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Why Leaders Should Brand Their Schools - Finding Common Ground - Education Week

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Why Leaders Should Brand Their Schools - Finding Common Ground - Education Week

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Education Week - Peter DeWitt's Finding Common Ground

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Today's guest blog is written by Tony Sinanis, the lead learner from Cantiague Elementary School on Long Island, New York.
Social media is a topic that intrigues many of us. It provides us access to some of the best resources that will help us become better teachers and school leaders. Social media helps us create relationships through our PLN, which helps us find support as we go into uncharted territories with our staff and students. The progressive educators in my PLN have inspired me to work outside of my comfort zone.

Last summer, I had the opportunity to attend (and present) at the National Association for Elementary School Principals (NAESP) in Baltimore. One of the highlights of that experience was when I heard Eric Sheninger speak about using social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) to tell our story and embrace the idea of branding our schools. Even though this was the first time I heard Eric's presentation, it immediately resonated with me. He hit the nail on the head - we, as Lead Learners in our schools, had to devote time to branding our school and telling our story!

Think about the Golden Arches - everyone knows they symbolize McDonalds and that is a space where a person can get a cheap meal. Think about Apple - everyone knows they are synonymous with innovation and changing the world with the iPad! Branding is key. Telling our stories is critical! Eric's idea, although progressive and some may disagree with it, is an area that is important for leaders as they negotiate their way through the toughest economic time they have faced.

As the lead learner of Cantiague Elementary School, I wanted to influence the perception of our school by sharing the daily realities. I wanted to help brand Cantiague as the best elementary school on the planet! Why should we allow people to create their own perceptions, which could be rooted in misinformation, based on word of mouth or what is published in the local paper?

Branding, which typically associated with the business world, is exactly what our schools need today! There is so much bashing of public education in the media today and the landscape of public education is not a pretty one. As educators - whether a superintendent, classroom teacher, support specialist, or the Lead Learner of the building - we still control everything that happens in our schools. And since we control what happens in our schools (even with state/federal mandates and policies, the final execution is our call) we know there are awesome techniques/approaches/experiences unfolding in our schools so let's capitalize on them and spread the word; let's brand our schools; let's fuel the perceptions; and let's create our realities!

Although we have worked diligently as a staff to tell our story, it occurred to me early in the school year that a voice was missing from our story - the voice of our students. Yes, the children were at the center of our story - their learning, thinking, creating and collaborating was at the center of our story.

In fact, our children are our story and so giving them voice in the process seemed critical. Without hearing from our children, how can we ever be sure that our brand experience is matching our brand promise? Yes, we say we value 1:1 instruction but do our children value it? Yes, we say we care about the development of the whole child but do our children feel that concern? The list could go on and on but without actually hearing from our students, we would never be certain of the answer.

In September, Curt Rees, a Lead Learner from Wisconsin introduced many of our combined PLN to the Touchcast app. This was a free video app that allowed me to film up to a five minute video that could quickly be uploaded to YouTube and shared with our entire community within minutes. The best part was that it was an app I could access from my iPad and with minimal directing skills (it is questionable if I have any directing skills) I was able to create a fun and informative video featuring our kids. These video updates are released once a week and each week they feature a different class.

Starting in fifth grade, I am working my way down to Kindergarten. The week before a group from a particular class is scheduled to film their video, I touch base with the teacher and ask him/her to select seven students from their class to be featured in the video. Each child chosen is assigned a grade level (K - 5) or a special area (art, music, etc.) and they have a day or two, depending on when we film, to get as much information as possible about their assigned grade/special. During their lunch period on either Wednesday or Thursday, we get together and they decide what they want included in the video and we collaborate on the details of how we want the shoot to unfold.

In the end, they have control over what is featured and their voice is telling our story. It generally takes about 20 to 30 minutes to discuss and shoot the video and they are back to class by the end of recess so they have not missed any valuable learning time. The end result has been AWESOME as our children have created some of the most adorable videos and the feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive.

Here is a sample of one of our recent video updates, which are all uploaded to my private YouTube channel...

In addition to telling our story as a school and helping promote the Cantiague brand, these videos have led to a recent collaboration with schools from across the country. For example, we created a Thanksgiving theme video that featured students from our school, a school in New Jersey and a school in Minnesota. Check out the clip here...

Not only are we giving our students' voice in telling our story but these video updates have led to collaborations across the country, which supports the idea of the 21st Century Skills we believe in and promote in our school. So, the next time you start thinking about telling your own story before someone else does, don't forget to access the best storytellers in your school - your kids!

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Today's guest blog is written by Tony Sinanis, the lead learner from Cantiague Elementary School on Long Island, New York. Social media is a topic that intrigues many of us. It provides us access to some of the best resources that will help us become better teachers and school leaders.

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#leydenpride: A Student Perspective | Leyden Learn365

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#leydenpride: A Student Perspective | Leyden Learn365

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The following post is from East Leyden junior, Maja Bulka. I don't tweet. I have a Twitter account. I made it in the days where Twit...

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Guest Blog: Making the Case for Social Media in Education | Edutopia

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Guest Blog: Making the Case for Social Media in Education | Edutopia

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During the time it takes me to write this intro (approx. one minute), 42,000 people will update their Facebook status, 36,000 tweets will be sent, and fifteen hours of video will be uploaded to YouTube.
Undoubtedly, the world as we know it is quickly becoming wired through social media. Our guest blogger, Steve Johnson (@edtechsteve) sheds some light on the current state of social media in schools and even provides some handy talking points to make the case to lift internet filters within schools.

--Betty Ray, Community Manager (@EdutopiaBetty) and Elana Leoni, Social Media Marketing Coordinator (@elanaleoni)

The 3/9/10 #edchat discussion was another example of the most scrolling fun you can have in an hour on the Internet. The topic this time was "How can social media create real change in education?"

Right away, folks got busy reframing the question in more "real" terms:

@blairteach: Question might be better to say, "How IS social media creating real change in education?"

@dtitle: better topic... how will education keep up with social media and not be left in the dust

@unklar: I don't see any change at all at my school since the district is trying its best to block any and all social media

These additions brought to light the fact that we are struggling once again in education to keep up with the pace of a drastically changing society. Outside of schools, social media outlets are THE way that people now communicate, young and old alike (stop sending me chickens in Farmville, Mom!). The fact that we as educators even have to have discussions on whether or not social media is good for schools is sad. Social media just IS.....it's life.

Despite this, inside the vast majority of our school walls, social media tools are blocked and filtered. Why? In #edchat, the general consensus for the answer to this question revolved around fear - fear of cyberbullying and inappropriate use by students. Many blamed the media for blowing the negative out of proportion. In light of these fears, @benpaddlejones summed up exactly where we need to shift in the coming years:

We need to stop talking cyberbullying and start talking cybercitizenship. Flip to the positive.

