When "diversity in edtech" is mentioned, the conversation almost always materializes as one about women. We talk about it often and there are plenty of initiatives created to "change the ratio". I get it. There is a disparity and we certainly need it. However, when it comes to race…people will barely even admit that there is a problem. Let me rephrase that. We refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem. We still have non-diverse "thought groups" speaking on panels in rooms full of decision makers…also non-diverse. Have we really gotten so comfortable with our silos that all white rooms aren’t to be questioned? Do we honestly believe that there are zero people of color ready and willing to share their expertise and experiences? Please…do join me on the side of questioning it because in case you missed it, Edtech has a race problem and it’s not just tech companies either. Earlier today, I was looking through tweets about panels at ISTE…a ton of all white panels, including from my own publisher (Corwin Press). The irony…Really??? I thought about SXSW and it’s written rule that states that panels had to be diverse…intentional diversity that tech conferences like ISTE and its affiliates have yet to do. I was then sent a link to a tech company’s all new "initiative to get their overpriced product into schools" and every single "educator advisor" was of the same non-diverse lineage that seems to be advising every other edtech company. They even created a contest centered on this group of people. I didn’t need a swivl before and I certainly do not now. If you’re wondering why this is a problem, please do let me explain… I happen to be connected to a group of technologist of color…a group created so that we could mentor each other on everything from matters of tools to career. It’s a safe place to have discussions that range from encouragement to the extremely necessary gripe when needed. (Voxer is amazing for this) As much as these "panels and advisory groups" are mostly redundant, we have found that they matter in terms of access, visibility, opportunity and acknowledgement of our own expertise. We work with teachers in diverse schools that teach diverse populations and sometimes in situations that not one person on "the chosen list" could even fathom. Yet…as much as each person’s expertise is articulated…their feedback is rarely utilized because most tech companies are blindly running behind the "appearance of influence" (twitter followers) for the sole purpose of selling product. EdTech companies have yet to see how tapping into a collection of teachers who are teaching the kids that need innovative learning most…could bring greater credibility to the success of their product with diverse groups. Dear Edtech companies using this "let’s only get these people with twitter followers on board" strategy…When I look at your list of advisors and fail to see a diverse collection of teachers, I do not trust you. Instead, I question your purpose. More of us should. I do not care that you have the teachers and bloggers with the greatest following using your product because the reality is that they are typically not really using it and are only using it to satisfy the visibility requirements of being featured on your site…you know, that agreement that earned them either free product or travel? (Except for Canva. They too feature the same list of "influencers" but their product is basically like Chick-fil-A. It’s great so you use it anyway and believe me….I curse myself greatly each time that I do.) I do need to acknowledge Remind because they have done a great job of intentionally working to change their ratio of educator thought and that matters. I referenced SXSW’s "diversity rule" earlier. Here it is below and I encourage you to visit their resources. On SXSW’s website reads… A Diverse Community is a Strong Community Strength of community also comes from diversity of thought, gender, geography, and background. We strive to achieve this goal community-centric goal by utilizing a V-O-W-E-L scale of basic diversity principles: Variety - SXSW always aims to bring in new speakers with new ideas (as opposed to simply showcasing the same speakers who make the tech conference rounds). Opinion - SXSW highlights a variety of opinions on tech-related matters, even if we sometimes don’t agree with the given opinion. Women - SXSW strongly believes in featuring the accomplishments of the many strong female voices in the tech industry. Ethnicity - In addition to featuring more female speakers, SXSW also strongly believes in featuring speakers of various different ethnicities. Location - SXSW is also committed to speakers and panels that raise awareness about tech innovation outside of the US. These V-O-W-E-L principles are integral to decision-making in the PanelPicker and are visibly reflected during the March event where diversity is abundant. One more thing…In case you needed to see an actively growing list of POC in School Edtech, do check here. (If I missed you, tweet me and I’ll add right away!)  

