Reflection #2 - Why Social Media Matters

I tried to be "Fancy" and embed this reflection via Scribd since this was something new I learned today!

Reflection #2 - Porterfield & Carnes

image found at http://www.nspra.org/files/imagecache/product_full/WhySocialMediaMatters.jpg

Assignment #5 - PLN

This assignment needs to start with one very simple fact that I need to own upto. Please don’t share this with my daughter (yet), but I am not honest with her every time I say to Halle “did you know that daddy knows everything” after the 10th “but why” question in the span of 10 minutes. This is a realization that has definitely hit me hard these last two weeks. I do know a lot of things, most of which is useless knowledge about random things nobody probably cares about, but when it comes to utilizing this new knowledge I have gained over the span of two weeks, I am very excited to continue diving deeper into it for several reasons. 1. it will do nothing but benefit me as I grow as a leader, and 2. it will add to the “everything” I already know about in regards to the knowledge my daughter seeks from me on a daily basis!! I still can’t decide which one of those two items is more important at this current moment. Anyways, that is for another discussion.

As an educator, my plan to further develop my PLN is to simply continue with many of the things I have taken from this two week course. I have already gained a lot of insight from both people and articles that have come to me via twitter as well as the vast amount of online and digital resources I have either learned about, or have gained a more in depth knowledge of. I will continue to utilize these things and to implement them into my current role as a teacher as well. As I have gone through this two week course, it has been difficult for me to put on my administrators hat and think of these things in that realm as this is new to me, but at the same time, feel blessed that so much of what we have learned, can still be applied by wearing my teacher hat as well.

In addition to utilizing these technologies and building my PLN by gaining contacts through these platforms, I am also eager to share much of what I have learned with members of my team and continue to build my PLN in person as well. I feel that by sharing things I have come across, it can further my contact base by building stronger relationships with people I am already in contact with, but have not built strong relationships with. Sharing strategies, tools, resources and ideas is one of the easiest ways to connect with people and to build relationships with due to the foundation this lays for further communication.

I feel that I have already taken the first and second steps of this process. The first step, was taken when I finally admitted to myself, but not my daughter, that I don’t know everything there is to know. This was a pretty easy step for me to take, partially because I am very open minded about my shortcomings and weaknesses, but also because on day one, I was bombarded (in a good way) with a lot of these things that helped me grasp the fact that I don’t know everything!! The second step I have already taken is simply to dive in and start getting a feel for all of these digital leadership platforms and sift through them to filter based on what I want to continue using immediately, what I want to use in the near future, and what items are good to have experienced, but don’t currently have a place in my educator tool belt at the current time.

Outside of this information about my quickly growing PLN, the other, and most important thing I know is that my PLN grew the last two weeks with seven amazing contacts that I have met, officially in person today and have learned so much from. These are the connections that lay the foundation for loving what we do and also making what we do so much easier. It is great to have these contacts, it is great to learn from you guys, and it is also great for me, to see that there are other leaders who also have things to learn and are experiencing things that are new to them so that we can learn and go through these experiences together. Thanks to all of you for not only being part of my PLN, but for being the foundation of my PLN.

EDPUZZLE Website

Here is a website a member of my team has used multiple times in class and loves it. I have not taken advantage of it yet as she learned about it towards the end of last year. Essentially, you can search for videos, upload your own videos, and even use youtube videos within this site.

You can edit and manipulate the video you pick in order to make it educational. You can insert questions at any point in the video using the provided video editor. You can make it so that students can not proceed until they correctly answer the question correctly, or you can simply have them answer the questions throughout the video and then see answers at the end.

I believe there is much more, but this is the basic information. It is definitely a digital tool I want to start using, but like everything else, need to dive into it and take the time to learn how to properly use it. From what I'm told, it is very simple and easy.

