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We want students to know how to use technology appropriately and affectively.  We want teachers to feel comfortable on how to use technology to enhance students learning.

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Technology has created instant access, innovative ways for collaboration, and a new idea of what it means to be creative.

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What challenges has our district had in this area? 

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What challenges has our district had in this area? 

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Technology has shifted what we view as "creative"

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Technology has offered consistent and instant access to information.

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Our district is blessed to be able to provide students with laptops. However, there has been little professional development on appropriate implementation. In addition, teaching our students how to use technology and safely and appropriately.

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Technology has created a chance for constant collaboration across a variety of platforms.

https://www.emergingedtech.com/2014/05/20-excellent-free-tools-for-interactive-collaboration-experiences-in-the-classroom/

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We need to deepen teachers understanding of different approaches to education.

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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

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For the past several months, teachers have regularly posted cries for help like this one on my blog: "My school is transitioning to the Common Core State Standards, and teachers are being asked to integrate technology. I'm overwhelmed by the prospect!" Many of these pleas come from veteran teachers with years of classroom experience.

A history teacher with 20 years of experience recently posted this comment:

My school is going through the process of adopting the Common Core, and there is a tremendous push to create student-driven classrooms using technology. In short, I am overwhelmed and fear that I am too old, too used to the way I have taught to make the change-although I am willing to learn.

Even though many of us don't have technology-rich classrooms, the rapidly evolving education landscape increasingly requires us to incorporate technology to customize student learning. Blended learning, with its mix of technology and traditional face-to-face instruction, is a great approach.

Blended learning combines classroom learning with online learning, in which students can, in part, control the time, pace, and place of their learning. I advocate a teacher-designed blended learning model, in which teachers determine the combination that's right for them and their students.

Many talented teachers, both new and experienced, are finding themselves increasingly empowered by-and excited to use-technology. Here are five tips that will help teachers broaden their use of technology and ease into blended learning.

Aspiring to big goals is laudable, but when you first attempt to weave tradition and technology into a practical, durable education fabric, take small steps. In other words, shoot for the moon-but begin with a bottle rocket!

For someone who's just beginning to blend, the multitude of web tools, computer programs, and learning management systems that are now available can be overwhelming. So find one piece of technology that will complement your class, and start with that. By doing so, you can experiment, make mistakes, experience success, and build your confidence.

That's how I started with technology four years ago. Back then, I wouldn't have described myself as particularly tech savvy. I was the typical high school English language arts teacher staggering under the pressure of rapidly growing class sizes and dwindling resources.

Then I found Collaborize Classroom, a free, dynamic discussion platform. I used it to replace many of my pen-and-paper homework assignments with vibrant online debates, discussions, writing assignments, and collaborative group work.

It was the solution to a persistent problem I faced: how to get all students to participate in classroom discussion. The same few students always dominated the conversation while the majority of the class remained silent, avoiding eye contact.

With Collaborize Classroom, however, every student has a voice. The anonymity of the screen and the flexibility of asynchronous discussions make it possible for quiet, shy, or reluctant students to share their ideas in a comfortable space. The night I posted my first discussion question, the first three students to respond were kids who never spoke in class. It was my "aha" moment. These kids wanted a voice in our class dialogue but had not felt comfortable participating in rapid, real-time conversations. Moreover, there's equity online because it's practically impossible to dominate online discussions. A student who enthusiastically participates just adds to the depth and lively nature of the conversation.

I now think of Collaborize Classroom as my "gateway technology." Once I successfully used it to engage my students, I had the confidence (and excitement) to begin exploring other types of web tools.

Remember that mistakes lead to learning. The best resources I've designed and the most effective strategies I've developed were all born from and refined through mistakes.

I'm honest with my students when I try something new. I ask for help if I have students who are savvy with the particular type of technology I'm trying out. I also ask students for feedback on their experiences online so I can continually improve my teaching practice.

For example, although I've often used TED talks in class, now TED-Ed makes it possible to design an online lesson around any TED or YouTube video. In a recent TED-Ed lesson I created, I paired an animated video titled " The Art of the Metaphor," by Jane Hirshfield, with a mix of multiple-choice and short-answer questions that asked students to reflect on and apply what they had learned. In a section I called "Dig Deeper," I asked students to reflect on why an author would compare two things-for example, why the poet Carl Sandburg might compare fog to a cat.

