Building a community of collaboration

During my recent Google Teacher Academy in Chicago, I was reintroduced to the idea of networking and collaborating and came to the realization that it's not about how much I know or trying to know everything, but connecting yourself with those who do. Essentially, it's about building a community of learners and specialists who you can reach instantaneously. For instance, if I don't know the Pythagorean Theory, that is not as important as knowing how to get in touch with a person or information who does quickly. This builds upon my belief in information fluency and digital literacy. We need to build a community of learners and build a foundation of strong information and digital literacy.

With that goal in mind, I have co-founded the Austin chapter of EdTech Women set to launch of September 26 at GirlStart. EdTech Women is founded on the belief that we build a network of women educators and technologists to "accelerate the impact of technology in education in learners everywhere." Hence, it is about networking and connecting learners.

Likewise, as part of my Google Teacher Academy action plan, I am developing a site/oasis to help educators connect and to build a community of innovation rather than pockets of innovation. Rather than being isolated districts competing to out match the next, we can build upon each others' strengths to create a globe of innovation. Though this article is over a year old, it still hits on some great themes in educational policy.

Promoting girls in technology

Recently, I had the honor of joining two fabulous edtechers in Austin in starting of Edtech Women - Austin. In doing so, I begun research on ways to promote girls/women in technology. At my elementary campus, we just started our robotics program up again. This year, however, our goal is to get more girls involved. Currently, we have a large number of STEM jobs open in this country, but not enough qualified applicants. What's missing - education!

Over the next few months, I plan to partner with various organizations to help promote not only girls in technology, but women in educational technology to help close that gap.

Girlstart is one organization that reaches out to girls in STEM and provides them with training and mentoring, among a plethora of resources. Follow @girlstart.

PBS's SciGirls also provides great resources for helping promote girls in STEM.

The Texas Girls Collaborative Project is a database full of girls in STEM resources.

Engineer Girl is a subset of the National Academy of Engineering.

NAPE's STEM Equity Pipeline provides a list of girls in STEM camps.

The White House's Women in STEM page is full of facts and data on women/girls in STEM.

Know of other great STEM resources for girls?

#EdCamp for students? 20% time for students?

The EdCamp craze is spreading quickly. However, have you thought of incorporating #EdCamp into your own classroom.Recently, I took part in a great EdCampHome, compiled by some of my fellow GCTs. It allowed participants to write in questions and for topics/lessons to develop on the fly via Google Hangouts. It was one massive learning session occurring simultaneously.

After attending, I did several searches on twitter for #EdCamp and I officially became a fan. Not only do I want to incorporate them for each of my campuses, but I want to do a massive district-wide EdCamp for teachers as well as one for students. While teacher EdCamps may focus on Ed Tech topics, students may focus on any educational issue.

Where do you find out about what an EdCamp is and what the rules are? Check out Edutopia's description. 

Since this summer is the summer of making and connecting, why not try a new approach?

Check out Kindergarten Guru, Matt Gomez's, first EdCamp experience blog post.

Interested in joining the STEAM camp? Try out this EdCamp STEAM!

This Symbaloo will be updated as more EdCamp resources become available.



Additionally 20% time is making gains in the classroom. Originally a Google concept, it has been tried in other work environments and is making its way into the classroom. Check out this great example compiled by more GCT colleagues about the uses of 20% time for PD and for students.

Officially a Google Certified Teacher!

GTACHI 13 was one of the best educational experiences of my life. I have returned more motivated, inspired, and challenged to change the world and push humanity forward. I was reminded that it is not how much we know individually, but how much our network, our community knows. Now that I am part of the GCT community, my knowledge base has increased 600-fold! Stay tuned for more innovative updates from my brilliant community.

Google + has become an important part of my professional life. This year, I am promoting Google + Communities among my faculty. Though I am and always will be an Edmodo user, I promote Edmodo for PLCs and online courses. I have found that Google + is great for events, innovative ideas, or connecting and collaborating with educators around the world. On that note, the Mystery Location Calls community is one of the best for connecting classrooms globally through Google Hangouts. This year, we will be using Google + among our entire district staff. At the schools I serve, I have created communities with categories to divide the discussions. 

ISTE 2013 Takebacks

Didn't get a chance to attend ISTE 2013? Here are some of the highlights! My first time at ISTE, I was impressed with the sheer quantity of learning options - from the elaborate Expo, Blogger's Cafe, Student Showcase, playgrounds, to topnotch sessions. I spent a good portion of my time at the student showcases (a great opportunity if you attend ISTE in the future) and the Expo. At the Expo, I was able to meet with vendors, watch presentations by teachers, and gather lots of free products! In the process, I was also able to scope out a few new up and coming ed tech companies worth a look:

• A new solution for BYOD schools who incorporate mobile devices: LearnPal - it is currently free and acts as a management platform for teachers in a mobile device community. According to LearnPal, teachers are given a Teacher Dashboard that enables them to: 
• Access web dashboard from all major internet browser - no software
• Send apps, e-books, and uploaded files directly student devices
• Create and send quizzes to students to test their knowledge in real-time
• Use the multi-user whiteboard MultiSketch to collaborate with students

          It's worth a look!

• A solution for managing your in-classroom Library is Classroom Organizer - it is currently free, has an app, and enables students to check-out and return books or other materials to the classroom teacher. It also runs assessment reports on student activity, allows students to rate and review books, and keeps a classroom inventory. 
• A new site for learning how to game is Educade - this is a Beta product right  now so it is currently free. Teachers can create their own STEM lessons or they can search those of others. Lessons are interactive, collaborative, and multimedia. You can search by type of STEM tool, subject, and grade level. Truly a valuable classroom resource!
• Looking for a professional learning network for STEMx teachers? Try HP's Catalyst Academy - Within the academy, teachers have three options - to take the mini courses designed for busy teachers, to take the recognition which gives credits and badges, or to enlist in the academy which offers online professional development for teachers taught by STEM innovators. 

In addition to some of the newbies, I was reminded of some other great applications:

• Funding Factory - recycle print cartridges and electronics in exchange for money or products. 
• Google's Maker Camp - a free online summer STEM camp for teens that runs from July 8 - Aug. 16, 2013.
• SymbalooEDU premium - I'm a HUGE Symbaloo user; however, the premium/Edu account adds in an admin control panel. 
• Lego Education StoryStarter - If you're a robotics fan, you probably already know about Lego WeDo and Mindstorms. However, StoryStarter is just as unique and friendly, but it's geared toward literacy.
• NBC Learn K-12
• Britannica Digital Learning
• And lastly, using robotics and game design with mentoring for helping computer science and math achievement for educationally disadvantaged students.

Want an animated Google Site Header?

Try this simple tutorial to make a snazzy animated header for your Google Website --you won't even guess it's a Google Site!:

You can add in pictures to create a school Website header or you can add in important announcements/ads. The possibilities are huge!

Primary Sources turned 21st century

Want a great site to walk your students through the process of researching and presenting primary sources? Try Primary Access.

With Primary Access, students can search and save primary sources to build movie, rebuses, and storyboards--all within the confines of Primary Access. There is no software to install and it's all free!

As students search for documents on Primary Access, files are put into a timeline and idea map. Files are identified as video, audio, text, or image so students can select a variety. And, with a built-in Movie Maker, students do not have to go far. Resources are identified and easily cited.

This tool is applicable in all grades--with the ability to be more advanced or simplified to fit the learner's needs.

Check it out!