All Roads Lead to Twitter

My path to becoming a connected educator began last April during a conference workshop presented by none other than @tomwhitby (founder of #EdChat).  A few minutes in he said,  “There is an entire community of educators sharing great ideas on Twitter that you’re missing out on if you're not connected.”  I created my account the very same day and have become an avid user since.  Twitter has become my 24/7 professional development companion.  The graphic you see below exists to illustrate the benefits of being connected; this post will elaborate on each bullet.     

Networking-  Twitter has given me a deeper understanding of and an increased ability to effectively network.  My Personal Learning Network (PLN) currently includes roughly 900 professional educators from all over the world.  Before Twitter, this network was limited to colleagues within my building and district.  Through direct messages and face-to-face interactions, I’ve established real relationships with many of these people.  They continue to motivate and inspire me through their tweets.

Professional Blogging-  Reading professional blogs has given me authentic insight into the minds of other educators.  There are thousands of educators who regularly share candid professional experiences in the form of a blog such as mine.  Although reading professional publications can be informative, hearing the thoughts of our peers will often resonate with you on a deeper level.   Had I never established my Twitter account, this blog would not exist. 

Collaboration-  Many of the connected educators making consistent use of Twitter are open to collaboration.  Learning how to use the direct message feature will enable you to begin private conversations with like-minded educators.  These exchanges can help push you out of your comfort zone with the confidence of knowing someone impartial is there to bounce ideas off of. 

Educational Reads-  The grassroots movement of teachers teaching teachers about teaching has become the norm for many connected educators.  If you’re looking to dive deeper than a “500 word” blog post on a particular topic, there is no shortage of material.  The Hack Learning Series and Pirate Books by Dave Burgess consulting are among my favorites.

Conferences-  Organizations and school district accounts frequently promote local and national conferences in “tweet” form.  As a Long Island resident, some of my favorite local conferences are the Connected Educators Summit and EdcampLI.  With a professional Twitter account, it's never been easier to find out about upcoming events.  Make sure to follow educators in your state to stay informed.

Innovative Ideas-  Shifting the paradigm from traditional schooling to that of 21st-century learning is a complex challenge.  Social media can act as an incubator for game-changing ideas in our field.  Following the right people will make innovative ideas accessible.  More importantly, these ideas will literally come to you upon logging in to your Twitter account.  Here is a list of 14 Trailblazing Educators for you to explore. 

I wrote this post to share my experiences, inspire and guide newcomers along their journey to being connected.  The education-related content on Twitter has transformed me into somewhat of an advocate.  I recently finished co-teaching a staff development course on the subject in my district and have intentions of running it again in the near future.  Here’s a shout-out to @tchrmom2boys for co-teaching with me and “hopefully” inspiring others.  On that note, thanks to all members of my PLN for adding value to my life.

How are you leveraging Twitter as a 24/7 professional development tool?

Gamification through Quizlet Live

Many educators have discovered the Quizlet website/app as a learning tool for their students.  If you're unfamiliar, Quizlet launched in 2007 and has since grown into one of the top 50 educational websites in the US.  Quizlet allows users the ability to create "study sets" for student consumption.  Study sets can be applied to any content area and implemented in the form of digital flashcards, short answer questions, and educational games.  In my classes, I’ve found great value in using Quizlet as a tool for review and reinforcement.  I’ve written this blog post to spread the word about Quizlet Live, an interactive new addition to the Quizlet website that students will love.

As teachers, we all have a unit of study our students are not intrinsically motivated to learn about.  As a music educator, that unit has always been classical music history.  I’ve explored a variety of instructional techniques over the years that have been somewhat effective.  My latest and greatest pedagogical approach includes the use of Quizlet Live.

At its core Quizlet Live is an immersive, collaborative game that requires soft skills such as communication and teamwork in order to win.  It’s an ideal example of 21st-century education that allows teachers to become facilitators and students to become active learners.  After all, learning should not be a spectator sport.    

My students have played Quizlet Live on multiple occasions and continue to ask for more; more of a subject they do not generally enjoy.  I have at least one student ask me to play almost every day.  The game has become a powerful motivational tool that increases retention and is often used as a reward.  As a teacher, uttering the phrase “this concept will be included in our next Quizlet Live game” has become an instant hook to engage my middle school students.   If you're looking to revitalize an outdated lesson plan and create student excitement this is worth your time.  

How to get started with Quizlet Live

• Create your account by clicking sign up HERE.  Educators that already have a Quizlet account can use their pre-existing study sets.
• For more information about the gameplay itself check out THIS VIDEO

Please note:  I am in no way endorsed by or affiliated with Quizlet LLC.  

Are you or your colleagues already using Quizlet? 

What educational games are most utilized in your schools?

Google Certified Educator Exam Tips

The collaborative and creative nature of Google Apps For Education has transformed the manner in which I deliver instruction to my students.  I find myself using Google Drive, Docs, Forms and Classroom with my students daily and thoroughly enjoy exploring these tools.  If you’re as passionate about educational technology as I am, chances are you’ve considered becoming a Google certified educator.  As an individual that recently attained their level 1 and 2 certifications, I've written this post to provide future Google certified educators with the information I wish someone had given me beforehand.