Last year when I saw that America Ferrera was slated to keynote ISTE, I was absolutely confused by her selection. When she backed out and was later replaced by Ashley Judd, I was even more confused. Fast forward to the end of Ashley Judd’s speech and I, like almost every other person in that room, was mortified at how uninspired she was for that particular event. (While her story is compelling, it was not the right time or tone for that event) This year, ISTE announced Soledad O’Brien as the opening keynote speaker and it gave me pause, not because I am a  "Soledad fan", as one so eloquently put it…but because I am familiar with some of her work in the diversity arena. I sat with my family and watched her documentaries, political forums and interviews. I am very familiar with the stories that she has created and shared and actually see the correlation of her voice to an educational technology event. Others though? Not so much. The questions, placed publicly in a social forum…Why a celebrity instead of a female educator? Why is it that when women are touted to speak, they are celebrities and not teachers? First let me say that these are valid questions and in looking at the keynotes for the last few years at ISTE, it’s one that ISTE needs to answer. However, when I pointed out Soledad’s credentials as a person living what we are empowering our kids to do with technology, I was immediately reminded that…"This is not about Soledad O’Brien". To be clear…The only woman speaking this year is Soledad O’Brien. She is a celebrity, therefore it IS about her. (Simple math logic makes this the case) ISTE’s Diversity Issues… Aside from Soledad O’Brien, there are two other keynote slots. One is being filled with a celebrity speaker, Jack Gallagher and the other is an educator, Josh Stumpenhorst. People were excited for Josh…including the same people questioning Soledad’s selection…because he’s an educator and known very well within this community and on the speaker circuit. Quick questions though…Why are we not questioning these last two slots? Why are we not questioning Jack Gallagher’s selection? Could women in education not fill this slot? Also…Why do we raise the diversity angle and not consider other types of diversity? For example…I do not have a problem with a celeb speaker as long as their story is compelling, relatable and hits the tone of the event. Soledad is a media personality who not only advocates for equity in education but has also covered some pretty diverse stories in her career…stories that are often ignored in mainstream media…which sounds a lot like edtech and it’s own diversity issues. I do agree that there is an oversight of women speakers who are educators but you can’t make that argument when in the same breath you suggest women speakers who are not even working in schools…except as authors and paid consultants. Also, don’t just raise questions about the qualified woman that is selected to speak if you are not willing to raise those same questions about the two white men who were also selected. And yes, I brought up race because ISTE’s keynote problem isn’t just a lack of educators who are women but also an issue of race. It’s an issue of perspective, age and also academic relevancy. While I still stand by Soledad O’Brien and even Josh Stumpenhorst…that other spot could have and should have gone to an educator. Dear ISTE, If you want a formula that works…choose your speakers in this way 1. A person who has made a significant contribution to society, media, edtech…etc 2. An educator 3. An Educator Now…make sure that within those selections are people who represent diversity of race, idea, age and gender.  When you do that…this debate stops. -Rafranz One more thing…NO ONE ATTENDS ISTE BECAUSE OF THE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS…unless those keynote speakers are Audrey Watters, Diana Laufenberg, Jose Vilson or even Chris Lehmann. They are on my shortlist anyway. ISTE’s Keynotes Over the Last Few Years 2015 Keynotes Soledad O’brien Jack Gallagher Josh Stumpenhorst 2014 Keynotes Ashley Judd in place of America Ferreira Kevin Carroll Jeff Charbonneau 2013 Keynotes Jane McGonigal Steven Johnson Adam Bellow 2012 Keynotes Sir Ken Robinson with Shawn Covell, Marc Prensky, and Mayim Bialik Dr. Yong Zhao Dr. Willie Smits and Christopher Gauthier 2011 Keynotes Dr. John Medina Dr. Stephen R. Covey with moderation by Boyd Craig; follow up session by Muriel Summers with Dr. David K. Hatch Chris Lehmann 2010 Keynotes Jean-François Rischard Panel: Karen Cator, Terry Godwaldt, Shaun Koh, Jean François Rischard; Moderator: Jennifer Corriero Jeff Piontek      

