our Technology Integration initiative.
Thoughful education has provided teachers with a host of strategies to differentiate instruction and learning. The information is presented and shared in learning teams and further shared on a virtual platform. Teachers use technology not only as a tool to enhance learning but as a tool for sharing information and professional growth. Collaboration is always something we encourage amongst our teachers. Now, collaboration can be anyplace, anytime. If that collaboration can't be fact-to-face, it can happen on-line within a virtual platform.
There are two platforms that are beginning to develop. A wiki to share the community of practice and use of a social networking platform on Ning
Pat Aroune has been instrumental in helping us integrate our thoughtful education initiative and technology. I believe we are truly treading on uncharted territory and the journey has been very exciting. Thank you Pat and thank you teachers for embarking on our journey.

Social Networking

As time goes on, I continue to be introduced to tools the expand my learning and demonstrate to me the limitless possibilities for student use and learning. Social networks on the web are not unfamiliar to most. Nearly everyone has at least heard of 2 that our children are using daily in spite of the negative media we're exposed to: MySpace and Facebook. While unpopular with many parents, I have written before about the positive aspects of social networking. Some of the skills young adults demonstrate and learn using these social networks include creativity, global exposure, literacy (read/write), making connections with people and developing communication skills along with other secondary skills often viewed as a double-edge sword such as multi-tasking.
Iroquois is participating in a project called the Western New York Powerful Learning Practices. I have not provided a link as for now, this is a "closed" social network. Four teachers and another administrator have joined me in learning the myriad of tools available on the web. Web 2.0 as topic is familiar to those that have followed this blog or any of the other talented educators linked to this blog. We have experimented and then began using blogs, wikis and podcasting. Podcasting is just beginning to be used with instruction now that we have learned the in's and out's. Now we are looking at the potential social networks offer.
One such network is call Ning. Ning was developed in 2004 by two individuals that wanted to develop a platform where people could develop their own social network. Artists to musicians, athletes, bloggers, video channels, journalists, students, educators, parents, craft hobbyists, alumni, and interest groups are a sampling of the range and diversity of the social networks developed on ning. It becomes one-stop shopping for all your web 2.0 tools. You can post picture, video and music. Within your own social network you can host a blog or engage in a variety of discussion in a forum. On ning, it's possible to link to other social networks or expand your own network by having members of your network develop their own pages. The amount of information to be store and exchanged on ning can be more than overwhelming. For just that reason, the group of us involved in the WNYPLP needed to take a step back and developed our own social network called Virtually Iroquois. We thought if we began with a "blank canvas", we could explore the many features available and slowly build our community. It has only been a day, and members that felt completely intimidated my the WNYPLP have quickly joined and contributed to our network.
So, how can this be applied and used educationally you may ask? Imagine a class designing an on-line platform that each of them have membership to. The main page provides the shell for the topic or class the student is enrolled in. Each student then develops their own page (like their own web site). Students conduct research, share information, engage in discussions and post resources. Resources could be video clips, music, personal artwork or pictures as well as more traditional resources such a links to articles, newspapers or blogs. As if there isn't enough on the platform, you even have an e-mail account so people within your network as well as the entire Ning community can e-mail you. There are features similar to the notorious MySpace and FaceBook. You invite members to your network and thus the ability to acquire many 'friends'. Each person has a picture (avatar or actual digital picture) that is shown. If others in your network are on-line, an icon indicates so. If you desire immediate contact you can then communicate with that person either through e-mail or other IM or Skype accounts outside the Ning community. All you need is a valid e-mail address. I highly suggest you check out the network. No matter what your interest, you will find a network for you to join or you can begin one yourself.
Another on-linr tool to network with people is Twitter. Twitter is similar to instant message but everyone and anyone that has a twitter account and is on-line can communicate with each other. For our more "mature" audiences, I liken it to the original aol chat rooms. Many of the same rules apply but the conversations are much richer and generally related to 21st century learning. You can communicate with a particular person by beginning your text message with @(person's name) or just type to the entire community. You can join a conversation or begin a new one. The 'conversations' are in real time and worldwide. Those of us using Twitter see many uses. It can be your idea of "fun" by just texting to interesting people around the country or the world. Will Richardson posted a blog about the use of Twitter for professional development. Imagine you are a teacher and you're interested in finding a great podcast about the civil war. Twitter it and you may just find a social studies teacher that twitters back with your request. You could also engage in a discussion by asking how a high school teacher is using a wiki in one of their courses. The possibilities are endless. Give it a try. Again, all you need is that e-mail address.

How many people do students write for in their K-12 experience?

| continue to encourage ways for teachers to have students integrated technology with their learning. Came across a blog "Plethora of Technology" and read of a middle school teacher that was encouraging writing on the web. He makes a great point. Check out his video below.