He's absolutely correct. Our focus in schools needs to shift towards responsible, positive use of social media. The giant elephant darting about in the shadows needs to be drug into the light. In a world where this type of communication is king amongst our students, we need to stop ignoring and blocking and start embracing and amplifying.

When the filters come down, will there be problems? Will there be inappropriate use by students and staff? Absolutely! As a parent of two young girls, I understand the fear that this type of shift can create. But my response is that I would MUCH rather have these mistakes happen transparently where learning can take place. Every mistake and misstep in social media is a brilliant learning opportunity for all involved. I'd much rather these mistakes occur in the open and with the support structure of caring adults, rather than in the pockets or bedrooms our students are currently making them.

So we have this institution that has permeated society but is still blocked by your school. How can you make the case for the filters to be lifted? Here are some points you might make to bolster your case:

It is quickly becoming our duty as educators in the 21st century to guide our students towards responsible use of social media. We teach sex ed, we teach healthy living, we teach about drugs, we teach character ed., and on and on. We do these things each and every day, yet we are ignoring the aspect of our students' lives that is larger than all of these things (and completely interconnected with them as well). It is our duty to our students to start modeling responsible use of social media and encouraging them to follow our lead. We can no longer afford the veil.

Social Media use is becoming our new first impression. In June 2009, a Harris Interactive Poll found that 45% of employers researched social networking sites of prospective employees. This was more than double the percentage of employers stating they did this type of research in June 2008 (22%). What this means is simple - when our students start looking for jobs or applying for college, their use of social media is going to be studied. We must act now to ensure our students are portraying their skills and creativity in a positive way so that they can separate themselves from the pack and create opportunities for themselves that they may otherwise be shut out from.

Connected, community based learning is important. By blocking social media use, we are depriving our students of a huge opportunity to allow them to learn in connected ways. Society is moving toward a model of shared knowledge building, where people from all over the world can interact, question, reflect, and reshape thinking in meaningful ways. #edchat itself is a perfect example of this very phenomenon. Blocking our students off from this opportunity is a mistake.

In five years, the filters will be gone whether you like it or not. The expansion of wifi networks linked directly into smart phones that are being carried by students each and every day is inevitable. They will have an unfiltered access point in their pocket, whether we want them to or not. Wouldn't it make sense to be proactive? Wouldn't it make sense to guide our students towards responsible, productive use?

It is my hope that when the filters come down, transparent use will allow everyone in the school system - students, teachers, parents, admin - to grow and utilize social media in responsible, productive ways. Let's stop holding sparsely attended workshops about internet safety and start modeling the process of unlocking the power these highly relevant tools hold for both ourselves and our students!

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Guest Blog: Making the Case for Social Media in Education | Edutopia

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During the time it takes me to write this intro (approx. one minute), 42,000 people will update their Facebook status, 36,000 tweets will be sent, and fifteen hours of video will be uploaded to YouTube. Undoubtedly, the world as we know it is quickly becoming wired through social media.

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Blog: 9 Social Media Dos and Don'ts for Student-Athletes - Athletic Business

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Blog: 9 Social Media Dos and Don'ts for Student-Athletes - Athletic Business

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A professor of mine in journalism school at Missouri once said (actually, he tweeted): "Social media is like a gun. Smart people will use it as a useful tool, not-so-smart people will shoot themselves in the foot with it."

Unfortunately, if you're a high school or college administrator tasked with overseeing your student-athletes on social media, you've probably dealt with a few too many virtual foot injuries over the years.

250+ Exhibitors & 190 Educational Sessions | abshow.com.

Many schools are now going on the offensive. Social media seminars for student-athletes are becoming commonplace in high schools and colleges across the country. Last night, I attended such a meeting at Oregon High School near AB's headquarters in Madison, Wis. Whether they serve as a refresher course or even as a guideline for those considering implementing such a program at their school for the first time, here are a few notes from the meeting.

The speaker was David Petroff, director of athletic communications at nearby Edgewood College. In his role with Edgewood, Petroff is charged with educating student-athletes on best practices for social media.

"I don't want to scare them, but rather have them see the positives and the power of social media," he says about his student-athletes. But Petroff noticed that by the time kids reached college, too many bad habits had already formed. Now he speaks to local high schools to try to give kids a head start.

Four Things to Keep in Mind:

1. It's a tool, not a toy. Social media isn't just something for your own entertainment, Petroff says. If used effectively, social media can be an asset to help a student-athlete's individual brand, their community, their team and the school they represent.

2. Nothing is truly private... ever. Petroff says there are two types of social media users: Those who realize they are functioning in public and those who don't. While many kids think they can delete a tweet or delete their Facebook profile if need be, many don't realize that content posted on the internet can last forever. Content can be captured in screenshots or saved by other users. And that message someone thinks only his or her friends will see? Student-athletes should keep in mind that tweets, Facebook statuses, or Instagram photos could end up being viewed by thousands of people.

3. If you retweet it (or share it), you own it. Yes, this even applies to people who put that cliche saying, "RTs do not equal endorsements," on their Twitter profile. That phrase is basically worthless. As Petroff says, "Freedom of speech does not equal freedom from consequences." This is something with which younger student-athletes struggle. They retweet a trash-talking tweet from a friend and all-of-a-sudden they can be caught in the middle of an ugly conversation over the internet.

Petroff shared the example of Ryan Spadola, now a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins. In 2011, Spadola was a top wide receiver at the FCS level of college football for Lehigh University. Before an NCAA quarterfinal game, he retweeted " an inappropriate and repugnant racial reference."

Even though the tweet wasn't Spadola's, he was still suspended for retweeting the message.

4. Personal branding: Every tweet reflects who you are. How are student-athletes choosing to represent themselves? Are they sending the right message about themselves to the public? Petroff reminded the Oregon high schoolers that coaches, college admissions officers and employers all use social media to learn more about candidates. What does your social media portfolio say about you?

When it comes to social media, there are plenty of examples of what not to do. But Petroff says it's important to provide positive examples of how student-athletes should be using social media.

What Should You Post?

1. Say thank you. This is always a good option. Teach student-athletes to take time to thank those who support them. Fans, teammates and family for example.

2. Support others. Student-athletes can provide a positive example for other students by sending positive messages about their peers in other sports or activities at school.

3. Share news and humor. Social media is meant to be fun. Join in conversations and share things you find interesting or entertaining.

4. Engage in discussion with those you admire. Petroff discussed how prior to social media, it was difficult to interact or even hear from famous people that student-athletes admire. But now, they can follow them on Twitter and learn what they're talking about and even interact with them.

5. Post anything consistent with your personal brand. Again, how do you want to present yourself in public?

Finally, Petroff ended with a simple message we can all afford to remember sometimes: "Live your life, don't tweet your life."