There was a moment in Stephen Reid‘s session when he described what it felt to walk the streets of Philadelphia…moments of thought common to minecrafters. He said that as he looked at buildings, he saw beyond their stature and literally saw himself through the lens of building them. His words… "I can build that"…formed the phrase that lasted beyond any other moment at ISTE. The power of knowing what you are capable of is empowering. More on that later… For me, the best parts of ISTE weren’t the moments that people may think. It was amazing to nervously give an ignite about diversity…twice. I was starstruck meeting Soledad O’Brien, especially after being told that I only fought for her speaking because she was a woman of color and because I was a fan. (She killed it, didn’t she??) I even had a workshop that went quite well. My excitement about ISTE was in none of those things but in the result of those things…The Powerful Connections that I made with people. I will always love that. I was once a lurker, a person watching from the shadows of the room in a distant chair. I was terrified that talking to people would invite their judgement and the idea of being rejected was paralyzing. As a matter of fact, the first time that I allowed myself to truly connect, the people that I talked to didn’t even remember. Those people are some of my closest friends now but it’s a meeting that we still disagree about. It’s still telling that people have conversations with entire groups of people and often fail to see the individuality of the group itself. It was two years ago at an ISTE where, possibly one of the biggest voices in Education, George Couros…basically willed me to blog and I have done that with a vengeance. It was at an ISTE that I learned that my silence about my own passions and the work that I did held me back more than the pronounced over-speaking of others. This is what motivates me to be as open as possible and to give people the same attention that I was given…perhaps motivating them to open up the same. Yes, a conference is one big social gathering but by focusing on the single moments of negativity and disconnectedness, it’s easy to forget about the insurmountable amounts of real connecting that are taking place amongst people who are learning and finding their "tribes" for the first time. Back to Minecraft… Perhaps, my favorite moment was sitting beside a teacher waiting in line 2 hours early for the Minecraft class. She had never played herself but was interested in perhaps finding an outlet for her students to play in an after school program. She said…"Starting is what matters" and she was so right. It was in that room that I literally could have lived all week…and not because I am a Minecraftoholic (I am)…but because there is something completely magical about a person discovering such creativity for the first time. As an parent and aunt, I have watched my own nephew find his creative voice through minecraft and as a district leader, I hope that we can help other kids and teachers do the same. If you missed the line wrapped down the hall and around the corner for Minecraft, you truly missed a treat as it was the place to be at ISTE!! Also, Microsoft brought the best possible person in Stephen to lead the "beginner session" as his perspective was truly inspiring and I definitely plan to draw upon his nuances to help our teachers understand how and why Minecraft impacts learning. Hint…Get in and do the simplest of things…Build! When Stephen said, "I can build that"….I related to it on a much deeper level than minecraft. I can learn that. I can do that. I can be that. I can _______ that. Like the multiple learning pathways of ISTE…It’s your blank to fill.

This year, I turned 40 and while all of my classmates were throwing events and dinners to celebrate their special days, my nephew was deep into his system creating a world just for me…in Minecraft. Yes, I had a Minecraft Fab 40!! In my world, my nephew created mini games involving getting sheep to cross treacherous paths, a Merry Go Round and a game that allowed players to shoot at boxes with images of prizes…with those prizes landing in a chest and into the player’s inventory. He even made a bowling alley. Yep, we bowled in minecraft! Hoppers are awesome! #MinecraftFab40 (@BraedenArt made me a world full of my own mini games) pic.twitter.com/r2VnHPhie5 — Rafranz Davis (@RafranzDavis) June 12, 2015 The best part though, was my roller coaster where Braeden programmed music boxes to play such hits as The Birthday Song, Taylor Swift’s Bad Blood, Everything is Awesome and of course a song from Frozen. My roller coaster had special songs that he created with music boxes! #MinecraftFab40 Happy Birthday & @taylorswift13 pic.twitter.com/JP0QpO0mNA — Rafranz Davis (@RafranzDavis) June 12, 2015 It only took him two days!! Like many kids, my nephew doesn’t get to play Minecraft in school. As a matter of fact, his teachers told him constantly not to play which meant that we were absolutely going to play much more because through minecraft, the exploration goes much deeper than a worksheet or homework schedule. I’ve been in teacher tech sessions where I shared creative ways that kids are using minecraft for storytelling and the teacher response has been either that they do not have time or my favorite… "Minecraft is a game and if we put that on their ipads, they won’t use anything else." To be clear… Minecraft is more than a game. It’s like having a blank canvas to do and be anything. It’s like having a master key to your greatest adventure. The worst thing that can happen if we let kids play is that they will learn much more than our standards sometimes allow. Those who play minecraft know this but the problem is that most people in charge of schools and curriculum do not. So, how can we change that? For starters, Minecraft isn’t like any other tech tool that we use. It can definitely be implemented so badly that kids grow to hate it. Please don’t do this. Minecraft was not created to be a single set of choices so avoid turning it into a multiple choice assessment. When we define the learning that should happen before allowing kids to explore…we are doing it wrong. Instead, give kids the task of mining and crafting to their creative desires. Draw upon that creativity to empower deeper learning. I exercised more math and science in building a house of my own free will than if I were given the definitive structures of what makes a house. The only way to truly understand that is to play and I think that all teachers should. You can even let kids teach their teachers, which is immensely powerful! What should happen is that as teachers play, they’ll get an understanding of where and how the learning happens. Discussions should follow and those discussions should probably center on learning and purpose because if we go into Minecraft in education approaching it along the same lines as a textbook or worksheet…it will be that…which is frightening. If all else fails…challenge your teachers to plan a party much like my nephew did for me. They’ll get it. Trust me. In case you missed it…His minecraft 4th of July celebration   Fireworks & Storytelling with @BraedenArt and #Minecraft pic.twitter.com/09PWfJ9a27 — Rafranz Davis (@RafranzDavis) July 4, 2015 Happy 4th of July! Here’s @BraedenArt describing his 4th of July light display in Minecraft pic.twitter.com/UtOyZ5lVY8 — Rafranz Davis (@RafranzDavis) July 4, 2015