Just thought I would share as our lesson today on Youtube reminded me of this.

https://edpuzzle.com/

Assignment #4 - 1:1 Technology

It appears that the commonality within the 4 articles we read for this assignment is that focusing on the 1:1 technology shift won’t solve any problems for school districts and won’t magically improve the academic progress of a school. Rather, it is all about the implementation of these programs and how they are utilized. There seem to be so many examples out there of “failure” of these 1:1 programs, probably within schools we all work at simply because devices are placed into the hands of students, but the “how” and “what” is not placed into the hands of the educators teaching these students. It is no different than if I was to take for example a digital leadership class and the professor, lets call him Ben Tallone, was to give me a device to use and then told me to teach others in the class, lets call them Tuhi, Kati, Lewis, Dominick, Carolee, and Ally, about Twitter, Facebook, and other social media platforms without providing me any modeling, instruction, or guidance. If this outlandish example were to take place, the negative results are not to be blamed on the device I was provided, but rather the lack of knowledge or understanding I had on how to implement the device. Because there are so many of these poor examples out there, in theory, it should be pretty easy for us to learn from these situations. We as leaders need to provide the knowledge, provide the “how”, and “what” to our educators prior to placing these devices in their students hands so that their students can reap the benefits of having access to these technological platforms and devices and to help guide and enhance their learning appropriately. I feel that as a leader, it is important to fully invest in the NETS-A Standard 1_a and provide a culture of purposeful change that will help influence everyone involved to utilize digital resources. It is important to not only utilize these resources as I mentioned, simply to say we did it, but rather work hard on maximizing the digital platform as a way to make sure students are meeting the specified learning targets of the CCSS. There is more and more collaboration being offered in education today due to the PLC focus that can be utilized to improve the methods of how we implement digital technology into the classroom through collaboration and focusing on the CCSS. As a future leader, I really NEED to improve my own digital knowledge as well as my comfort level of the digital platforms. One thing that was discussed quite a bit in several of our readings today was the fact that educators need to feel that leaders are ok with them “failing” so to speak. As leaders, we need to share that we are ok with things not going well, lessons falling apart for one reason or another, students not having success with a topic. If we don’t have unsuccessful experiences, we aren’t going to grow and these experiences are what help us improve. This will also improve our culture as a school because it will foster questions, and people seeking for guidance from others. This is one thing I feel I do well currently, I fail quite regularly, and am ok with it. I am a perfectionist in many aspects of my life, so its not to say it doesn’t bother me, but I know there are going to be those days that things just don’t work out. The important thing is how do I follow up these experiences, how to I improve next time, and how to get the help I need if I don’t have the answers. Leaders need to provide this and make sure all people involved fully understand failing isn’t something scary, but rather it is dare I say… an expectation.

Sample Prezi I Created and Attempt to Embed

Cross my fingers that this works!!

Reflection #1 - Scheninger

Digital Leadership by Eric Sheninger is one of the few required readings I have had the privilege to utilize that I definitely want to include in my resource library. This is the type of book that does several things that work well for me and how I learn, which is what I want to talk about now.

First, this book presents in depth information in a very easy and practical format. The chapters are set up in a way that it is practical and easy to locate information you want to locate. I have already utilized this strategy for multiple blog entries I have completed for this course as well as going back to look at different parts as a way to think about how I can make changes to my teaching method for this upcoming year. Two of the chapters I have reviewed several times which have impacted me thus far are Chapter 2, Why Schools Must Change and Chapter 3, Keys to Leading Sustainable Change. Both of these chapters have given me the insight to feel comfortable about trying to change and more importantly, that change is needed. For the first time, it really got me thinking about the fact that although I have tried to implement some technology into my classroom over the years, much of my teaching style, environment, expectations, etc are very similar to my own experiences going through school as a student in the 90’s simply because this is what I know and what I have experienced. However, these two chapters have really made me think about the fact that although many of my experiences can still be replicated and implemented, today’s students do need and demand a different method of education and for teachers to utilize different tools in order to meet their needs.

Secondly, within the chapters of this book, the author uses very simple and down to earth language in order to present information. Many books that you encounter about specific topics within education use industry specific terminology and try and prove how smart their information is by utilizing vocabulary that is difficult to follow and understand. I have made many highlights within this text, written notes and comments in the margins as I read that build on what the author is sharing. So much of what the author shares in this book are strategies and ideas for how anyone can start improving their teaching style and leadership style by incorporating digital learning. These are the types of things that I have already utilized from this book. I have made many notes within this book and have written own multiple things that I want to try and incorporate in my classroom in the short term, while also taking note of things that will help shape me into a future leader and administrator. I am someone who understands theory, but I much prefer application and strategies for change which this book is full of.

