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SMART Boards  Why are they so easy to use?

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Saying No to "Put Your Cell Phones Away"

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Saying No to "Put Your Cell Phones Away"

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This article highlights ways teachers can utilize the students' smart phones to promote interactive learning.

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Ensuring it stays academic

Many teachers have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to phones out during class, since they assume-most of the time correctly-that their students are using them to text friends or update their various social media sites. But there's a simple way to ensure that students use devices for educational purposes: change the classroom dynamic from lecturing at the front of the room to having no traditional front of the classroom at all. During class, Halla roams around the room helping students with their work, all the while overseeing everything to make sure that they're staying on task.

"It's harder to do the negative behaviors when the phones are out and the teacher is walking around," he says.

Use smartphones to stay organized and assess learning

A great app for keeping students on top of their work is Remind101, where students voluntarily sign up to receive a text reminder when they have an upcoming assignment due. Not only does it help students better organize their assignments, but it's also engaging parents. Halla says many parents sign up for the app to keep track of their children's homework.

"I was stunned by how many more kids started doing the homework," he says. "I just thought they didn't want to do the work, but it was more that they were unorganized and had forgotten to do it."

Aside from the education-friendly apps now available, Halla has found online resources that can help support classroom productivity and be easily accessed via smartphone.

Halla recommends polleverywhere.com to test students' knowledge of their subject material before an upcoming test. Teachers can set up a question or questions based on what the students are currently learning in class, and then provide them with a text number. Students see the question with several potential answers-usually an A, B, C, D, or E template-and then they'll text in the answer. As the students' answers are compiled, the site creates a graph showing their responses. Polleverywhere.com also costs nothing to use for a survey of 40 or fewer participants.

"It's a good way to see how the students are comprehending the material," Halla says. "For example, if a lot of students are picking option C and B is really the answer, then I can go back and review the material again."

Apps for the social sciences

Halla recommends a number of apps that are perfect for teaching social science courses. There's World Wiki, an app that provides demographic information for almost 250 countries around the world; iAmerica, an app with information about each U.S. President and the history of the White House; U.S. Constitution, so students can have easy access to one of the most important American documents; and many others that are designed to provide students with further classroom support.

Halla has created a list of some of the most useful apps he's found for the classroom, which is available on his blog. While not all apps are available on Android devices, the large majority of them can be accessed on iPhones, iPads, and iPods. Also, before implementing smartphones or iPads into your own classroom, find out which apps are approved for classroom use in your district; and, if you find one you like that isn't on the approved list, consult with your school and district administrators before proceeding

Let fun foster productivity

As a final tip, Halla suggests being open to letting students have some fun with their devices. He was surprised to discover that his students are quieter and more focused on their assignments when they are allowed to listen to their music during individual classwork-provided they use headphones and the music is not too loud to distract their classmates.

"It's amazing," he says. "The noise level in the classroom goes down, and the work amount goes up when you let them listen to their music."

Halla asks students to only use sites that streams music. That way, they can stay focused on their work without the distracting need to find a new song every few minutes.

And when it comes time to get back to classroom instruction, Halla simply has the students remove their earbuds, put down their phones, and focus on what he's teaching. After all, not all learning can be done digitally-but Halla says that teachers have to adapt to the changing times and find a way to successfully incorporate these devices into their own classrooms.

"I've always been that type of person who likes to adapt and change as time goes on," says Halla. "Otherwise, I wouldn't still be teaching this many years down the road."

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Using Smartphones in the Classroom | NEA

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Many teachers have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to phones out during class, since they assume-most of the time correctly-that their students are using them to text friends or update their various social media sites.

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5 Technologies That Will Change Classrooms

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5 Technologies That Will Change Classrooms

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5 Technologies That Will Change Classroom Education

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Bonding is important for student development. It is important for educators to find ways to help encourage healthy student interactions.

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How to Use Edtech to Help Your Students Bond

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Spread the loveStudents developing friendships with one another is a core component of a successful classroom. When children can develop peer relationships, they are more apt to help one another with difficult material and relevant social issues. These friendships are an integral part of the academic experience, even if it has no direct impact on their grade.