Has your school hosted a social media seminar for your student-athletes? We'd love to hear what advice you think is important to give them. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
RELATED: Is Social Media Making Us Anti-Social?
RELATED: How to Deal with Negativity on Social Media

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Blog: 9 Social Media Dos and Don'ts for Student-Athletes - Athletic Business

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A professor of mine in journalism school at Missouri once said (actually, he tweeted): "Social media is like a gun. Smart people will use it as a useful tool, not-so-smart people will shoot themselves in the foot with it."

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Daily Video Announcements / Daily Video Announcements

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Daily Video Announcements / Daily Video Announcements

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Daily Video Announcements / Daily Video Announcements

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AASA :: Feature: The Empowerment of Social Media (McLeod)

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AASA :: Feature: The Empowerment of Social Media (McLeod)

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AASA | American Association of School Administrators

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#IAedchat - "Digital Tools for School Leaders" (with images, tweets) · Aaron_Becker32 · Storify

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#IAedchat - "Digital Tools for School Leaders" (with images, tweets) · Aaron_Becker32 · Storify

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#IAedchat - "Digital Tools for School Leaders" (with images, tweets) · Aaron_Becker32

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A Social Media Story storified by Aaron Becker

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Cybrary Man's Educational Web Sites The internet catalogue for students, teachers, administrators & parents. Over 20,000 relevant links personally selected by an educator/author with over 30 years of experience.

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Doctopus & Goobric Within Google Classroom

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Learn why Eric Sheninger believes that YOU can be a Digital Leader | @PrincipalCast 14 - YouTube

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Learn why Eric Sheninger believes that YOU can be a Digital Leader | @PrincipalCast 14 - YouTube

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Learn why Eric Sheninger believes that YOU can be a Digital Leader | @PrincipalCast 14

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Video recorded by Jeff Bradbury: @TeacherCast For more information about having TeacherCast broadcast at your event, please visit www.TeacherCast.net and follow @TeacherCast Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel today! Welcome to episode 14 of the PrincipalCast Podcast hosted by Theresa Stager, Jessica Johnson and Dr. Spike Cook.

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Empowering the teacher technophobe: Kristin Daniels at TEDxBurnsvilleED - YouTube

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Empowering the teacher technophobe: Kristin Daniels at TEDxBurnsvilleED - YouTube

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Empowering the teacher technophobe: Kristin Daniels at TEDxBurnsvilleED

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Kristin Daniels, Education Technology Consultant Kristin Daniels has worked as a classroom teacher, technology integration specialist and innovation coach, and she is currently an education technology consultant for Technology and Information Educational Services (TIES) in St. Paul, Minn.

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Flipping Professional Development: No teacher bored in the background - YouTube

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Flipping Professional Development: No teacher bored in the background - YouTube

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Flipping Professional Development:  No teacher bored in the background

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Stillwater Area Public Schools needed a better way to reach students, so they started flipping classes. When the district realized that they also needed a better way to connect with their teachers, they decided to flip their professional development as well. Read the story to find out how flipping their professional development affected teachers.

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Flipped Professional Development for Teachers

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Flipped Professional Development for Teachers

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TechSmith | Create high-quality images and videos for better communication

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TechSmith is the industry leader for screen recording and screen capture software. TechSmith gives you everything you need to capture and record your Windows, Mac, and iOS devices.

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Education Week: 'Flipped' PD Initiative Boosts Teachers' Tech Skills

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Education Week: 'Flipped' PD Initiative Boosts Teachers' Tech Skills

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Features

A Minnesota district relies on video and job-embedded coaching to improve teachers' tech skills

Anna Wilcek was comfortable instructing her students on how to interview residents of a nearby retirement community and write biographies of those people. How to integrate technology into the project was another story.

The 6th grade teacher recalls asking, "What ideas do you have for me?" during a recent face-to-face workshop with Wayne Feller and Kristin Daniels, the technology-integration specialists in the 8,500-student Stillwater Area Public Schools, in Minnesota.

The collaborative, technology-driven nature of the relationship between teachers and the technology coaches is the hallmark of what the Stillwater district calls "flipped professional development." Known as job-embedded coaching in educational leadership circles, flipped PD offers face-to-face support and personalized online resources, such as how-to videos on using interactive-whiteboard software or the iPad's multi-tasking bar. Teachers watch the videos to find new or better approaches and then discuss developing those approaches with the technology-integration specialists.

Under that system, Wilcek, who teaches at the 347-student Andersen Elementary School, learned how to edit student-shot movies in iMovie, export them into iBooks Author, and post the finished products on her website for downloading.

"I wouldn't have had the knowledge or time to pull all of that together," she says. "It's such a gift to have the specialists sit right next to you. They give me the confidence to move forward because I know I can have support whenever I want it."

Stillwater started flipped PD in 2011-12. Here's how it works: Feller and Daniels meet with 200 classroom teachers and specialists in small groups each month for structured, two-hour coaching/training and workshop sessions that focus on individual projects, then offer additional guidance by request. So far, the model is used in all nine of the district's elementary schools, with 93 percent of classroom teachers participating.

Coaching support is essential if teachers are to use technology effectively in the classroom, according to a 2011 white paper released by the International Society for Technology in Education, a Washington-based membership association that promotes innovative uses of educational technology. To support that idea, ISTE now has benchmarks for technology coaches seeking to give effective guidance and support to teachers in a digital age.

Attitude Shifts

Unlike in traditional professional development, context plays a critical role in flipped PD. Content area, grade level, technological expertise, and the interests of each teacher and specialist affect the type of online training offered.

"We don't come in dictating what they're here to learn and work on," Daniels says. "When they realize they're being given time to think about what they want to be doing, and to grow at their own pace, they're absolutely relieved. And there's been a remarkable shift in attitude toward personal growth because of that."

Stillwater embraced flipped PD because "it had the largest impact and really was the highest return on investment," says Michael Dronen, the coordinator of educational innovation and technology in the district.

The district was inspired by research from the 1980s, still cited today, that showed only 10 percent to 15 percent of teachers added a new classroom practice to their repertoire when given professional development but no follow-up support. That figure jumped to 90 percent, however, with sustained support.

Bruce Joyce, who helped conduct the research, reinforces that statistic in a book he co-wrote, Realizing the Promise of 21st-Century Education: An Owner's Manual, which was published in 2012.

Stillwater's personalized professional development is "extraordinarily ambitious, and worth everybody taking a look at," says Joyce, the director of Booksend Laboratories, based in St. Simons, Ga., which partners with school districts on projects for long-term staff development and improvement.

The district produces four types of videos. "Proactive" videos are typically tutorials covering the basics of Stillwater's most-used technology tools. "Reactive" videos are created in response to a specific request; one teacher, for example, learned how to create a video about online bullying after an incident the day before. "Spontaneous capture" videos document best practices, project ideas, and success stories.

And "individual backpack" videos are raw, unedited snippets created on the fly to answer specific questions.

'Try Something New'

Although teachers are still warming up to the idea of watching videos to learn, the technology-integration specialists have noticed an appreciation among them for being able to determine the direction of their own professional development.