One of the most important things I have taken from this book that I can implement right now in order to help promote myself as a future leader is what Sheninger said on page 115, “It is essential for principals and school leaders to develop professional learning networks both within and beyond their local organizations.” This quote made a lot of sense to me because it got me thinking about how I can start preparing for future leadership immediately in a way that will have a direct benefit to me down the road. In addition to this quote, Chapter 7 on Branding also directly impacted me in the same manner. This is another example that was easy to follow and understand in which I can immediately apply to my professional life. It is important to have a brand and to market your own brand when you are a leader, but self branding starts now, not when you become a leader. Self branding helps you reach the point of leadership, and helps you maintain leadership. This was a great confirmation I came across as I feel like many people who strive for advancement or leadership roles rely on the mindset of “when I become an administrator, I will…. Instead of the mindset I have had in my profession

al life of “if I start doing this now, it will carry over into when I become and administrator”.

In conclusion, it is difficult to really break down all of the things I have taken out of the readings we have completed with Sheninger’s book. The one main takeaway for me is simply the fact that everything I have pulled out of this book, is something that I can start implementing now and start planning to implement in the near future. At the same time, it is a resource that will be easy to access and utilize moving forward and will have a drastic impact on me as a professional in both how I change my mindset as a future administrator in regards to changes I can immediately make, as well as the fact that I feel I am already a better educator because of how it will impact my teaching in the short term. I am glad I made it through this book once in just a week and am shocked at how much it has impacted me. But I am even more excited for when I go through it a second, third and fourth time down the road and the new nuggets I will pull out of it that I previously missed, or forgot about.

Formative Assessment..Here Are Some Tools to Add To Your Teacher Tool Belt

Visit the below link for 5 formative assessment tools that you can implement pretty easily. I have personally used Kahoot within my classroom for multiple subjects. I use Kahoot on a regular basis and kids love utilizing this tool. The thing I love about Kahoot especially, is that once you create an account, you can search for already created Kahoots and then save them to your account and edit and revise as needed. Students can use any computer device, cell phone, etc as long as it has internet access.

A colleague uses Socrative very regularly and loves it, but I have jumped into this tool yet. This is my year for taking on new digital technology... OR two!!

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/qfat-document-learning-mobile-technology-reshan-richards

Assignment #3 - Self Brand

To start, the two readings (Forbes and Fast Company) were by far the most interesting and impactful readings for me thus far. I say this because they were simple, very accurate with what I relate to great leaders and they simply make a lot of sense. Part of this for me personally is reflecting the fact that my wife is the VP for two small businesses which were created and owned by a young entrepreneur who really has mastered this area of not only business branding but self-branding as well. Much of this is brought home to me through daily business related conversations which I often relate to both myself as an educator, myself as a future administrator, and my career in education as a “business”.

With this being said, the main thing that stuck out to me from the Fast Company article was that when you take on a new leadership role and are relying heavily on self-branding, you have to start thinking differently about yourself than you have before. You need to see yourself as an asset, a leader, as someone who is no longer following others, but as someone who needs to get others to buy into you in order for them to start following you. This article talks about how you can stand out, why this is important and where this will take you should you do this successfully.

Thinking about my career and myself differently, is definitely what I can do in the immediate future in order to start building and growing my professional brand. As an educator, I can start looking at things I experience professionally every single day with a different lens which will allow me to start to start improving myself, start standing out from everyone else, and to start building my brand.

The second article, Forbes, presented some very clear and simple steps you can take in order to start thinking about how to build your own personal brand. The thing I really liked about these steps is that they so easily carry over to such a wide range of careers, situations, and types of people. These steps were created in a way that anybody can utilize them in order to accomplish the goal they have set forth for themselves which was mentioned in the first article; thinking about yourself differently in order to stand out. Several of the five steps relate to you staying true to who you are and being honest with yourself. I feel that this is vital in order for presenting yourself to others in a way that will force them to have no choice but to follow you.

I want others to view me as an honest and straightforward leader. I feel that by utilizing the five steps presented in Forbes, and focusing specifically on staying true to who you are while building your brand will allow others to not only trust you, but to be inspired and willing to buy into you.

Lastly, in order to build your brand, you have to utilize tools to not only build your brand, but to maintain your brand. I will definitely start to learn more about social media and utilize those in a manner which will meet the needs of my brand, but will focus on utilizing the tools that are true to me and natural to who I am. The number one tool I have in my professional tool belt that is my go to tool, is being personable and building a “quick” and natural rapport with people. As a leader, I need to do all the “other stuff” that helps build my brand, but my number one tool is interacting and caring about people and this is how I will best be able to build and advance my school’s brand.