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8 Ways to Use Technology to Engage Students

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8 Ways to Use Technology to Engage Students

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With the new school season, teachers are experimenting with ways to engage kids better. And parents are always looking to avoid the "pulling-out-the-hair" moments with homework. Of course, what both groups want is to make sure the kids understand the concepts and demonstrate in real-life.

Like everything else, technology can be used for better or for worse. Here are some great ways to engage the kids better and ease them into difficult-to-grasp concepts through technology.
1. Involve them in the making
Involving kids in creating little guides and survey questionnaires around concepts can be a great way to engage them. Creating a classroom community blog or a class webpage where children can put up their ideas/presentations/ survey results/pictures of projects can boost interest and engagement tremendously.
2. Get them to present abstract concepts
Abstract concepts, in subjects like science, are grasped better by using apps like the iMovie. In this example, students are encouraged to record every phase of the lab assignment and then explain what they had done. The videos are then edited by the students themselves and presented to the class or a bigger audience to demonstrate their understanding of the concept. To take it a step further, teachers can even encourage them to self-publish their work with services like Lulu or iUniverse.

iMovie for windows is also available.
3. Provide out-of-school experiences
Our school memories are filled field trips and events outside of the school than within them. Getting them to document their observations through pictures, movies and presentations encourages them to not only develop exotic skills like photography but also allows them to put down their thoughts and present it with a unique perspective.
4- Use storytelling in classroom projects
Storytelling is making a comeback as a major educational tool. Many teachers use the power of stories to connect with the child. Stories are also a great way to promote a culture of collaboration among the students. Getting students to work in groups and create stories using digital media including images, pictures and music is a great way to promote empathy, learning and co-operation in a classroom.
5. Engage with Social Media
Why not get the students to encapsulate their learning in 140 words or less? Tweeting the lesson, or having a website where students can post their ideas on using a concept innovatively can be a great idea generation tool. For example, after a lesson on "Energy", the students can collect ideas on how to use Solar energy and collate them to present "101 original ideas on using solar energy!"
6. Use Webquests
A webquest is a guide for students to search for specific information on the internet very effectively.

For example, students may be asked to serve as the caretaker of a National Park, and they might be encouraged to find information on animal species - native and foreign, care tips, eating habits, natural habitats, steps for conservation, etc. It's a great way for teachers to integrate the power of the internet into their own curriculum.
7. Create podcasts
Have the students interview a real person in a particular job. For example, what does a museum curator's job entail? Or what does a project manager in a tech company do all day? They could interview real people, put them up as podcasts and engage the entire classroom in a conversation on career choices!
8. Get them to help someone
Get students to write a "how-to" piece on a specific piece of technology that could help a person who is not tech savvy, like their grandma. For example - how to set up the iPad, or how to connect with a friend on video chat. These kinds of exercises force children to think from a user perspective and hone their own understanding of technology.
About the author:
Devishobha Chandramouli is the founder and editor of Kidskintha- a platform dedicated to helping millennial parents raise happy kids. Get your own FREE copy of the eBook " 137 Proven Productivity Hacks For The Millennial Parent" now.

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8 Ways to Use Technology to Engage Students Better

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With the new school season, teachers are experimenting with ways to engage kids better. And parents are always looking to avoid the "pulling-out-the-hair" moments with homework. Of course, what both groups want is to make sure the kids understand the concepts and demonstrate in real-life.

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Depending on the leadership structure of the school, teachers are allowed to research computer applications that they can connect to their lessons.

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Technology Solutions That Drive Education

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With more and more K-12 students owning mobile devices, and with Pearson Education reporting that 72 percent of elementary students and 66 percent of middle school students want use mobile devices more in classroom, now might be the best time to add an app as a regular part of school work.

However, as EdTech reported, a survey done by Kent State University's Research Center for Educational Technology (RCET) found that 30 percent of general education had received training on apps, and 87 percent wished to receive some sort of training on mobile apps.