I anticipated that students might hit some bumps as they navigated their first TED-Ed lesson, so I set up a TodaysMeet back channel so students could ask questions, make comments, and access a support network while going through the online lesson. A back-channel tool makes it possible for people to have a real-time conversation online while a live presentation or real-time discussion is taking place. Setting up a back channel with TodaysMeet is as simple as creating a unique URL and deciding on the amount of time you want your back channels to be live. The back channel gave my students a place to communicate so I wouldn't have to field individual e-mails about this new activity. I also received ongoing feedback about how they experienced the TED-Ed lesson.

Technology shouldn't be something else you have to add to your already full plate. Instead, use technology to replace and improve what you already do. For example, a teacher who traditionally creates a handout with a series of comprehension questions could, instead, post a discussion question online using a discussion board or discussion platform.

During our To Kill a Mockingbird unit, I posted the following discussion topic on our Collaborize Classroom site:

What details does 6-year-old Scout Finch, one of the main characters, provide in the first chapter about the historical context of this novel? What does the reader learn about the social, economic, cultural, and political climate in Maycomb, Alabama-and in the United States-during this time period?

I asked students to reference specific details to support their assertions, as did one student who commented on the town's poverty by noting that the local doctor often took potatoes as payment for his work. She also showed how the characters nevertheless reflected the country's "cautious optimism" about its future: That same doctor was still able to support himself, she pointed out, and he enjoyed his work. Students posted their responses, complimenting strong points made, asking questions, and offering alternative perspectives.

I learned from countless mistakes I made along the way. It became clear that I needed to provide students with concrete strategies-such as making connections to personal experience or respectfully offering a different perspective-to help them grow beyond posting shallow replies, such as "Good point!" or "I agree." I asked students to analyze examples of strong discussion posts and revise weaker posts. I also realized that I needed to embed directions into our discussion topics to remind students to respond to the questions and engage with their peers. I started requiring them to thoughtfully reply to at least two classmates' posts, in addition to posting their own response to the topic.

This has resulted in deeper conversations online. Students post the obvious answers first, but then they go beyond the obvious to stretch mentally as they build on shared ideas, ask questions, and make connections among concepts.

Not only does posting a discussion topic save time, it also yields a more meaningful product. Instead of preparing handouts and making 170 copies (yes, that's how many students I have), then collecting, assessing, entering scores, and handing papers back, I now spend my time reading what students have to say, which takes a fraction of the time and is much more instructive. I put my creative energy into designing in-class, student-centered activities that build on the work completed online.

To truly blend learning, teachers need to weave together the classroom and virtual educational media. It's crucial for students to see that the work they do in the online space drives the work they do in the classroom so they recognize the value of the online conversations.

In addition to using the flipped classroom model (see " Flip Your Students' Learning," p. 16), teachers can use online discussions and expert group investigations to seamlessly weave together online and classroom work.

A teacher might introduce a concept in class-such as World War II-era propaganda-and then post a discussion topic online that asks students to evaluate and discuss an embedded photo of a Nazi propaganda poster. The teacher could follow up with small-group discussions in class that continue the conversation or group students to creatively apply the information. Students might work in collaborative groups to create modern-day propaganda posters.

This simple lesson flow enables a teacher to set the stage for a conversation in class but gives students the freedom to participate asynchronously online. Students can think about the discussion question, take their time articulating a response, and learn from what their peers have to say about the topic. Teachers can also highlight specific comments that students made online, answer questions, and ask additional questions to expand or refine the conversation in the classroom.

As a result, conversations that extend back into the classroom can begin at a much deeper level. For example, during the To Kill a Mockingbird unit, we researched and discussed the death penalty in preparation for writing an argument essay. The students debated online such issues as cost, morality, and racial inequality and then delved into these topics more deeply face-to-face in class.

Teachers can also use expert group investigations to weave the discussion between the classroom and online media. In the classroom, the teacher might give small groups various topics to research. Then he or she could ask students to go online to research and discuss their topic on a shared Google Doc and create a presentation using Glogster, Prezi, or Google Presentation Maker. When we read Romeo and Juliet, I use this strategy to encourage students to research such topics as the monarchy, entertainment, and gender roles in Elizabethan England so they have a better understanding of the historical context in which Shakespeare wrote. Back in the classroom, each group then presents its findings through an oral presentation.