As a nod to that role, Feller, who is writing a book that identifies promising classroom practices created in Stillwater through flipped PD, uses the term "teacher client" when referring to teachers.

Substitute teachers rotate classrooms on formal training days to allow small groups of teachers and specialists to learn side by side.

"When we bring them together, there's a real dynamic synergy that happens," says Daniels. "They can go right back to their classroom and try something new later that day."

To increase collaboration and transparency, the technology specialists guide teachers through the use of Google Docs to set goals for the year, link to videos and other resources, and chronicle their progress.

Feller points to a dramatic increase in innovative, multimedia projects over the past two years as evidence that flipped PD is working.

In the first year, three teachers began helping students publish their own books using text and images. That number jumped to nearly two dozen this school year. Meanwhile, students are collaborating more, some are blogging, and their tech-related vocabulary is expanding, says Feller.

"A fifth grade student was talking to a group of adults, and in a matter-of-fact way referenced the idea of creating and sharing a document with his teacher and classmates," he says. "He was referring to Google Docs. He had this new way of expressing a concept that was nonexistent a few years ago."

Like technology itself, flipped PD continues to evolve.

A complete overhaul of the way in which instruction is planned and delivered takes time and is laden with risks, Dronen acknowledges.

"It's not unlike asking someone without any training to walk out on a tightrope," he says. "But once you're on the rope and have those basic skills, it's a really thrilling place to be. And it allows for deep reformational changes."

Published in Print: June 12, 2013, as Flipped PD: Building Blocks to Success

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'Flipped' PD Initiative Boosts Teachers' Tech Skills

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Features Anna Wilcek was comfortable instructing her students on how to interview residents of a nearby retirement community and write biographies of those people. How to integrate technology into the project was another story. The 6th grade teacher recalls asking, "What ideas do you have for me?"

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FlippedPD | Engage and Transform Teachers with Meaningful PD

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FlippedPD | Engage and Transform Teachers with Meaningful PD

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Seven Steps to Flipped Professional Development

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Seven Steps to Flipped Professional Development

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The Flip Side of Professional Development | EdSurge News

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The Flip Side of Professional Development | EdSurge News

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It seems like the word "flipped" is everywhere in education today. There are flipped classrooms of all sorts, from Kindergarten to dentistry. By looking through a "flipped" lens, we can rethink any traditional learning environment, including professional development. Flipped Professional Development has the potential to disrupt the way teachers learn and will accelerate innovation in education.

The concept for Flipped PD began in Stillwater, MN, over a number of conversations I had with my colleague, Wayne Feller and the autonomy we were given by our director, Mike Dronen, to create a new model of professional development. Our conversations swirled around the same types of questions that spurred the flipped classroom buzz; "How do we want to spend our time with teachers? Where can we make the most impact? When do they need us most?"

We created a flipped PD model because we believed face-to-face time with technology integration experts should not be spent learning how to use technology. Instead that valuable time should be focused on the development and implementation of curriculum and learning activities that are transformed by the integration of technology.

So, we built Flipped Professional Development ( Flipped PD) as a model of professional development. Traditional PD typically provides teachers with great information and resources but leaves little to no time for play, design or implementation. Flipped PD puts the experts where they are needed most; next to the teachers during the design process and throughout the implementation of a project while leaving instructional "how-to" information to digital content that teachers can access outside of coaching sessions. While the "flipped" concept can be applied to a traditional workshop setting and even faculty meetings, the greatest impact happens when you add coaching into the mix.

First, a teacher sits down with a coach to explore options for projects and goals. In the time before the next face-to-face meeting, the coach provides customized resources for the teacher to review. These resources might include articles for information, inspiration, or even video tutorials. At the next face-to-face session the teacher works on the project and the coach provides support and guidance as needed. At the end of the session, the teacher and coach discuss progress and agree on an action plan. This process continues until the teacher successfully reaches their goal.

Through our work, we found there are five key elements that make Flipped PD successful.

Planning and Documentation

The very first coaching session of Flipped PD often begins with the creation a google document that is shared between the teacher and the coach. This shared document becomes the place where individual goals are set, digital resources are linked and workshop notes are recorded. Besides the coach, the teacher can share the document with other colleagues, grade-level team, PLCs or administrators. Notes are recorded (sample 1, 2, 3) throughout the year, goals updated and personalized resources linked here as well. This document becomes evidence of personal growth and the foundation for innovative projects. More resources here.

Personalized Digital Content

Flipped PD allows coaches to get to know teachers through their coaching sessions. As a result, coaches are able to provide teachers with personalized digital content that is relevant to their personal goals, whether they are tutorial videos, website links or other digital assets.

For coaches, there are a many technology tools that make it easy to create a collection of customized resources (Google Docs/Sites, Blendspace, Pinterest, LiveBinders) or create content on the fly for just in time teaching ( Screencast-o-matic, Snagit for Chrome, Explain Everything, MoveNote). Teachers enjoy watching digital content that is clear and concise. Videos should not be longer than 5 minutes, and some even suggest 2 minutes. The exploration of digital content for coaching has brought interesting and unique uses of digital content. For example, coaches can provide links to a Google Hangout On Air recording, archived Twitter chats, or captured conversations.

Regularly Scheduled PD

Flipped PD is a model based on the best practice of ongoing, embedded professional development. Regular coaching sessions during the school day (1-2 hours sessions every 1-2 months) are important for the successful completion of a teacher's individual goals and became the framework for our coaching in Stillwater.

A variety of strategies are used to relieve teachers from their classrooms but the rotating substitute model has become very popular. Flipped PD pioneer Sara Hunter worked with building administrators to create a unique scheduling solution that utilized building staff to both relieve the teacher for their coaching session and deliver character development curriculum to the students.

Personalization Through Coaching

Similar to an athletic trainer, coaches know what their teachers need. Coaches are connectors. They connect teachers to ideas, content, and experts. Coaches model modern learning by seeking out, filtering and distributing relevant information and resources. Coaches listen to teachers and help them to identify their natural strengths and personal interests through conversation or through an interest survey (or here). For schools and districts that do not have dedicated coaches, Flipped PD works when innovative teachers are given the time and resources to serve as a coaches for their colleagues.

Communities of Learning

Do not underestimate the power of pockets of innovation already occurring at your site. Teachers are greatly impacted by the work of their colleagues. The shared stories, projects and reflections of one teacher are often the "sparks", or starting points, for another. Learning is collaborative in nature. Flipped PD provides authentic opportunities for collaboration based on grade level, content area, or interest. Coaches guide teachers into these collaborative opportunities or other appropriate professional networks knowing that teachers will find the resources, support and encouragement necessary for success. During the 2012-2013 school year, Flipped PD teachers from Stillwater, MN, implemented a number of collaborative projects with colleagues, community members and content experts.