I love working remotely in the Tropics of Vancouver!!

Assignment #2

I am in a good and bad situation in regards to the steps I can immediately take in order to improve my digital leadership. The disadvantage I currently have is that I have a lot to learn in regards to utilizing digital leadership due to the fact that I have never been involved in Twitter, Facebook, and have very little experience with other forms of social media. However, this is also why the steps I need to take are pretty easy to pinpoint. I simply need to start getting more involved with the various forms of digital media and incorporate them into my life and become familiar with them in order to fully maximize them down the road.  

There are many cautions that relate to me personally, but also should be clearly examined by anyone in a leadership role when trying to move forward with utilizing digital leadership within an organization. For me, the very first caution would be to go slow and not get overwhelmed by the vast amount of possible directions to take. This relates to the NETS-A step 4 c,d, and e because for me, a novice on this topic, it is important to surround myself with people who can help incorporate my vision and guide me through the process while at the same time enhancing the skills of both myself and my staff. 

The second caution I feel is vital to reflect on is to make sure to have a clear purpose for everything you do. Don't just do something because you feel it is the right thing to do or because everyone else is doing it. Actually have a reason for it. Understand the "why" before you create the "how" and the "what". 

Both of the above cautions relate well to the seven pillars of digital leadership. My first caution which talked about moving slowly and fully understanding the role of social media prior to going a specific direction related closely to pillar six (re-envisioning earning spaces and environment). This discusses how leaders need to build sustainable change AFTER they have a basic understanding. I think this is vital in school success at any level. My second caution, having a clear purpose for digital leadership relates closely to the other six pillars. Each of them focus on a different aspect and purpose of digital media in order to enhance your organization. Leaders should have a specific goal, plan, system and direction for each of those six pillars prior to moving forward in order to maximize their worth, effectiveness, and ability to be intertwined in a sustainable manner. 

Assignment #1

I really enjoyed today’s class on several levels. First, it was a great way to start my Master’s program with great people and small numbers which allows a conversational approach and a down to earth Professor with real life experience to draw upon. Secondly, the subject area of technology and digital leadership is something that I feel I am comfortable with, but at the same time, have a lot of growth opportunity before I feel I am fluent in this “language”. In addition to this, the thing I found most fascinating about today was the fact that the first hour or so of class I kept naturally trying to approach our conversation and topics from the teacher perspective in regards to how this information can apply to my classroom and to my students simply because this has been my approach for so long.. Although, everything we went over today, and will learn about in the future, can be applied to the classroom, the focus is on how it can be applied as an administrator. This is a new realm of focus I will need to get used to. I am definitely excited for this shift of thinking, but at the same time, applying what I learn to my classroom in the short term, with the added benefit of a little bit different higher level perspective.

One takeaway from the articles is that digital immigrants (many current educators) can learn new ways of doing things in order to reach students, but a very common response to this, is with so many new standards which are changing so often, state tests, and other demands, the time that is needed to change your digital language is not provided, not available, or not willing to be used in order to grow as an educator. There is definitely a middle option between trying to learn everything all at once and refusing to learn a new approach at all, but so many are not willing to take this middle road. I feel this connects to NETS A Standard 5 b, c, d because in schools today, there is a wide range of educators and administrators at varying levels of digital understanding and application and in many cases, staff who are “fluent” in digital languages model new methods to those of us who are not in order to help us improve our digital language in a safe, legal, and ethical manner in a collaborative environment.

I also feel it is our job as leaders to balance the new way of digital thinkers and incorporate things that work well for them with the “old” ways of doing things. Just as doing everything digitally or doing everything the old school way won’t work, it is important to fuse these two methods together in a way that enhances student learning with things that are still important and valuable in our society that have been done for many years. One example of this is that in the article written by Marc Prensky it touched on how many digital age students want, prefer, and need instant feedback and results. While this is beneficial and expected in many digital platforms, there are often times in an academic and professional setting where this need is not plausible. This connects with NETSA Standard 5d by providing access and methods of doing things that are differentiated and suitable to all learning styles.

Self Assessment Results