We've consulted with a researcher and an educator who have expertise in adding mobile technology - particularly apps - into the classroom.

Step One: Identify What Kind of App You'd Like to Use

For Rachelle Poth, a Spanish teacher at Pennsylvania's Riverview Junior/Senior High School, using mobile technology in her classroom came out of a desire to provide easier and more accessible communication with her students. For Poth, the messaging app Celly was the perfect fit to remind students of assignments and provide a place to put class resources.

"[Using an app] can seem overwhelming for a teacher who isn't necessarily using technology at all or not using it much," Poth says. "The key is to look at your classroom and ask, 'What is one thing that is bothering me or taking up too much time?'"

Poth, who is also an education technology mentor with Common Sense Education, says that finding an app that will work with your class is dependent on what category you might need. She recommends the following:

For messaging: Celly and Remind for communicating with students, and Bloomz for parent-teacher communication

For assessment: Quiz creation tools like Quizlet and Kahoot!

For classroom organization: Learning management tools like Edmodo and Google Classroom

Another way to figure out where an app might be helpful is by asking students, Poth says.

"Pose the question to students, like, 'If you could change one thing about homework, what would it be?'" she says. "You might hear no more homework at first, but if you dig deeper, you'll find issues."

Step Two: Find a Quality App and Test It

Once educators have decided what they want in an app, they might get overwhelmed by the sheer number of options.

Poth recommends reading teacher reviews and sample uses on a site like Common Sense Education or EdShelf. She also says you can chat with the communities on those sites or on Twitter to get feedback from other educators.

At Kent State's RCET, Karl Kosko, an assistant professor, and others are evaluating apps specifically for special education teachers as part of the SpedApps project. Their database can be accessed by all educators.

Once a teacher has found the right app, he or she will need to do one more thing before introducing it to students: Test it.

"It seems like a very simple thing, but it is the first and foremost," Kosko says. "Educators should play through the app and think about how their students will use it and misuse it."

Step Three: Make Sure the App Connects with Your Lesson

Perhaps the most important step of all for educators is choosing technology that supports their teaching and their curricula.

Kosko suggests that teachers really think about how they are going to teach their students to use the app, and then use it for a purpose that will work in the classroom.

"Don't just use it randomly," he says. "The apps should be related to something students are currently learning."

Also, if using anything that needs technology at home, Poth says teachers need to be aware of what students have access to.

"At the beginning of each school year, I give my students a paper and ask them what kind of device they have, if they access at home and what kind of tools they know how to use," she says.

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Implementing an App in the Classroom in 3 Steps

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With more and more K-12 students owning mobile devices, and with Pearson Education reporting that 72 percent of elementary students and 66 percent of middle school students want use mobile devices more in classroom, now might be the best time to add an app as a regular part of school work.

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An interactive activity that promotes student engagement. The voices of our students tells us what they find interesting in our lessons, to speak about.

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You can browse various professional research journals on Edtech.

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Explore the horizons of education technology

ISTE journals chronicle the latest peer-reviewed research on effective learning and teaching with technology. Edited by experts in the field and published quarterly, ISTE journals investigate the impact and implications of technology-rich instruction in PK-12 environments and teacher education programs.

Latest News

July 2020

JRTE is reviewing proposals for a special issue: Engaging learners in emergency transition to online learning during Covid-19. For more information visit http://bit.ly/JRTEcall.

JRTE has also formally instituted an award titled the JRTE Reviewer of the Year Award. The intent of this award is to formally recognize an outstanding reviewer for JRTE based on the timeliness and quality of reviews. Decisions are made by the editor and associate editor of JRTE.

Journal of Research on Technology in Education
READ LATEST ISSUE

Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education
READ LATEST ISSUE

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ISTE's research journals chronicle the latest peer-reviewed research on effective learning and teaching with technology. Edited by experts in the field and published quarterly, ISTE journals investigate the impact and implications of technology-rich instruction in PK-12 environments and teacher education programs.