The Flipped PD model has spread quickly through social media conversations and conference presentations. A number of innovative educators have reached out to us to discuss how they might implement this in their own school or district. Jen Hegna, Director of Information and Learning Technology at Byron Public Schools, MN, learned of the Flipped PD model in 2011 and after multiple requests for administrator approval created a team of Digital Learning Coaches who now meet monthly with every teacher in the district. Sara Hunter, a STEM Coach and Teacher and a 2013 ISTE Emerging Leader, im plemented Flipped PD at Union Elementary school. The implementation details of Flipped PD at these schools vary but the core components of Flipped PD can be found in each variation.

Traditional professional development does not meet the needs of the teachers who we want to be modern leaders for our students. Look honestly at what you are asking your teachers to do and how you are supporting them to successfully reach these expectations. Remember that one size does not fit all for students OR teachers. My advice: provide teachers with the collaborative time, support and resources to create their own professional learning plan and best practices will emerge.

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The Flip Side of Professional Development - EdSurge News

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It seems like the word "flipped" is everywhere in education today. There are flipped classrooms of all sorts, from Kindergarten to dentistry. By looking through a "flipped" lens, we can rethink any traditional learning environment, including professional development. Flipped Professional Development has the potential to disrupt the way teachers learn and will accelerate innovation in education.

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8 Steps To Flipped Teacher Professional Development

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8 Steps To Flipped Teacher Professional Development

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How To Help Teachers Create Their Own Professional Development
by Terry Heick

Traditional teacher professional development depends on external training handed down to teachers after having identified their weaknesses as a professional.

If you're not so great at teacher writing, or if assessment is becoming a bigger focus in your school or district, you fill out a growth plan of some sort, attend your training, get your certificates, and repeat until you've got your hours or your school has run out of money to send you to more training.

Oftentimes these "professional growth plans" are scribbled out in 15 minute meetings with your principal, then "revisited" at the end of the year as a kind of autopsy. What would happen if we flipped this model on its head? What if instead we created a teacher-centered, always-on, and social approach to teacher improvement? One that connected them with dynamic resources and human communities that modeled new thinking and possibility, and that crucially built on their strengths?

The idea here isn't simply that educators can improve by connected through social networks-they already are doing that. Rather, that schools can decentralize the teacher training effort by cutting them loose and supporting their self-directed efforts through an array of resources. The purpose of this post, beyond clarifying some how social media-driven and self-directed teacher professional development might work, is to offer some (mostly) concrete ideas for actually getting started designing such a program in your school or district. We would love to hear any suggestions in the comments because, well, that'd be social of you.

Also, note that none of this precludes national level conferences, on-site PD, and the like. These more central and formal solutions should continue to be powerful PD tools. In fact, a flipped professional development program-one that is self-directed, always-on, and social-could help inform the kinds of conferences and on-site PD most relevant and authentic to your local circumstances.
How To Help Teachers Create Their Own Professional Development 1. Establish a compelling big idea -then stick to it
This can be thought of as a mission or theme, but it's really more of a tone and purpose. One example could be " To help teachers create always-on development that connects them with networks and builds on their natural strengths and interests. " Then-and this is the critical part-refer back to that constantly as you make decisions that might impact the program. This is your lighthouse.

You can revise this big idea as necessary, but be careful not to drift too far away from it or you will end up right back where you started: one size fits all, top-down, corporate-driven garbage that almost everyone on your staff despises no matter how much they smile.
2. Set the ground rules
You could probably call this a policy, but it's the non-policy policy-just some basic rules and a common language to make sure everyone is starting and finishing at the same point.

Here you should explain how training will be qualified and quantified-or if it will be qualified or quantified. Also, you'll emphasize the big idea so it's crystal-clear-personalizing educator training through self-directed and social media-based professional development. Flexibility and innovation here matter more than uniformity
3. Diversify professional development sources
This is the anti-program program. Less about experts and more about staff capacity. To achieve a self-sustaining, always-on program, the program has to be turned over to the teachers through dozens of sources, from books and district resources to blogging and social media.

And not all teachers will be chomping at the bit to hop on twitter to beat the bushes-so give them somewhere to start. Maybe a challenge during a staff meeting:

Find five apps for struggling readers, a book, two articles on better literacy, and a streaming webinar...bonus if you can find a literacy framework that can make sense of it all. Then find an elegant way to curate and share it all with the school (that is not blocked by our district filter)
4. Create a pilot or template that works for teachers
Pilot it in one department or grade level at first to work out the bugs, the factors you didn't consider, and to better understand how it might work yourself. You may find this new open approach to PD confuses folks, and that's okay. Simply go back to steps one and two.
5. Connect teachers
Connect teachers from different schools or districts-even in different states or countries-to not only improve the diversity of resources, but naturally expand professional learning networks in the process. These connections will catalyze the effort as you move on. Relationships and curiosity will take a teacher further than a policy or minimal requirement.

The point of this whole thing is staff capacity, not corrective training.
6. Focus on student learning
When evaluating efforts, offering training, or discussing the process one on one, focus on the effects of the content rather than the medium or the source. The idea here hasn't changed-improved learning for students via improved teacher efficacy. The whole point is the "stuff"-strategies, tools, and thinking-that ends up in instructional design, curriculum, assessment, classrooms, teacher-student interactions, and ultimately "student achievement."

This, then, should be the focus of the program, not social media or meeting minimum requirements.
7. Celebrate teacher strengths & interests
Teachers need to see themselves as craftspersons-skilled and passionate professionals who are all exceptional somewhere. Strengths could be collaboration with colleagues, assessment design, classroom management, curriculum development, or other traditional educational pillars. But they also might be character-driven artifacts as well-flexibility, creativity, service attitude, and so on.

How? Have them describe one another. Use team-building games that make it okay to brag. Promote reflection and metacognition. Provide a template they can "fill in" that helps them see what they do, when they do it, and why. Then highlight any talents, share them out, and celebrate them.

This maybe should come a bit earlier-or be visible at every step. Traditional PD focuses on correcting weaknesses. Certainly teachers need to continue to train themselves to close gaps in their ability to lead students to learning. But building a program around weakness and deficiency doesn't do much to rally the troops-and isn't sustainable in an always-on, self-directed approach.
8. Plan to iterate
Whatever you do the first year will be a trainwreck (compared to the nice and tidy sit-and-get PD). So from the beginning, everyone should be aware that it's all a work in progress-just like the profession itself.

Perhaps the greatest potential here is in the chance to personalize professional development for teachers. The above ideas are too vague to be considered an exact guide, but an "exact guide" really isn't possible without ending up with something as top-heavy and standardized as the process it seeks to replace-or at least supplement. Instead focus on the big ideas-personalizing educator training through self-directed and social media-based professional development.
Image attribution flickr user stevegarfield

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8 Steps To Flipped Teacher Professional Development

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How To Help Teachers Create Their Own Professional Development by Terry Heick Traditional teacher professional development depends on external training handed down to teachers after having identified their weaknesses as a professional.