There’s a general rule of thumb when thinking about teaching and learning when it comes to technology. The tools are never the focus and always come secondary to learning goals. I believe this to my core but I have to say that this is a difficult thought to maintain when student device access is close to zero…other than a BYOD. When you know how critical access to technology is…the absence of tools for learning can definitely cloud "rule of thumb" thinking. In my new role as the Executive Director of Professional and Digital Learning for Lufkin ISD, it is my responsibility to ensure that as we tackle this idea of being globally ready digital learners…that the current and future learning experiences of our students drive everything that we do. It’s also important to understand that modeling best practices through choice and personalization for professional development is critical. After-all, isn’t this the type of learning that we want for our students? It’s not everyday that one is handed a blank canvas and asked to paint it. However it should be the norm that progression isn’t reliant on one person but a collaboration of many and I’m incredibly lucky that in my new department, this is the case.  I have to say that as much as I am involved within the social space of educational technology, being charged with making large scale decisions and suggestions that will impact an entire district is new territory. It’s also different in terms of perspective. It’s one thing to justify doing something because it is a district decision. It’s another thing to have to make that decision.  Luckily my connected life and experience reminds me daily that no decision is mine alone and that part of "buy-in" of new ideas is the involvement of those voices that will be impacted most. That doesn’t mean that I’m not moving forward with supporting certain ideas that I know work but it does mean that how we move forward can and will lend itself to critical eyes and ears because it matters greatly to do so. Needless to say, I’m pretty excited for the challenge ahead and look forward to sharing our journey from the inside out. #LufkinLearns 

As a student, there is something incredibly powerful when you know that your teachers and administrators truly care. That’s what my son felt about his new school before he ever stepped foot in the building. I remember that as we were driving to the campus, we were in a deep discussion and upon pulling to the corner to turn, we both fell silent. In front of the school were hundreds and hundreds of signs, all bearing the names of students. There was a sign for each student along with the name of their future college, trade school or military branch. We had never seen this before and after realizing what they were, my son said…"hmm, that’s cool". We would go on to spend about an hour touring the school and visiting two programs of interest for my son…computer science and football. After the meeting with the coach, I was sure that my son was eager to join the football team as he loves the sport but something shifted in him in the last month or so. My son told me that he wanted to leave football and focus on computer science. He said that he felt behind all of the other kids and wanted to dedicate his moments after school to learn. He wanted to learn as much as he could about computers and compete in robotics. He went on to tell me that he believed that computer science offered him an opportunity to "go to the next level" while football did not. That was the moment that I knew without a doubt that our move was not only great for my career but exceptionally wonderful for my son. That was also the moment that I knew that this move was not about me at all but 100% what is right for him. Prior to now, my son hasn’t had a single CS class, other than Code Academy. His current school didn’t have a program so this was not an opportunity within reach. I could not help but think about how different his life would be had he had the opportunity to explore coding and robotics in school. His new school works with engineers and competes in First Robotics. It’s authentic creativity and critical thinking that is beyond exciting to experience. My son chose computer science over football. In Texas, football is everything and he is choosing to not play so that he can focus on something that has been a hidden passion for a long time. The best part isn’t even that he is making such a huge decision. The best part is that he knows that he can and that is an amazing feeling. Tonight my son had this to say… "Mom, when I saw those signs, I knew that I needed to be there. They really do care about their kids. They have a college and career center where counselors help you apply for scholarships. I’m going to spend all of my time in there. I want to go to college so bad mom. The counselors even use this thing called "Remind" to send scholarship alerts to the students. I already signed up for it. I kind of wanted to play football but I really want to be able to spend the time that I need to learn about robotics. Mom, they work with real engineers and that teacher knows a lot about computers. I can definitely learn from her. It just feels good to be able to have a fresh start and not have to worry about being in a place where I am labeled. My life is going to be so much better because of this and I can’t wait." I can’t either son… I can’t either.