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Discuss whether any of the selected online resources could be utilized within your school setting. Explain in which capacity and do you feel there is any way you could improve upon these resources.

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Discuss whether any of the selected online resources could be utilized within your school setting. Explain in which capacity and do you feel there is any way you could improve upon these resources.

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Once I am in a classroom setting, most of the resources here can be utilized in a classroom. The most unique revelation is that the resources can also be utilized outside the classroom. The Research on Edtech journals can be used to support innovative technological integrations in education.

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This Ted Talk presented by Ken Robinson is quite informative.

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Please [contact us](https://www.ted.com/contact) and let us know what happened.

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Identify two of the online resources that you feel are most important?

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Identify two of the online resources that you feel are most important?

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1. The Shared Vision article is the most important resource because it outlines ways that educational leaders and teachers can work together to successfully integrate edtech in the classroom.

2. 8 Ways to Use Technology for Student Engagement resource is the second most important resource for educators.

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On Monday, January 14, the excitement was high as we initiated our one-to-one Chromebook program with our sixth grade students. Each sixth grade student has been issued a sleek new Google Chromebook laptop device to utilize as an integral tool for learning throughout the day. The data generated by the sixth grade pilot of a one-to-one Chromebook environment will be utilized in the further development of New Hope's instructional technology program.

The instructional technology team evaluated many of the available devices utilized in educational programs across the nation. After exploring the many options available, we believe that the Google Chromebook is a device uniquely suited for the demands of our educational community and will enhance teaching, learning, and discipleship at New Hope. Each sixth grade student has also been issued a Google Apps for Education account through New Hope's domain which will provide students with the ability to continue working on school assignments from any computer with Internet access. Students will be able to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations and even electronic portfolios to showcase their learning through their Google Apps for Education account.

Students jumped right into learning about how to utilize both the Chromebook and their Google Apps account today, learning to create and share folders and documents. Students also began to work collaboratively in Google Docs, creating study materials for an upcoming Social Studies test. In the near future, students will learn to create mind maps, comic strips, podcasts, and begin to utilize other specialized apps for learning. Increased intentional integration of technology across the curriculum will create additional opportunities for New Hope students to think critically and creatively while preparing them to be leaders in an increasingly digital world.

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On Monday, January 14, the excitement was high as we initiated our one-to-one Chromebook program with our sixth grade students. Each sixth grade student has been issued a sleek new Google Chromebook laptop device to utilize as an integral tool for learning throughout the day.

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In more traditional approaches, the teacher stands in the front of the room lecturing while the students sit passively watching and (hopefully) listening. Students work individually, while cooperative learning is often discouraged. Thankfully, student centered instruction breaks through many of these boundaries, as this method of instruction focuses on the process of learning.

Student centered teaching shifts the focus from the teacher to the student. It encourages active participation on the part of the students and requires that they monitor their own thinking. Students are also expected to not only be conscious of their learning but to also assume responsibility. Student motivation generally increases with student centered learning, as does student achievement and overall satisfaction with the school experience.

There are many ways to incorporate student centered techniques into classroom resources and lessons:

1. Allow for student choice and autonomy. This might mean providing project, classroom and homework assignment options, as well as allowing students to design their own seating arrangements. Providing more types of question types in assessments also gives students the chance to make their own choices. Finally, encourage teachers to give the students a few minutes of downtime to use as they'd like (within reason of course).

2. Use open-ended questioning techniques. This practice encourages critical and creative thinking and enhances problem-solving skills. Open-ended questioning encourages clear communication and provides students with reassurance that their thoughts and ideas matter.

3. Engage in explicit instruction. Explicit instruction moves away from the skill and drill attitude of teaching. It is a much more direct and engaging method of instruction that pulls the students right into the heart of the lesson. Students are active participants in what is going on, rather than bystanders and onlookers.

4. Encourage student collaboration and group projects. When students work with each other they are learning a great deal more than just the lesson content. They are gaining an appreciation for the diversity that exists in our schools and communities. They are also learning to have respect for what may sometimes be very differing points of view. And finally, they are able to bounce their ideas back and forth with each other, creating a much greater opportunity to grow these ideas into something great.

