Captains log star date 06-22-11. I come in peace. Wow, I have fully exhausted my TV and Movie Clichés in the first two lines of this blog...it should be a quick one. I titled this blog post research time because truly, about three weeks into what I had hoped to be my research period, I was able to begin working. Needless to say I was excited. My first order of business was to re-establish the community that I had began building before the big bump in the road. So I quickly went to HootSuite (an excellent way to pre plan, schedule, translate, and manage your Twitter feeds. You can also access and work with many other social media sites making it a great central hub for all of your social networking), and began writing my first tweet as a free man!! I felt like Andy Dufresne from Shawshank Redemption (sorry I couldn't help myself). My first tweet was meant to get people back into the game so I tweeted, "the first ten people to retweet the five types of energy, (which was what we were studying at the time) get a prize tomorrow in class. This simple yet effective way of creating a community on Twitter (that I can not take credit for...thanks Matthew Soeth) brought back most of the 42 followers immediately. The first ten students that retweeted were given a prize in class, and more importantly were publicly praised for their speedy response. I was back!
In the coming blogs I will provide the nitty gritty of my research including my data, which provides bonafide evidence of the positive effects of social media in my 8th grade science class. Please stay tuned, and subscribe to my blog. The one lonely subscriber needs friends:)
I want to share this press release put out by Microsoft which lists me and my project as one of 72 educators in the United States selected to participate in the IEF forum in Seattle in late July. Wish me luck! As always, thanks for reading.
Cool tech thing:
Flipboard is a great "central location" for lack of better words. It allows you place your social media, news, magazines, photography, and many other cool sites all in one app. I love it and I think you will as well.
Have you ever had to explain to your Grandma how to move about the computer? If so, you are probably going to love showmewhatswrong.com it allows you to have your grandma show what she is doing on her computer, then sends you a private URL with a video screenshot to diagnose what she is doing wrong.
Doceri is absolutely amazing!! It is free for educators and you can pay for an upgraded version. This will allow your iPad to become a remote for your desktop. It allows you to write with your finger over your iPad, which is now the desktop as well. You can manipulate everything on your desktop from across the room on your iPad. This app will render the thousand dollar promethean or smart board a waste of money!!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 5th: The art of Lobbying
"Here is what you should do..." my principal said as I was gathering my jaw, which had just plunged in slow motion to the ground with the knowledge of my research's impending doom.
"Let me explain." He went on to explain that he went looking for guidance from the district office regarding the use of social media in his school, specifically Twitter, because of my research project. He went to the assistant superintendent, who did not have a directive, so he went to the superintendent (who I follow on Twitter BTW)who said it is a great tool and gave him no directive, then he went back to the assistant superintendent who said she would check with the lawyers....needless to say, they said NO! He suggested that I go over his head to the district office and lobby my case. So I did.
It took three weeks, in which time I had to break one of the cardinal rules of Twitter...I disappeared. I couldn't explain what was going on to my students and every day that went by was another day I was loosing from my research period. I finally got in touch with the right people and got the OK to do my research, as long as:
1. I gave the username and password to the district office
2. I presented my research to the district upon completion
3. I ceased using Twitter once my research period was over
I must remind you that I work for a great district, and a great school. I can't blame the administration for being timid about the use of social media in education. There are lots of legalities to consider. I just want them to understand that they must consider them, draft a social media policy, and get it approved by the board. It is quite a huge undertaking to adopt a social media policy. You have to consider the fact that there will be training needs, and the ability to conquer the unknown. My research proves that it is cheap (in fact it is free)and more importantly it's what the students want and require to be fully engaged.
If you want to skip my clever banter and get right to the punch line, use the link to check out my thesis and a few presentations based on my research.
Speaking of presentations, I just found out that I was selected to go present at Microsoft's Innovative Education Forum in Seattle this July!! More to come...
Cool tech things:
1. Logitech wireless keyboard for the iPad, I'm loving this!
2. Evernote. This is a great tool for keeping notes, its free, and it sinks to all of your devices. Great tool!
3. Our Choice. This is Al Gores new book, and serves as a sequel to An Inconvenient Truth. Even if you are not interested in the content of the book you have to get this app, it is the future of what books will be....get it!!
"Let me explain." He went on to explain that he went looking for guidance from the district office regarding the use of social media in his school, specifically Twitter, because of my research project. He went to the assistant superintendent, who did not have a directive, so he went to the superintendent (who I follow on Twitter BTW)who said it is a great tool and gave him no directive, then he went back to the assistant superintendent who said she would check with the lawyers....needless to say, they said NO! He suggested that I go over his head to the district office and lobby my case. So I did.
It took three weeks, in which time I had to break one of the cardinal rules of Twitter...I disappeared. I couldn't explain what was going on to my students and every day that went by was another day I was loosing from my research period. I finally got in touch with the right people and got the OK to do my research, as long as:
1. I gave the username and password to the district office
2. I presented my research to the district upon completion
3. I ceased using Twitter once my research period was over
I must remind you that I work for a great district, and a great school. I can't blame the administration for being timid about the use of social media in education. There are lots of legalities to consider. I just want them to understand that they must consider them, draft a social media policy, and get it approved by the board. It is quite a huge undertaking to adopt a social media policy. You have to consider the fact that there will be training needs, and the ability to conquer the unknown. My research proves that it is cheap (in fact it is free)and more importantly it's what the students want and require to be fully engaged.
If you want to skip my clever banter and get right to the punch line, use the link to check out my thesis and a few presentations based on my research.
Speaking of presentations, I just found out that I was selected to go present at Microsoft's Innovative Education Forum in Seattle this July!! More to come...
Cool tech things:
1. Logitech wireless keyboard for the iPad, I'm loving this!
2. Evernote. This is a great tool for keeping notes, its free, and it sinks to all of your devices. Great tool!
3. Our Choice. This is Al Gores new book, and serves as a sequel to An Inconvenient Truth. Even if you are not interested in the content of the book you have to get this app, it is the future of what books will be....get it!!
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