Three years ago, I sat in a suicide awareness and prevention session given by our high school counsellors.  It was my first time attending a session such as this and also the first time that I’ve been around anyone openly talking about suicide. The first words of the session… "Last year we had three completions…" …the most painful statement that I’ve heard in a long time. I couldn’t help but to think of myself, my "near completion"…and the day after. Nick Provenzano and Joe Mazza challenged the greater education community to help bring attention to mental health awareness by sharing their stories in the spirit of The Semicolon Project.  The Semicolon Project  A semicolon is used when an author could’ve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. The author is you and the sentence is your life. At 15 years old, I made the decision to end my life. At 15, I thought that I was unloved, uncared for and insignificant. I didn’t have a moment where I decided to live…I just lived. I wish that I had some pivotal moment where I decided that living was the thing to do, but I didn’t. What I did have was the day after…that day in a family filled hospital room where I understood the blessing of being alive and the pure emotional joy of not dying. My heart still aches for those that didn’t have that moment of being thankful to be alive. So many didn’t have "the day after"…completions. Such a finite word… I can appreciate the semicolon project and I want to encourage you to not let it go by as yet another soon to be insignificant awareness project. Have open dialogue and be aware…fully. Be aware for the adults in your life as well as the kids that you teach.  At 15, what I really wanted was to feel that I mattered. I didn’t want to die but I felt that it was much better than living. I was wrong and I understood that the moment that I opened my eyes…complete and yet incomplete. The significance of that moment still lives within me. It’s the day after Nick and Joe’s campaign and for me, a reminder of the day that I learned to live again.  The day that I was not a completion… ;

By all accounts, my school district is new to implementing Google Apps for Education. It’ll be a slow and interesting implementation but one that is so necessary, especially in a climate where printed documents are important to so many areas operationally. It felt good to blow the minds of an entire room of district leaders by placing documents online in a Google Site versus handing them all a folder/binder. It felt even more amazing to quickly create a form to capture data for our Campus principals and have them in awe that such information could be captured so fast. I honestly cannot wait for the first time that we will collaborate in documents simultaneously outside of email and watch mouths drop to the floor because they always do in those moments. It’s such a surreal feeling and brings me smiles thinking about it. I’ll be even more excited to turn all of my google ninja skills over to our entire staff and students because that’s who should own these skills, anyway…right? While these are all google-centric skills, I also cannot wait to show teachers how they can utilize Office 365, Microsoft Sway and Mix to create digital stories and blended lessons or OneNote for our Surface Pro 3 users to create the world in real time. I cannot wait to get a HoloLens for our Minecrafters. Don’t even get me started on getting Minecraft on our campuses. I CANNOT WAIT! We are not a Google district. We aren’t even a Microsoft district. We have BYOD, which is problematic at times if we are truly honest. Although I will be purchasing devices to strategically put technology into the hands of our students, I can’t commit to ever being called a Chromebook, Android tablet or Ipad district as I don’t see standardized devices as an option either. We won’t do trainings that are only specific to a tool. We’ll have to start with that, realistically. However, our goal will be to always work towards our mission and purpose. Our teachers want personalization and choice. If we ever want students to have the same, we must do this for our teachers. It’s incredibly thrilling to be creating this option through a plan largely borrowed from my incredible PLN. What drives our work? What do we want students to do? How do our students want to learn? What about teachers? Which device supports what students want and need to do? At the end of the day, we will not be defined by the tools that we use but by how our students learn and what they accomplish along the way. Exciting times ahead for my school district! Rafranz Davis Executive Director of Professional and Digital Learning, Lufkin ISD