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Educational Leadership:Developing School Leaders:How to Become a Digital Leader

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Educational Leadership:Developing School Leaders:How to Become a Digital Leader

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October 2009 | Volume 67 | Number 2
Developing School Leaders Pages 90-91

Bill Ferriter

I've never made more enemies than I did while sitting on a panel of teacher leaders at a conference for principals. Our task was to help a room full of administrators understand the role teachers could play in driving change in schools.

Halfway through our presentation, I ruffled more than a few feathers. "Although experts insist that instructional leadership comes from the principal's office," I argued, "few teachers look to administrators when selecting instructional practices worth pursuing."

As soon as the words came out of my mouth, agitated principals lined up to grab the microphone. "Who do you think you are, claiming to know more about teaching and learning than principals?" one irate principal shouted. "Have you got a degree in administration?"

Although I'll admit that my choice of audience was poor and my delivery rough, I'll stick by my assertion. Better yet, I'll back it up with numbers: In a 2008 survey of 104,000 North Carolina classroom teachers, just 45 percent viewed their principal as "the person who most often provides instructional leadership" in their schools. This mirrored the results of a 2006 survey of more than 80,000 North Carolina teachers. I'd argue that as technology plays a larger role in teaching and learning, principals are falling further behind.

Why Digital Natives Need You

Don't get me wrong: I'm certain most principals care as deeply about creating environments that ensure student success as classroom teachers do, and some do keep up with developments in instruction and exchange ideas with teachers. But "instruction" today looks far different than it did when most principals left the classroom. Many teachers and students have embraced blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, and other applications as ways to learn and to share what they've learned. But although the procedures are simple, learning through online connections in a school setting is complex. Teachers-even digital natives-need encouragement and advice.

This is why school leaders must become digital learners. Administrators who lack a fluent understanding of the tools that are redefining learning can't provide high levels of instructional leadership to their faculties.

RSS: Rafts in the Information Sea

One set of important tools that are redefining learning are information aggregators, online applications that help users sift through the sea of new content created on the Web each day. Also known as RSS (real simple syndication) feed readers, information aggregators can be programmed to automatically monitor key Web sites for specific kinds of information related to teaching and to notify users instantly when new materials are posted.

RSS feeds are available for many kinds of online content. Feed readers can help you keep up with appointments or track developments in students' digital projects. Far from being an intimidating new source of information, feed readers enable you to control how many updates you receive from Web sites you follow and to access a wide range of information easily.

My feed reader is a super-efficient information filter for everything digital in my life. I use Pageflakes ( www.pageflakes.com)-a free Web-based feed reader with an appealing layout-to follow different types of information, including current events in countries my 6th grade social studies class is studying ( www.pageflakes.com/wferriter/16714925) and my students' digital projects ( www.pageflakes.com/wferriter/16617706). Updates to each of the sites I monitor appear as links in individually titled boxes called "flakes," allowing me to quickly scan new content from different Web sites in one location. Other popular readers include Bloglines ( www.bloglines.com) and Google Reader ( www.google.com/reader).

Getting started with Pageflakes is as simple as creating a free account and then selecting a collection of frequently updated Web sites you'd like to keep track of. Maybe you'd like to read bloggers like Scott McLeod ( www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org) or Chris Lehmann ( www.practicaltheory.org/serendipity) who write about school leadership. Instructional experts like Will Richardson ( http://weblogg-ed.com) might provide new ideas for your teachers.

Once you've identified sites you'd like to follow, add their "feeds" to your information aggregator. To do this in Pageflakes, click on the yellow snowflake icon on the main page, select the "Add RSS Feed" button on the bottom left corner of the menu that appears, then paste in the URL of the site that you're hoping to follow. If the Web site provides an RSS feed-and most do-Pageflakes will automatically add a new box to your main page that includes links to the five most recent articles posted on that site. And it will check that site several times a day, retrieving links to any new content posted. Browsing the Web for new ideas goes from a time-consuming grind requiring stops at dozens of pages that may or may not have new material to a "one-stop" experience: Just log in to your aggregator and quickly see new content from all your favorite sites at once.

Once you've set up RSS feeds, visit your aggregator at least once a day. Find interesting ideas to share with your teachers or administrative team. You might create collections of feeds that would interest teachers, parents, and students. Challenge each of your professional learning teams to organize a set of shared feeds about relevant topics and to discuss what they read through those feeds at weekly meetings.

As you use tools like RSS to access cutting-edge instructional ideas, you'll understand how new technologies change the way students and teachers interact with information and other learners. You'll be able to point out how teachers can integrate the new literacies you're mastering into teaching. And you'll become a model of courage for colleagues hesitant to change the way they learn.

Bill Ferriter teaches 6th grade language arts and social studies in Raleigh, North Carolina, and blogs about the teaching life at The Tempered Radical ( http://teacherleaders.typepad.com/the_tempered_radical). He is the coauthor of Building a Professional Learning Community at Work: A Guide to the First Year (Solution Tree, 2009); 919-363-1870; wferriter@hotmail.com.

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How to Become a Digital Leader - Educational Leadership

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October 2009 | Volume 67 | Number 2 Developing School Leaders Pages 90-91 Bill Ferriter I've never made more enemies than I did while sitting on a panel of teacher leaders at a conference for principals. Our task was to help a room full of administrators understand the role teachers could play in driving change in schools.

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School Leaders: Guiding Teachers into the Digital Age | Edutopia

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School Leaders: Guiding Teachers into the Digital Age | Edutopia

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We all know that leadership is important in education. Without strong leadership, education initiatives tend to crash and burn. Consider professional learning. Leadership is one of Learning Forward's seven Standards for Professional Learning -- evidence-based standards that outline the characteristics of professional learning that lead to effective teaching practices and improved student learning.

This standard holds that leaders develop their own and others' capacity to learn and lead professional learning, advocate for it, provide support systems, and distribute leadership and responsibility for its effectiveness and results.

I thought about this standard while reading a recent evaluation of an on-demand computer-based professional learning application. That evaluation found that when a school's staff was highly engaged with the application, student achievement -- measured by performance on standardized assessments, dropout rates and a goal of college attendance -- improved at a much higher rate than at schools where the staff was less engaged. Interestingly but unsurprisingly, the schools that showed higher engagement, and thus greater improvement, had something else in common -- what the author termed "leadership, implementation and accountability."

These results add to the evidence on the importance of leadership in professional learning and help combat the rhetoric that we don't know what effective professional learning is (we do). But I can't help but wonder if there is another leadership issue at play in this evaluation. Perhaps those at lower-engaged schools were highly engaged in professional learning in general...but not engaged in that learning digitally.

How to Begin

As we move deeper and deeper into the information age, more and more professional learning will occur digitally, and that professional learning will be more and more dedicated to digital learning for students. If a school leader is unable to create a digital culture, his or her school will struggle. While individual educators can develop the skills necessary to help students succeed in the new economy, if that capacity does not spread throughout the school, and if the school lacks the tools needed for teachers to effectively instruct in the digital world, ultimately, students will suffer.