Much of the conversation around transforming education stresses the value of placing students at the center of the learning process, of shifting them from consumers of information to producers of information. My expert group investigations lesson does just that. Compared with traditional in-class group work, which typically yields a disappointing finished product, online work provides the time necessary for students to complete quality work together.

The benefits don't stop there. The Common Core State Standards stress research, online collaboration, and speaking and listening skills as necessary for college and career readiness. This activity helps students develop these skills as they act as experts on a topic.

Some teachers think that incorporating online work means they have to be available 24 hours a day. This is not the case. When students are connected online, they have a network of peers they can reach out to for support, and they begin to see one another as valuable resources in their class community. This important shift in perception needs to take place if we are to engage students in active learning in the classroom and online.

Everywhere I present, teachers ask me, "What if students don't have Internet access?" Increasingly, my answer is "we need to get them access." I realize that many educators don't want to disenfranchise students without computers or reliable Internet access at home. But disenfranchment is exactly what will happen if students walk out of our classrooms without cultivating the skills necessary to succeed in our rapidly changing and increasingly digital world.

Much of the homework I assign depends on students having or finding a way to get online. I've embedded a Google map in my website that has pins dropped in all the locations on our campus and in our community where there are computers with public access to the Internet. My goal is to raise student awareness about the technology that's available to them. I even wrote the local computer recycling center to request a computer for my class. The following week, I had a refurbished computer that my students now use during free periods, lunch, or after school. There are many creative ways to connect students with computers to ensure they become technology literate.

For many teachers, the lack of technology in their classrooms is one of the biggest hurdles to engaging students in active learning online. As is the case with so many public school teachers, the only technologies I have in my classroom are desktop computers and a transparency projector. If I want students to research, problem solve, and collaborate using technology, I have to leverage the mobile devices they bring into the classroom every day.

The use of mobile devices, especially the smartphone, is a new and emerging frontier in education. I use QR codes in the classroom, in conjunction with a handful of smartphones, to connect students with powerful resources.

QR codes are easy to create. I love QRStuff.com, where I can copy and paste any URL and create QR codes in a variety of colors and sizes. In a grammar challenge I've created, students scan a QR code that takes them to a website with song lyrics that contain grammatical errors. The students have to identify the error, articulate the rule that's been broken-Don't know? Google it!-and present to the class.

The best part about using mobile devices in the classroom is that only a fraction of students need a device with browsing capabilities. A single group can share a device, which actually enhances collaboration.

Student-centered classrooms are the goal of my teacher-designed blended learning model. Giving students control over the learning process requires that they know how to communicate, collaborate, and solve problems in groups, pairs, and individually. This work can be messy, loud, and disorganized, but in the end, the learning is much more meaningful.

I realize how daunting the idea of weaving technology into a traditional classroom can be. I've been there; I've felt that apprehension and anxiety. I know it's a big step-but the rewards are even bigger.

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The Basics of Blended Instruction - ASCD

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For the past several months, teachers have regularly posted cries for help like this one on my blog: "My school is transitioning to the Common Core State Standards, and teachers are being asked to integrate technology. I'm overwhelmed by the prospect!" Many of these pleas come from veteran teachers

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The Flipped Classroom Infographic: Turning Traditional Education On Its Head - e-Learning Infographics

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Many educators are experimenting with the idea of a flipped classroom model. What is it and why is everyone talking about it? The Flipped Classroom Infographic

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Students need access to appropriate technology and classroom designs to foster collaboration.

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Teaching Reading and Writing in Social Media

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Teaching Reading and Writing in Social Media

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The Importance of Teaching Reading and Writing in Social Media

By Kristen Hawley Turner and Troy Hicks

In October 2016, Ira Glass and the This American Life team asked an important question: Seriously?

The title of episode 599 suggested that something was fundamentally wrong with public discourse. Glass explained in the introduction to the show.