5. Encourage student reflection. Student reflection allows students to slow things down a bit and take a step back to analyze things. It also allows time for their brains to process what they have been learning. Reflection creates space and time for individual and group growth.

6. Create individual self-paced assignments. All students don't work at the same speed and assignments should reflect this. Allowing students to move through material at a rate that best fits their learning styles and needs makes it more likely that they will gain deeper understanding of the subject matter.

7. Get the students involved in community-based activities and service-learning projects. This helps students to see their important role in the larger world. They are given the chance to learn how valuable and fulfilling it can be to give back to others. Learning becomes more organic and less rigid. Students have the opportunity to see firsthand that learning opportunities surround us everywhere where we go.

Creating a more student centered classroom does not have to be hard for teachers. Your role as publisher can be of great help, as you incorporate many of these techniques right into the resources you are creating. See the students as an integral part of the learning process, and you're on your way!

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7 Ways to Create a Student Centered Classroom

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In more traditional approaches, the teacher stands in the front of the room lecturing while the students sit passively watching and (hopefully) listening. Students work individually, while cooperative learning is often discouraged. Thankfully, student centered instruction breaks through many of these boundaries, as this method of instruction focuses on the process of learning.

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Educators discuss the relationship between Edtech and Curriculum. This interactive discussion highlights the strengths and weaknesses of education and technology integration.

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By Lisa Nielsen

The theme of Tech & Learning 's December leadership event was "Curriculum & Tech: Can This Marriage Be Saved?" Over two days in Phoenix, Arizona, school leaders from around the country engaged in working groups, a panel, and a school visit with a focus on how to help both sides better understand each other's challenges, improve collaboration, and support their district's instructional goals through powerful uses of technology.

School Visit: Phoenix Coding Academy

To kick off the conference, attendees visited the Phoenix Coding Academy (phxhs.k12.az.us/coding), the state's only public high school that integrates technology into each content area. Principal Seth Beute gave attendees an overview of the school, highlighting the importance of partnering with businesses to ensure students are prepared to enter a job market in which technology skills are a basic requirement. This is critically important because employment opportunities in technology-related careers are growing at a faster rate than other industries.

Some of the ways the school partners with businesses include providing students with:

Job-shadowing opportunities

Mentorships

Internships (for seniors)

Guest instructors

Field trips

The chance to serve on advisory councils and provide input on the curriculum and ways it can be aligned to the skills needed to work in technology fields.

These businesses realize the need to develop more talent from underrepresented groups, and Phoenix Coding Academy addresses that need. Summit attendees heard from students during a school tour and panel. During the panel, students suggested three strategies for targeting groups that lack representation in STEM fields:

1. Go where these populations are and show them what is available.

2. Show female students that tech careers are within reach for them.

3. Connect students to a learning network of others who look like them and who are successful in this industry.

During the school tour, Summit attendees saw the school's student-centered academic approach. This starts with ensuring that everyone in the school is familiar with the strengths of the students and staff. The school does this by posting the students' strength profiles prominently using a tool called Indigo (similar to Thrively). These are constant reminders of the collective talent and intelligence that surround and support students and staff. Educators and students can use these profiles to customize their schoolwork to ensure that what they do best matches the needs indicated in their learning profiles.

Students explained the value of attending a school that helps them get an early start on the career they'll pursue after high school or college. They said the school places them far ahead of the game because they don't have to waste time taking classes that don't align to their future goals.

Visit http://tinyurl.com/PCAVideoRecap for a video recap of the event.

Panel: Curriculum & Tech: Can This Marriage Be Saved?

Day two kicked off with a panel discussion moderated by Sheryl Abshire, chief technology officer of Calcasieu Parish (LA) Public Schools. The panel included administrators from several districts sharing stories about how technology and curriculum leaders are working together to ensure that technology purchases and uses support their instructional goals and educational vision.