This fact was driven home at NASSP's 2013 Ignite Conference, where several of the most interesting sessions I attended were focused on how school leaders can support digital learning. As keynoter Scott Klososky pointed out, education leaders today are transitional leaders. They are responsible both for managing people and for managing the transition to teaching and learning in a different way, preparing very different students to go into a very different world. And they have to develop a strategy with which technology will be implemented in their school, taking a long-term view on a subject that is constantly changing.

Klososky believes that school leaders need to become "technology masters." He offered a model for how to get there.

Develop three to five technology guideposts for the school. These are goals to work towards -- for example, "We want to deliver 35 percent of instruction online." These goals should take two to three years to accomplish.

Create an adaptive culture. Ensure that those in the school understand that things are constantly changing -- and changing quickly. Educators must get new technologies to students quickly, understanding that there will be many failures and that they should not fear mistakes.

Develop a good technology team. This team includes vendors, IT staff, contractors, and others who are responsible for the day-to-day management and troubleshooting of technology. According to Klosoky, too often leaders don't work hard enough to ensure they have an excellent team to make things run smoothly, so they experience problems that demoralize staff and hinder progress.

Develop processes around technology. Without processes, leaders can find themselves haphazardly choosing vendors and products and only sporadically training teachers, for example. Clear processes around these issues and others both increase efficiency and ensure that all aspects of a school's technology tie to the ultimate vision of the school.

Differentiate between "digital learning" and "digital plumbing." Digital learning is how we use technology tools. Digital plumbing is technology infrastructure. Prioritize both, but clearly distinguish between them in developing a technology plan.

Consider measurements. Without being able to measure the impact of a technology tool, a leader cannot be sure it is an effective use of time and other resources.

These sentiments were echoed by Ryan Imbriale, Principal of Maryland's Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts and one of NASSP's 2013 Digital Principals. In an email interview after the conference, I asked what advice he has for other school leaders who are interested in moving towards a vision of digital learning. His answer, in one way or another, hits on each of the points in Kolosky's model:

"I would say it's essential to create a culture of innovation in the school. Accept that there will be many successes and some failures, but those failures will drive even more success. Have a solid plan in place that involves all constituents in the process, and ensure the plan has clearly defined outcomes. From a nuts and bolts standpoint I would say ensure the infrastructure is where it needs to be. If teachers do not trust the technology it will not be used."

We know that the future involves digital learning. Education leaders must be intentional in creating a culture that will help it thrive.

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School Leaders: Guiding Teachers into the Digital Age | Edutopia

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We all know that leadership is important in education. Without strong leadership, education initiatives tend to crash and burn. Consider professional learning. Leadership is one of Learning Forward's seven Standards for Professional Learning -- evidence-based standards that outline the characteristics of professional learning that lead to effective teaching practices and improved student learning.

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Things Every Principal and Administrator Must Know To Be a Digital Leader - EdTechReview™ (ETR)

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Things Every Principal and Administrator Must Know To Be a Digital Leader - EdTechReview™ (ETR)

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Eric Sheninger- author of Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times says, "Leadership is no different today than it was years ago. The only difference is that style and focus need to change with the times if we are to accomplish the lofty task of preparing students for a dynamic world that is more social and connected as a result of technology.

Leading in a way that supports the status quo, standardization, outdated practices, and misconceptions related to technology, not only does a disservice to our students, but also renders our schools and profession as irrelevant. Leading in education becomes exponentially powerful when using technology to your advantage."

Yes! Digital leadership is crucial for educational leaders today, but what are the roles and responsibilities of a digital leader?

Digital leaders carry specific responsibility of understanding the tech integration and implementation in their education institutions rather than simply depending upon tech staff and teachers. Technology integration is highest in buildings in which the principal is involved and excited about technology and its possibilities and is lowest in buildings in which the principal doesn't demonstrate technology use while encouraging others to use it too. The most effective way school administrators can promote technology use is to themselves be knowledgeable and effective users of technology.

Leaders must encourage teachers' curiosity about what can be done using technology, provide incentives for teachers to attend workshops and conferences, persuade teachers who use technology in the classroom to model that use for others, set up a mentoring system so teachers have someone to go to for help and ideas, and provide time for teachers to experiment with technology.

Leaders should be providing opportunities for staff development is an important part of the administrator's role,There must be a strong focus on staff development, on helping teachers learn to use technology as a tool for teaching and learning.

School leaders must blog their ideas, share reflective thoughts, pass on resources from their learning network, or simply verbalize their learning journey through story telling, to encourage those around them to reflect and do the same. This communication and professional reflection promotes team growth and a mindset of continuous improvement.

Digital Leaders must be those with a PLN - personal learning network - that connect globally to share resources, collaborate on best practices, challenge thinking, all for the purpose of improving craft for the kids and families they serve. Digital leaders must understand the importance of plugging into networks and learning communities on Twitter, Google Plus, and other social forums, where professional growth can occur at any time. - Tom Murray

Implementation of any latest technology requires full planning and multiple levels of experience. Here are some important insights and ideas every educational leader must know about edtech integration and digital leadership.

Visionary Leadership

Educational leaders must have vision in their leadership, to move the technology plan in the right direction. With technology being easily accessible and more user-friendly, teachers and students believe that they can use technology perfectly like they do at home, this makes digital leadership has become complex. This is because the teachers and student do not have much understanding of the large educational system. And the fact is, larger the district, the more complicated is its technology plan.

Digital leaders must provide regular direction to their teachers. Digital leaders with proactive technology plan and visionary leadership can do this effectively. Visionary leadership is necessary for effective tech integration.

Learning Culture in Digital Age

Concept of teaching has been changed a lot since the integration of the technology in education industry. A lot of information is easily available on the web, which means teachers are not the sole providers of knowledge. Therefore, it is important to cultivate a digital learning culture, where teachers are capable of using technology to engage their students, and in order to support teachers to engage students in the digital learning culture, digital leaders should seriously examine the amount of technology student should access and how often.

Systemic Improvement

Digital leaders must follow a systemic improvement approach for tech integration meanwhile should know the long term consequence of their decisions. They should keep a track of the gap that emerges in tech integration and vision.

Your strategy should reflect the present reality as well as the future plans. When technology is a priority in your education system then digital leaders must evaluate if all teachers are skilled enough to use technology in the classroom effectively or do they need more resources for teaching with technology as a tool. For systemic improvement, it is important to help teachers both in technology and curriculum.

Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship is one of the areas that a lot of digital leaders overlook. Usually, they ask users to sign up and accept certain policies, however, forget to mention how to use of technology appropriately. Digital leaders must go for open discussion with their teachers, faculties and technical staff. In this era, where technology is easily accessible, digital citizenship has huge importance and every student and teachers must know it.