As someone who is new to the role of planning an entire school district’s professional development plan, let me first start by saying that this is not as simple of a task as it sounds. It is a huge responsibility…one that cannot be orchestrated on a whim. Think of it like being a kid with the key to the candy store…only it’s not about you eating the candy but about everyone else. It’s not a free for all, but then again it can be. A few months ago, I was handed feedback from within our district. For the most part, our teachers WANTED sustaining professional learning with choice…lots of choice. Experience reminds me that there also must be guidelines…and not because one person may learn more than they should but because whether we choose to admit it or not, there are those who will attempt less than they should. The real trick here is to make those guidelines based on empowerment and not compliance. That’s where the magic happens, right? As a former classroom teacher, I take this part of my role with exceptional care as this is the ONE thing that can build or destroy a culture of growth. I’ve been a teacher forced to choose from an extremely select menu of "PD"…one without room to choose my own adventure. It was horrible. I’ve also been one leading PD full of teachers who were there "just to get those hours in". In many cases, those sessions still worked out because teachers walked away with something and wanted to learn more, even though they were there purely out of compliance. There were also those that could have been given magical golden nuggets during those sessions and it would not have made a difference at all. Compliance does that. While I am charged with leading instructional technology too, our plan must offer much more than tech sessions as our classrooms are much more than technology. My job is to create a plan that in essence supports the learning of "the whole teacher". This thinking is critical. I started with talking to a few of my personal friends and mentors in the world of professional growth. All of them immediately offered me the skin from their bodies, with no hesitation. I gladly obliged. Dear teachers of twitter, it is not as simple as saying "get on twitter and learn everything". It may inspire that action, but a great plan must be more than that. We have to be mindful of this when communicating this message. I bookmarked some great pieces… Ben Wilkoff‘s two Edsurge articles (Thanks for the phone call btw Ben!) Building the Basics of Personalized Learning (Part 1) Building the Basics of Personalized Learning (Part 2) Others The Future Ready District: Professional Learning Through Online Communities of Practice Capture, Curate Share: Building a Personalized PD Culture How Districts Get Personal: Retooling Professional Development PD Is Not a 4-Letter Word: My Ignite From #ISTE14 Also…Everything that I have ever learned from Diana Laufenberg and Chris Lehmann. (Personal anecdotes void of links) The Questions… Qualitative and Quantitative thoughts… What are our district needs? Where do our teachers need to be? Where do our teachers want to be? What do our students need? How will we evaluate effectiveness? Percentage of compliance? Percentage of empowerment? Percentage of passion? (Shouldn’t this just be 100%?) At the end of the day, our plan must be fueled by one fundamental thing…Learning. The key is in remembering who owns it.   Stay tuned!

While places like New Jersey, who the New York Daily News recently reported, have passed a bill requiring schools to teach acceptable use of social media, cyber safety, cyber security, ethics, and cyberbullying, the NYC Department of Education goes even further. As evidenced in their newly released student social media guidelines, they recognize the importance of social media beyond just using social media responsibly. They understand that students can embrace social media for social good, as a way to celebrate our stories, as a tool to create a positive online identity leading to college and career success, and as a way to build powerful learning networks.  What makes these guidelines even more unique is that they were not only created for students, but also with students across New York City. Teachers and parents contributed as well. As DNAinfo recently shared, Jane Pook, the DOE’s executive director for digital communication policy and strategy explained, "It was the students who wanted this." This has not only been good for NYC DOE students and staff, but it's also been a relief to the Department's legal office as reported in DNAinfo.  I want more »

Last week NBC news announced that some Colorado school districts are creating tougher social media policies for staff in hopes of preventing inappropriate relationships with students. While banning staff from connecting with students is certainly the easy way out, doing so not only fails to prevent inappropriate relationships, but it also fails to prepare students for success in the 21st century.  The problem with such policies is that they are based on the premise that social media causes inappropriate behavior. The reality is that social media doesn't cause inappropriate behavior. It catches it. Policies like this don't address the real concerns a district may have about inappropriate behavior. It just drives it underground while also criminalizing teachers. I want more »

While it is no longer unusual for teachers to embrace and understand the value of personal learning networks, few are supporting their students in doing the same. I went on a search for educators involved in this work as part of a chapter I am writing for a book on the topic of student liberation being released by Steve Hargadon later this year,  In the below Q&A you will get a look at the insights from one of these educators.  As you read what this teacher is doing consider how you might integrate such practices into your work.  If you are already doing this, please share what you are doing in the comments. I want more »

Join me this evening at 4pm Eastern Time and hear me discuss why social media is an essential tool for K-12 classrooms.While there are some educators who feel the best advice when it comes to social media is to stay away, I disagree. In fact, I tell teachers that if they’re not preparing students to use social media effectively, they're not doing their job. Why?Because, the role of today’s educator is to prepare students to thrive in the world in which they live. In today’s world, if you want to run a business, run for office, or change the way things are run where you live, play, or work, you must be savvy in the use of social media. If we do not ensure our kids are equipped to do so responsibly and effectively, we are robbing them of the real and relevant education they deserve. In tonight’s webinar, I share how educators are using social media such as Facebook and Twitter both as powerful tools for professional development as well as how to use them as a vehicle for student learning. I’ll share how one teacher uses Facebook with first graders to strengthen the home school connection, and how another uses Twitter with second graders to increase tourism in their community. You’ll also discover how schools are using social media to share the stories of their classroom with the world and even use it as tool to increase enrollment.  I hope you’ll join me today to get some great ideas on how to use social media for teaching and learning in your school or district.Details: Topic: Social Media: An Essential Tool for K-12 Classrooms When: Wednesday, January 29, 2014- 4pm / Eastern TimeCommunity URL: www.edweb.net/digitalcitizenshipWebinar Room: www.instantpresenter.com/edwebnet16Registration Link: www.instantpresenter.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EC57DE80854CThe webinar will be recorded and archived in the community after the event.