The presentation of facts is seen as partisan opinion, and then every day a barrage of untruths are presented as truth, and we're just supposed to suck it up. That's the moment we live in. That's our country right now. And this is going to continue after this election, no matter who wins. Like, this is the rest of our lives, I think, this post-truth politics. With so many of us getting our news from social media and from sources that we agree with, it's easier than ever to check if a fact is true, and facts matter less than ever. - Ira Glass, on This American Life

When Oxford Dictionaries names "post-truth" as the word of the year, we agree with Glass that there is something seriously problematic about the ways we as adults, as well as our students, interact with social media. "Post-truth" happens when we retweet and share without critical reading. It happens when information remains in a filter bubble. And it happens when individuals and corporations can hide in anonymity while sharing fake news. As it happens, we can fall prey to misinformation.

Despite the warning from This American Life that we may be living in a "post-truth" era, we have hope. We can teach our students to be MINDFUL readers and writers of social media. The MINDFUL acronym suggests that we slow down and that we analyze what we read and write online as arguments that continue a conversation.

How do we get started in this work? Here are five ideas for the classroom.

Eli Pariser's warning that search algorithms may deliver information that is customized to an individual user and not representative of multiple views takes on increased weight as we curate social media streams. Rather than expanding our worldviews, the information we receive often reinforces our pre-existing beliefs. We can teach students how filter bubbles form so that they can more critically evaluate the information that they encounter. Troy has used variations of the lesson " Popping the Filter Bubble " to introduce students to the idea.

2. Talk about what it means to have productive conversations in digital spaces.

Jimmy Kimmel's popular "Mean Tweets" series calls out "haters" who post cruel messages to celebrities. In less comedic fashion, PSAs like this one and reports like the one by This American Life underscore the problem of anonymity on the internet. With reports of the prevalence of cyberbullying, it's clear that teens need to consider more carefully their writing in social media spaces. Kristen has started this conversation with middle school students by asking them to "write on the wall," a graffiti board where they can respond to a question, read others' writing and continue conversations. At the end of the week, the class discusses what was written, deconstructs the conversations (or lack thereof) that took place, and makes goals for having more productive conversations in their online lives.
3. Analyze social media as readers.
What persona does your feed reveal? Who are you? Val Mattesich (@VMattPV) has asked her students to analyze a public social media feed in order to answer these questions. Using evidence from posts, including pictures, words, and a craft elements of tone, students make a claim about the persona of the individual. Check out Val's lessons on our wiki.
4. Collect examples of social media that students read and write.
Asking students to slow down and think about their social media interactions is a key step in helping them to monitor their reading and writing online. Finding arguments in social media is a weeklong series of activities that we have designed for this purpose. Perhaps even more simply, you can encourage students to collect examples from their social media lives in their reader's/writer's notebook. Placing value on these kinds of texts in the classroom can support a shift to seeing social media as spaces for real reading and writing.
5. Provide constructive feedback on students' reading and writing of social media.
Though it may seem strange at first to ask students to share their social media feeds, as teachers we need to take an active role in this aspect of our students' reading and writing lives. Pew Internet just reported that 61% of parents check their children and teens' web history - and 60% examine their kids' social media profiles - but this does not mean that they are coaching them to become better readers and writers. This requires active mediation, which is not happening much at home. Ask students to take screenshots of what they are reading and writing, and invite them to reflect on those literacy choices by providing them with suggestions for curating their own social media feeds.

There is no single, best way to help our students become active, critical readers and writers using social media. We share the ideas above - as well as additional resources on our book's companion wiki site  - to help begin the conversation.

Because, with social media participation increasing everyday, we need to get this conversation started now.

Seriously.

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Seriously? Seriously. - Heinemann Publishing - Medium

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By Kristen Hawley Turner and Troy Hicks In October 2016, Ira Glass and the This American Life team asked an important question: Seriously? The title of episode 599 suggested that something was fundamentally wrong with public discourse. Glass explained in the introduction to the show.

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Teachers need support from their administrators, strong PLCs and time for collaboration and implementation.  Professional development should be focused on providing teachers choice, and chances to learn from one another.

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A professional learning community (PLC) is a team of educators who share ideas to enhance their teaching practice and create a learning environment where all students can reach their fullest potential. Most PLCs operate within a school building or across a district. They can be organized by grade level, content area or an entire teaching staff.