Technology has added a new level of responsibility for educators. Some consider themselves unprepared due to the inability to identify the best practice and integration of the technology. Therefore, digital leaders carry huge responsibility. Leaders must model their expectations, lead by example and with integrity, help foster environments of innovation and trust. The best digital leaders understand that it's not about the technology. It's about the learning and opportunities that occur through meaningful technology infusion. It is time for digital leaders to discussion and focus how to fit technology within the classroom to meet student's need perfectly.

References -

5 Considerations for Digital Age Leaders by Lotta Larson, Teresa Miller, and Mike Ribble

The Administrator's Role in Technology Integration by Linda Starr

Digital leadership for administrators by Tom Murray

You may also like:

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what you must know to be a digital leader

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Things Every Principal and Administrator Must Know To Be a Digital Leader

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Eric Sheninger- author of Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times says, "Leadership is no different today than it was years ago. The only difference is that style and focus need to change with the times if we are to accomplish the lofty task of preparing students for a dynamic world that is more social and connected as a result of technology.

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Eric is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader on Digital Leadership & Learning with the His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Eric has received numerous International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE). Prior to this he was the award-winning Principal at New Milford High School. Under his leadership his school became a globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw the successful implementation of several sustainable change initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his school while increasing achievement. Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school cultures. As a result Eric has emerged as an innovative leader, best selling author, and sought after speaker. His main focus is purposeful integration of technology to facilitate student learning, improve communications with stakeholders, enhance public relations, create a positive brand presence, discover opportunity, transform learning spaces, and help educators grow professionally. awards and acknowledgements for his work. He is a CDE Top 30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award recipient, winner of Learning Forward's Excellence in Professional Practice Award, Google Certified Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011 Conference Scholar. He has authored and co-authored the following:

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Eric is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader on Digital Leadership & Learning with the His work focuses on leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of the Eric has received numerous International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE).

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7 Pillars Of Digital Leadership In Education

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7 Pillars Of Digital Leadership In Education

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by Eric Sheninger, Principal at New Milford High School in New Jersey

As schools change leadership must as well.

With society becoming more and more reliant on technology it is incumbentuponleaders to harness the power of digital technologies in order to create school cultures that are transparent, relevant, meaningful, engaging, and inspiring. In order to set the stage for increasing achievement and to establish a greater sense of community pride for the work being done in our schools, we must begin to change the way we lead. To do this, leaders must understand the origins of fear and misconceptions that often surround the use of technology such as social media and mobile devices.

Once the fears and misconceptions are placed on the table, leaders can begin to establish a vision for the effective use of technology to improve numerous facets of leadership. The challenge for school leaders is why, how, and where to begin. Digital leadership is not about flashy tools, but a strategic mindset that leverages available resources to improve what we do while anticipating the changes needed to cultivate a school culture focused on engagement and achievement. It is a new construct of leadership that grows out of the leader's symbiotic relationship with technology.

The end result will be sustainable change in programs, instruction, behaviors, and leadership practices with technology as a pivotal element. Digital leadership requires a shift in leadership style from one of mandates, directives, and buy-in to one grounded in empowerment, support, and embracement as keys to sustainable change.

From my work I have identified what I call the Pillars of Digital Leadership. These are the specific areas embedded in the culture of all schools that can be improved or enhanced though the use of available technology, especially social media. They present a framework from which any educator or leader can begin to harness the power of technology to change professional practice and initiate sustainable change. 7 Pillars of Digital Leadership In Education
Note: Graphic by New Milford HS student Grace Jeon! 1. Communication
Leaders can now provide stakeholders with relevant information in real time through a variety of devices. No longer do static, one-way methods such as newsletters and websites suffice. Important information can be communicated through various free social media tools and simple implementation strategies in order to meet stakeholders where they are in the digital age.
2. Public Relations
If we don't tell our story, someone else will, and more often than not, another's version will not be the one we want told. Leaders need to become storytellers-in-chief.We can now form the foundation of a positive public relations platform using free social media tools where we control the content. By doing so, we create the means by which we share all of the positives associated with our schools and create a much needed level of transparency in an age of negative rhetoric toward education.
3. Branding
Businesses have long understood the value of brand and its impact on current and potential consumers. Leaders can leverage social media tools to create a positive brand presence that emphasizes the positive aspects of school culture, increases community pride, and helps to attract/retain families when looking for a place to send their children to school.
4. Student engagement/learning
We cannot expect to see increases in achievement if students are not learning. Students that are not engaged are not likely to be learning. Leaders need to understand that schools should reflect real life and allow students to apply what they have learned through the use of the tools they are using outside of school.

Digital leaders understand that we must put real-world tools in the hands of students and allow them to create artifacts of learning that demonstrate conceptual mastery. This is an important pedagogical shift as it focuses on enhancing essential skill sets-communication, collaboration, creativity, media literacy, global connectedness, critical thinking, and problem solving - that society demands.
5. Professional growth/development
With the rise of social media, schools no longer have to be silos of information and leaders do not have to feel like they are on isolated islands that lack support and feedback. Leaders can form their own Personal Learning Network (PLN) to meet our diverse learning needs, acquire resources, access knowledge, receive feedback, connect with both experts in the field of education as well as practitioners, and discuss proven strategies to improve teaching, learning, and leadership.
6. Re-envisioning earning spaces and environments
Once leaders understand the pillars and how to use them to initiate sustainable change, the next step is to begin to transform learning spaces and environments that support essential skill sets and are aligned with the real world. Leaders must begin to establish a vision and strategic plan to create an entire school building dedicated to learning in an ever so more digital world. In order to do so, leaders must be knowledgeable of the characteristics and dynamics that embody innovative learning spaces and environments.
7. Opportunity
It is important for leaders to consistently seek out ways to improve existing programs, resources, and professional development. Digital leaders leverage connections made through technology and increase opportunities to make improvements across multiple areas of school culture.
Conclusion
Leaders need to be the catalysts for change and the pillars identified above provide a framework.

Each is critical in its own right to transforming and sustaining a positive school culture. By addressing each of these pillars, leaders can begin changing and transforming their respective schools into ones that prepare learners with essential digital age skills while engaging a variety of stakeholders. Digital leadership begins with identifying obstacles to change and specific solutions to overcome them in order to transform schools in the digital age.
You can read more about digital leadership in 21st century learning environments in Eric's new book Digital Leadership: Changing Paradigms for Changing Times available from Corwin Press; i mage attribution flickr user amnestystudent and New Milford HS student Grace Jeon; 7 Pillars Of Digital Leadership In Education

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7 Pillars Of Digital Leadership In Education

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by Eric Sheninger, Principal at New Milford High School in New Jersey As schools change leadership must as well. With society becoming more and more reliant on technology it is incumbentuponleaders to harness the power of digital technologies in order to create school cultures that are transparent, relevant, meaningful, engaging, and inspiring.