Thank you to the 300+ folks from around the world who joined me for the Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship webinar on EdWeb. In case you missed it, the webinar was called "Social Media: An Essential Tool for Today’s Classroom." You can view the webinar here http://www.instantpresenter.com/edwebnet/EA59D688824C.In the webinar, I shared case studies of amazing students, parents, and teachers. Below are the people behind the stories I mentioned, how to learn more and a way to reach each of them via social media. Courtney Woods - 2nd grade teacher who connected her students to the world with TwitterTwitter:  https://twitter.com/CourtneyM_WoodsLearn more: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2012/12/why-on-earth-would-2nd-graders-use.htmlZak Malamed - Founder of Student Voice: Using social media to give students a voiceTwitter:  https://twitter.com/zakmalLearn more: http://stuvoice.org/ Sara Cottone - Strengthening the home-school connection with social mediaFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/sara.c.cottoneLearn more: https://www.facebook.com/pages/PS-46-Parent-Coordinator/100570000004967Chris Casal - Celebrating school success with social mediaTwitter: https://twitter.com/mr_casal Learn more: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/07/8-real-ways-facebook-enriched-ms.html#uds-search-resultsArmond McFadden - Student with a powerful learning networkFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/armond.mcfaddenLearn more:  http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/11/differentiating-instruction-is-not-hard.htmlMatt Brown - Principal who uses social media to catch teachers & students being awesomeTwitter:  https://twitter.com/PrincipalBrownLearn more:  http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/11/six-ideas-for-administrators-who-want.htmlErin Shoening - Uses Facebook with first gradersFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/erin.smithschoeningLearn more: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/07/8-real-ways-facebook-enriched-ms.htmlResources MentionedTwitter Fast Follow: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2013/05/3-ways-to-use-twitter-fast-follow-to.htmlNYC social media guidelines and AUSP from the NYC DOE: http://schools.nyc.gov/RulesPolicies/SocialMedia/default.htmUsing Twitter for teaching and learning : http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/search/label/Twitter%20in%20EducationUsing Twitter and Google Docs:http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2010/10/pln-powers-activate-tech-teacher-taps.htmlPosts on assistive technology / special needs: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/07/free-assistive-technology-tools-to-make.htmlhttp://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2013/08/fab-five-for-educators-of-visually.htmlhttp://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2012/01/3-ways-to-use-cell-phones-with-special.htmlStay connected with me:My books:  http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/p/my-book.htmlMy blog: InnovativeEducator.com Twitter:  https://twitter.com/InnovativeEduMy Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheInnovativeEducator

Crossposted at SmartblogsDistricts across the nation are determining teacher effectiveness in part using a rubric created by Charlotte Danielson. The rubric contains four domains and 22 components. You can download the full evaluation instrument here. The framework below outlines exactly what administrators will look for when evaluating teacher practice.With four domains and 22 components, teachers might want to come up with a way to beautifully showcase and celebrate the work they are doing.  To do that teachers must be familiar with what they are being asked to showcase. Teachers are responsible for demonstrating effectiveness through evidence and artifacts. In places like New York City, up to eight artifacts may be used to demonstrate effectiveness. They can only be used in domains one and four. Teachers should keep in mind however, that one artifact may demonstrate effectiveness in multiple components.  For example, if you have a class Facebook page that you use to interact with students and their families, that Facebook page can serve as an artifact for both 4c - Communicating with Families as well as 1b - Demonstrating Knowledge of Students. This means, that should a teacher choose, they can use eight artifacts to demonstrate 12 components. For domains two and three teachers must provide evidence of effectiveness. This evidence is generally collected during formal or informal classroom observations.  Teachers also have the option to choose to videotape a lesson for their formal evaluation to provide evidence. It might be helpful for teachers to document, and have readily accessible, examples indicating how they are effectively engaging in each component.Here are some ideas for showcasing and celebrating work using the Danielson Framework.  I want more »

With or without the guidance and support of educators and parents, students across the globe are developing and building their personal learning networks. Knowing how to do so effectively is a key to successful learning independence. Below you will hear from Courtney Gressman. A young lady in the midst of building a learning network to help open the eyes of educators to students feelings about school and learning.  Read on to discover how this has impacted her as well as how both her teacher and mother supported this work. I want more »

Social media is a valuable tool when used appropriately and with common sense.I pointed this out last week when I conducted a webinar where I explained why social media is an essential tool for K-12 classrooms. This week, eSchool News has taken the highlights of that webinar and turned it into an article that shares my advice for successful classroom social media use. In the article eSchool News shares my overview of what social media is, what you should not do, the new rules of social media, recent studies, and more. Hop on over to http://www.eschoolnews.com/2014/02/04/successful-social-media-835 to read more or check out the webinar and resources at http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2014/01/resources-stories-and-connections-with.html. When you do, tell me what you think. Did you like what I had to share?  What was helpful to your practice? What would you add? Was there something I missed?  