Panel members discussed the positive role high-stakes assessment has had in driving schools to adopt technology. In part because of the focus on testing, however, many schools still lag behind when it comes to integrating technology into the curriculum. Successful adoption of technology into the curriculum requires a happy marriage between curriculum and technology. There are four key components that can lead to a successful marriage: active engagement, group participation, frequent interaction and feedback, and connection to real-world experts.

The key to staying out of divorce court is remembering that it's not about technology. It's about learning. These are not tech programs. They are learning programs. We don't want tech committees. We want learning committees.

This learning requires teachers to receive training and support so they know the right tech tools to use and how to use them. It's important to think about what teacher support looks like and also to have a teacher evaluation plan that accounts for effective integration of technology into the classroom. Superintendent Hank Thiele and Technology and Information Services Director Rod Russeau of Community High School District 99 (IL) shared that they've changed their teacher evaluation plan to be more like a checkup. They go in once a year to see how they are. This gives time for teachers and leaders to grow.

Dwight Goodwin, director of instructional technology, and Mike Mattingly, assistant superintendent of curriculum, from Denton (TX) Independent School District reminded leaders of the importance of starting with thinking about the "why." All stakeholders should understand clearly the reasons the school or district is integrating technology. It's also important to survey stakeholders to see what they want. Like other districts across the country, Denton adopted Chromebooks for its 1:1 because of the feedback district leadership received. Students shared the importance of having a touchscreen, keyboard, instant on, and long battery life. Making this collaboration transparent is key for adoption.

Asbury Park (NJ) School District superintendent Lamont Repollet and assistant superintendent Sancha Gray shared that their marriage of curriculum and tech didn't start out well. When they joined the district in 2014 they inherited baggage in the form of a bad reputation in the media and therefore in the community. Repollet focused on the importance of telling a new story-a story about building a brighter future and embracing creativity and innovation. They encouraged everyone to get on Twitter and Facebook and use those platforms to change the story and show people that the district is working. As Repollet explained, "Being a digital leader is about building a positive brand for our schools and extending our audience. Social media has allowed us to reach beyond the parents of our students and engage the greater community. Now when we celebrate student success, the community celebrates student success."

The approach has been a success. There has been a 24 percent increase in graduation rates since 2014, and 68 percent of students exceeded one-year growth targets through their hip-hop literacy intervention program. You can follow the magic on Twitter by visiting twitter.com/Asbury_ParkSD.

Digging Deeper: Keys to Making the Marriage Work

Following the panel, attendees worked in small groups to share challenges and solutions concerning the marriage of curriculum and technology. Key takeaways included the importance of beginning with the "why." The why should be aligned to student learning and instructional goals. The district should have a unifying vision explaining the why. To do this, the technology partner in the marriage cannot be separate. Districts must create a culture in which a technology-infused curriculum is a priority. They must also stay away from technology initiatives (e.g., 1:1 iPads) and move toward learning initiatives.

To ensure success, there must be time and structures for communication. There must be a safe place where discussions can include the good, the bad, and the ugly. Ideally, methods for communication move beyond meetings and email and into online communities (e.g., Facebook, Workplace, Teams) where instant sharing, collaboration, group messaging, and video are embedded.

When making decisions, always include student voice and choice-whether those decisions involve purchasing or learning programs. For example, in Asbury Park, the literacy intervention program they implemented as part of their STEAM initiative incorporated the student's love of hip hop. The hip-hop literacy camp contributed to students exceeding growth targets. At Denton ISD, they surveyed, observed, and recorded video interviews of students discussing preferred devices. Students knew they were a part of the decision, which helped them own and have agency in their learning.

The final key takeaway was that there must be a strategic plan to educate and support both teachers and leaders in understanding the why and implementing the vision.
Lisa Nielsen is author of The Innovative Educator blog and Director of Digital Engagement and Learning at the New York City Department of Education.

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T&L Phoenix Leadership Summit Curriculum & Tech: Can This Marriage Be Saved?