Not every educator is sold on the idea of yet another meeting, but when done right, PLCs reap huge benefits for both students and teachers. Here are four ways PLCs enhance teaching and learning:

1. PLCs allow educators opportunities to directly improve teaching and learning.

PLCs allow teachers an easy way to share best practices and brainstorm innovative ways to improve learning and drive student achievement. Good communication is key so that educators can share opinions and feel that what they are doing in the classroom matters.

These learning communities also enhance teacher reflection of instructional practices and student outcomes. Meeting with your PLC gives you the ability to share student progress, and when the data is shared across grade levels within the building, educators and administrators take ownership of every child's education.

In online learning environments, it's especially important to create professional learning communities to lighten the load. When collaborating with other educators, discuss ways to share work to lighten the load and ensure you aren't duplicating work.

2. PLCs build stronger relationships between team members.

The very essence of a PLC is a focus on and a commitment to student learning. Meeting weekly creates a bond and builds a team of leaders within the school or district that eventually extends regionally and globally.

To build a strong team, it's important to define roles and relationships of team members. This starts from understanding everyone's strengths within the department and throughout your PLN. Enhancing the strengths of others builds trust and makes relationships come to fruition.

When mutual respect for each other's opinions is developed within the team, all team members become leaders within the group.

3. PLCs help teachers stay on top of new research and emerging technology tools for the classroom.

Collaboration within a district and beyond is essential in order for educators to have ongoing and regular opportunities to learn from each other. A global PLC allows teachers to share and learn from each other daily. Twitter and other social media sites let teachers collaborate worldwide and create a community of practice that far exceeds their classroom walls.

Within your district or school, you can use a variety of tools to set up communication channels so you can share ideas and best practices or easily join text chats or video calls to collaborate in the moment.

This type of ongoing professional development informs teachers about new research and emerging tools for the classroom, and it gives educators a look at what other schools, cities, states and countries are doing in their schools.

4. PLCs help teachers reflect on ideas.

Learning from others in your PLC allows you to reflect on ways to enhance your teaching and to adjust your practice. The more minds that come together from different backgrounds, the more likely you are to add value and purpose to the field of education.

When PLC's come together, they must focus their efforts on questions related to learning and create products with the end result of answering questions that lead to student achievement. Student success must be the focus of PLC collaborations.
Looking for more ideas on how you can address challenges in education? Learn from hundreds of educators at I STELive 21. Dr. Jennifer Serviss has 23 years of educational experience. She is currently at Loris High School in Horry County, South Carolina. She has a bachelor's degree in special education from Georgian Court University, a master's in Educational Technology from New Jersey City University and holds a Doctorate in Educational Technology Leadership. Dr. Serviss resides in Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband and two amazing kids. This is an updated version of an article that originally published on November 6, 2019.

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4 benefits of an active professional learning community | ISTE

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A professional learning community (PLC) is a team of educators who share ideas to enhance their teaching practice and create a learning environment where all students can reach their fullest potential. Most PLCs operate within a school building or across a district. They can be organized by grade level, content area or an entire teaching staff.

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How can other school leaders garner support for meaningful, successful technology integration?

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How can other school leaders garner support for meaningful, successful technology integration?

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Rethinking Professional Development – Season 3 Ep. 11

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Rethinking Professional Development – Season 3 Ep. 11

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PICRAT for Effective Technology Integration in Teaching

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PICRAT for Effective Technology Integration in Teaching

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What is PBL? PBLWorks. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl.

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The definition of 21st century literacies. (2008, February). Retrieved November 28, 2021, from http://nordoniaplcresources.weebly.com/uploads/5/2/7/4/52745561/thedefinitionof21stcenturyliteracies.pdf.

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Tucker, C. (2013, March). The basics of blended instruction. ASCD. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-basics-of-blended-instruction.

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The flipped classroom infographic: Turning traditional education on its head - e-learning infographics. (2014, April 17). Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://elearninginfographics.com/flipped-classroom-infographic/.

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Serviss, J. (2021, May 13). 4 benefits of an active professional learning community. ISTE. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://www.iste.org/explore/professional-development/4-benefits-active-professional-learning-community.

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Mia. (2013, July 21). Digital citizenship. An Ethical Island. Retrieved November 28, 2021, from https://anethicalisland.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/digital-citizenship/.