Registration

Click here to learn more about registering for the exams

During the registration process, you will notice a third party company called Kryterion and be prompted to create a Webassessor testing account.  Your registration confirmation e-mail will come from this company, not Google!  It is easy to misplace this e-mail and mistake it for spam.  Unfortunately, I accidently deleted this e-mail and had to wait an additional week to take my level 1 certification.  It was an unnecessary headache that is easily avoidable.  

Once you've registered for your exam there will be a brief wait period (24 hours or so) before your exam is ready.  Thereafter, you will have approximately 1 week to complete the exam.

Studying for the Exam

There are two ways to approach the preparation process.  You can either register for a Google Training Bootcamp with a certified trainer or study for the test independently like I did.  If you choose the latter, I suggest taking advantage of the Google for Education Training Center.  Here you will find everything you need in order to pass both exams.  The exam prep materials are organized in separate categories and specific units.  You can complete each unit at your own pace and track of your study progress through your Google account.  I also suggest implementing the apps into your lessons on a regular basis to deepen your understanding of the software.  Although there are 30 multiple choice questions on each exam, the majority of each exam is comprised of practical “in-app” tasks.    

Suggested Level 1 Preparation

If you already incorporate the Google Apps for Education tools into your everyday teaching practices then chances are the Level 1 certification will be relatively straightforward.  However, it will still take an average of 10-15 hours to complete the fundamental training course for the level 1 certification exam.   For me, studying 30-45 minutes a day for one week was enough to pass the exam in one try.  I made a personal goal to complete one or two units each day.  Perhaps you'd like to set a similar goal to establish consistent study habits?  

Suggested Level 2 Preparation

The Advanced Training skills are significantly more difficult to master.  I suggest studying for this test 60-90 minutes a day for two weeks before attempting to take this exam.  This is a rigorous test.  I cannot stress the importance of studying every day.  The first time I took this exam I failed by two points and had to wait two weeks before registering again (Google policy).  During that waiting period, I forgot a small percentage of what I had initially learned and had to study all the information a second time.  In hindsight the extra studying forced me to master the content, but, it was not fun.  My best advice is to over-prepare for level 2 and complete all the “in app” tasks that are covered in the training center. 

Other Test Taking Tips

• Sleep well the night before (8 hours if possible).
• Eat a healthy meal beforehand as each exam is three hours in length.  You cannot pause the timer once an exam session has begun. 
• Make sure your internet connection is reliable and that your webcam is working.
• Use the internet to your advantage!  Google is essentially giving a high-tech “open notebook” test so take advantage of it.  
• Bookmark relevant websites and resources as you study.  These will come in handy during the exam.
• Once your exam has begun, flag any challenging questions and come back to them at the end of the test.  This will help you efficiently manage your time.

Good luck on your Google journey!  Please enhance this post by commenting below with other test taking tips or questions you have about the certification process.

The Powerful Paperless Handout

Over the last few years, many school districts have urged teachers to create digital copies of course material for their students.  Although some teachers feel intimidated by this 21st-century task, it’s not as difficult to implement as it seems.  In fact, once you begin the creative process of enhancing your handouts with technology, it’s actually kind of fun!  Here are a few advantages I’ve discovered while creating paperless handouts for my students:

Students will never misplace their paperless handouts.  Storing a handout in the digital realm makes it easy to find.  Students won't have to worry about placing a sheet of paper in the wrong folder or accidentally leaving it in class when the bell rings.  This also increases the accountability of students, as they are no longer able to lean on the age-old “my dog ate it” excuse. 

Teachers will never have to photocopy a document more than once.  We’ve all been there; giving students an IMPORTANT document and begging them to keep it in a safe place.  Fast forward a few weeks (or days) and multiple students will lose the physical handout, making the teacher’s job unnecessarily inconvenient.  Having a digital version of the same document can make a teacher’s job easier.  Once a document becomes paperless students will always have access.  Gone are the days of having to make photocopies of the same document over and over again throughout the school year. 

Digital handouts are more functional than physical handouts.  When teachers create a physical handout and give it to their students they are somewhat limited to the words/images on the page.  But, with a little imagination, digital handouts can foster an interactive experience for all students.  In my classes, I’ve used links to incorporate websites, pictures, surveys, videos and much more.  This may be the largest advantage of a paperless handout.  

Creating a paperless handout is easier than you think.  As a Google Certified Educator, Docs is my application of choice for this task.  However, you can also use Microsoft Word or any other word processor for that matter (just remember to save as a PDF).  To begin enhancing your document go to the “insert” menu.  From there will you'll be able to bring in images, hyperlinks, tables and/or anything else you'd like.  The key is creativity.  To get started, take a handout that already exists and ask yourself "how can I improve this by making it digital?"  Once your document is complete you will need to share it with your students.  There are a number of ways to do this including a class Website, Google Classroom, Dropbox, and/or through e-mail.  Speak with your building technology support staff to figure out what will work best for you. 

Every teacher has a few reliable handouts they use year after year.  I challenge YOU to take one of these handouts and make it digital this year!