Districts across the nation are asking teachers to provide artifacts and evidence of effectiveness aligned to the four domains of the Charlotte Danielson framework. (You can download the full evaluation instrument here.) This model provides an incredible opportunity to do something that is rare in the teaching profession. It provides an opportunity for teachers to release the great work they are doing from the classroom and share it with the world. It also provides a common language and method for looking at and sharing the work we do.  Innovative educators take great pride in their work and they are determining ways to showcase this work using digital portfolios. Some are creating websites, others blogs or wikis, and some are using resources such as eduClipper. These digital portfolios enable educators to share their work, not only with the administrators evaluating them, but also with parents, students, peers, and anyone else who might be interested in what goes on in schools everyday. Here are the five steps you'll need to get started.I want more »

Join me tonight at 9:00 p.m. EST for a Google Hangout to discuss bring your own device aka BYOD. The topicEquity + Access for AllOur special guests includeTim Clark @TimClark45 or @BYOTNetworkWillyn Webb +Willyn Webb Michael Mills @AquiAmigoConnect with them on Twitter!Guests will discuss the followingWhy ensuring equity and access is importantHow to get startedWhat happens for students who don’t have devicesTips for parent outreachHow you prepare infrastructureHandling repairsAnd more!BackchannelJoin our backchannel conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #BYODEquity. See all the backchannel hashtags on our Tagboard at http://tagboard.com/boydequity.   Join the hangout at this linkhttps://plus.google.com/events/cp40qmnlcq6mm83b6h8o1mbh1ds Read more about the topic here.

Watch Tim Clark (@TimClark45), Willyn Webb (@WillynWebb), Michael Mills (@AquiAmigo) and Lisa Nielsen (@InnovativeEdu) in a one hour video discussing equity and access when it comes to bringing your own device. Take a watch and you'll enjoy a great conversation where these gurus share ideas that have worked and advise what to steer clear of when working toward a successful bring your own device/technology environment. As made apparent in the below thumbnail, the conversation was filled with a few laughs as well.Guests shared plenty of terrific resources which are captured in the Tweets below.I want more »

Across the nation teacher effectiveness is being evaluated according to the four domains of the Charlotte Danielson framework. (You can download the full evaluation instrument here.) This model is valuable because it provides a shared language for effective teaching, however, while many teachers being evaluated are familiar with the evaluation rubric, they may not have seen what this looks like in practice. If you are one of those teachers, that's about to change. I want more »

In case you missed it, a 15-year-old student from Staten Island created a Facebook page called Close NYC Schools During Snow Emergencies expressing discontent over the DOE's decision to keep schools open Thursday. The high school student employed some smart strategies to help his page gain popularity.  Namely sharing his page on the walls of elected officials.  From there the likes started pouring in. The page went viral attracting nearly 30,000 "Likes" in about a day.  Most of those who came to the page initially had no idea it was a high school student named Jeremy Duenas who was the man behind the page's curtain.After a day of a blitz of media attention that included many local news outlets, the page creator had this to say to fans of the page:Thank you everyone for all your outpouring support! From all my family and friends to all of YOU who don't even know me but are praising me anyway. I'm was just a kid from Staten Island and now I feel like I'm more than that.I want more »

As a gift to members, for its ten year anniversary, Facebook is giving us its latest recap app. It's called "A look back" and it provides you with a 60-second overview of your life on Facebook from the beginning. Here's mine:A look back over my six years on Facebook. Click here to watch. I want more »

What are the most successful teachers doing differently? How is that experienced being shared, and how can new teachers best learn from those that have come before them? Teachers are progressively forming broader and richer professional learning networks that extend far beyond their schools boundaries in many cases.  Innovative New York City educator Chris Casal (@mr_casal) and I (@InnovativeEdu) will dig in to how personal learning networks or PLNs are formed and what is exchanged by impactful educators as part of the NYEDTech meetup TONIGHT from 7 - 9 p.m. in Manhattan.If you're in the area, it's not to late to join us. Details at http://www.meetup.com/NYEdTech/events/160696002If you're not in the area, don't despair. You can still follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #EdTechNYC and/or watch the live streamed broadcast below once it begins.I want more »