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By Lisa Nielsen The theme of Tech & Learning 's December leadership event was "Curriculum & Tech: Can This Marriage Be Saved?" Over two days in Phoenix, Arizona, school leaders from around the country engaged in working groups, a panel, and a school visit with a focus on how to help both sides better understand each other's challenges, improve collaboration, and support their district's instructional goals through powerful uses of technology.

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Web 2.0 How-to for Educators, Second Edition

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Author:Gwen Solomon and Lynne Schrum, description: , Category: Paperback Books, Length: 388 pages

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When someone is dubbed a visionary, we tend to attribute it to bleeding-edge thinking or a knack for big ideas. Truth be told, visionaries share a number of characteristics such as openness, imagination, persistence and conviction. They also possess a particular skill that contributes to their success as revolutionary leaders. They know how to get buy-in.

Getting people on board with your vision is a critical component to keeping the organization moving forward and ensuring the success of any large-scale change effort.

P. Erik Gundersen, superintendent for the Pascack Valley Regional High School District in Montvale, New Jersey, knows from experience what it takes to lead change. Eleven years ago, as a science supervisor, he was active in the effort to transform the district to a 1:1 computing environment. He watched firsthand as the superintendent successfully created a shared vision among teachers, students, parents and community groups.

Today, he and colleague Barry Bachenheimer, regional director of curriculum, instruction and assessment for the district, continue to see strong support for their initiatives.

They are not alone in understanding the critical element of buy-in for wide-scale change. Having a shared vision is one of the 14 ISTE Essential Conditions necessary to effectively leverage technology for learning. Here are their tips for how to achieve a shared vision within a school or district:

Put your vision statement front and center. In education, a five-year vision statement is typical. Once district leaders and the school board establish the vision statement, ensure that it's widely shared with all stakeholders and that every decision is back-fed through the vision statement to guarantee alignment.

Develop a living, breathing strategic plan. Strategic planning involves creating an action plan with a particular strategy in mind. The plan defines what the organization will look like in the future and how it will function. Include teachers, students, parents and community groups in the creation of your long-term plan. Consider hiring a strategic planning consultant to drive the process if that expertise can't be found internally.

Communicate conspicuously. Sounds like a no-brainer, but some districts still adhere to top down decision making, Bachenheimer warns. Reach out to all who will be affected by your organization's vision, gather their input and assure they feel involved in the coming decisions. The outcome - stronger relationships with all groups.

Meet people where they are. Determine how stakeholders prefer to get information and then deliver it through those channels. For schools, think newsletters, websites, texts and social media platforms (not to mention the blue jean express - students' pockets). Reach out to your local newspapers frequently and connect with the student press.

Show, don't just tell. Field trips don't appeal just to students. They can be an effective way to engage your audiences in the new initiatives you're proposing. Show solid examples of the programs you're seeking to incorporate by taking stakeholders to sites where similar initiatives have been successful.

Keep the doors wide open. Having an open door policy may seem old school, but when seeking buy-in, think of it as an opportunity to educate and to hear opinions that differ from yours. Inviting people in to be heard opens the door to providing accurate information, and perhaps changing minds.

Accept lowercase failures. Also known as "Don't be afraid to be wrong." Many leaders are afraid to Fail - with a capital F. It's good to accept and learn from lowercase failures, those small setbacks that allow you to adjust direction, see where data isn't proving out or slow down and make fixes.

Get comfortable with calculated risks. Risk taking is cultural. In other words, school leaders need to establish a culture where taking calculated risks is acceptable. This approach requires that all involved realize things aren't going to be perfect. Things will go wrong. Embrace those missteps and use them to allow you to progress.

Do you need to create shared vision at your school or district to transform learning? Start with the ISTE Lead & Transform Diagnostic Tool to guide your transition to a technology-rich and standards-ready learning environment.

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When someone is dubbed a visionary, we tend to attribute it to bleeding-edge thinking or a knack for big ideas. Truth be told, visionaries share a number of characteristics such as openness, imagination, persistence and conviction. They also possess a particular skill that contributes to their success as revolutionary leaders.