Happy holidays innovative educators. Since educators across this country and beyond are with their families, I'm keeping today's post light and letting you know that beginning in 2015, The Innovative Educator blog is launching "Thowback Thursday," which means I will share posts that mattered in the early days of this blog.  To launch this, I share the very first post of "The Innovative Educator" blog.  What excites me more than the post, are the very first people to comment on the blog so please check that out.Written: March 19, 2008.  Topic: Why I was inspired to start a blog.Who might be interested: Any educator considering starting their own blog. Favorite excerpt: "Something I’ve learned from these experts is that if you want to be taken seriously, you have to have a digital footprint. It’s not enough to talk about the work you do, do the work you do, and spread the work you do. Even if it’s in one of the world’s largest school systems. To be taken seriously, you must become a more formal part of the conversation."Reader question: What might inspire you to start or contribute a guest post to a blog.Post: The Innovative Educator takes its first stepI’ve spent as long as I can remember being an educator, student or both, passionate about authentic, meaningful, fun, and relevant schooling. In first grade my school informed my mother that I spent most days sleeping and they were concerned I had a learning disability, though in those days, I believe my teacher told my mom she thought I was "retarded." Frantic my mother took me off to UCLA medical center for a battery of tests where they advised my mother and my school that I tested much higher than average in all tests and my issue was boredom and under stimulation.Read the rest at http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/03/innovative-educator-takes-its-first.html 

Looking back at 2014 I've come up with a few edtech resources I have relied on most for teaching and learning. Check em out and share yours.1) Google Apps Never worry about accessing or backing up your work with Google Apps.Whether you’re creating a doc, slides, spreadsheet, Google Apps provide the best collaboration and sharing tool out there for your work.  Sync your drive and work whether you’re connected to the internet or not.  Frequency: Daily2) Social MediaFacebook, Google Communities, Yammer, Edmodo and Twitter are my go to platforms to connect with other innovative educators inside and outside my district. Favorite hastags are #BYOD #BYOTchat #StuVoice #TLChat #EdChat. Favorite groups are The Innovative Educator and Google Educator Groups.  Frequency: DailyI want more »

Language matters. If we want to do what is best for young people and teachers we need to consider language.Consider this question for example: How do I "make" my students understand that it's okay to not know something?Or this:My daughter is falling behind in reading. How do I "force" her to read more?We have to "force" teachers to use/do [new program of the day].Well, no one likes to be "made" or "forced." Instead, show, inspire, support, encourage, discuss. Or...read a book about that which you are hoping to instill or achieve.  You may be reading this and thinking that you and/or your peers/friends don't use such language, but you may be surprised. Be on the lookout for yourself and others and rethink, restate, and reconsider. You and the person you are talking to will be happy you did. What examples of you seen of these words being used?  Is this something you or someone you know might need to work on?

Happy New Year and welcome to #ThrowbackThursday. Today we'll look at The Innovative Educator's early coverage of One Laptop Per Child (OLPC).Written: April 4, 2008Topic: Low cost laptopsBackground: With the advent of these low-cost learning tools, teaching in a one-to-one environment will become more and more prevalent.Who might be interested: Anyone who is using low cost laptops who is interested in how they came into being.Favorite excerpt: With the advent of these low-cost learning tools, teaching in a one-to-one environment will become more and more prevalent.Reader question: How have low cost laptops changed what happens where you work?Post: Low Cost Computing Options That Will Enable More Educators to Consider 1-to-1 EnvironmentsAs most Innovative Educators will agree, the key to having a successful 21st Century classroom is equity and access to some key technology tools like a laptop and digital video camera. Unfortunately, cost has been a huge factor, until now. Many are familiar with Nicholas Negroponte, MIT’s visionary behind the $100 laptop. The dream has finally come to fruition as not only has Negroponte’s XO laptops been released, but he has also inspired the development of an entire class of low cost laptops ranging from $200 - $500. I will be personally testing out some of these new devices and watching how well they work in the classroom. Read more at http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/04/testing-video-embedding.html 

In 2014 The Innovative Educator blog shared 166 posts with its readers. It is quite a rewarding feeling to be able to share and learn with others. I thank those who stopped by to learn with me. A special thanks to those who took the time to comment and help me and others deepen my thinking on important topics.Below are the posts that were viewed or commented on the most. Most of the popular posts focus on best practices for presenting and screentime.  See if there's one of interest. If there is, take a look and if you are so inspired, leave a comment.   Post Comments Page Views Date 5 Ideas to Make Lectures and Presentations Interactive 52 5262 8/31/2014 Going #BYOD ? Educators Share Ideas on Using Devices for Learning 5 5254 10/29/2014 Stop saying "balance is key" when discussing technology 98 5079 6/1/2014 6 Ways To Access @YouTube Videos Even If They're Blocked at School 4 5066 10/12/2014 One mistake presenters should never make and 8 strategies to avoid it 33 4984 12/7/2014 Social Media Guidelines for Students and Teachers by Students and Teachers 33 4681 6/4/2014 Stop Letting Good Students Do Bad Presentations 23 4414 11/19/2014 Fear is not an option when it comes to social media in schools 26 3948 9/24/2014 Don't blame social media if your students are distracted 38 3904 7/13/2014 15-Year-Old explains the key to developing a #PLN 8 3620 10/15/2014 Don't Follow the Lead of @cshirky in Banning Technology 43 2920 10/1/2014 Why innovative educators should look down upon "Look Up" by Gary Turk 20 2681  5/25/2014 When you get done looking at the top posts of this year, you might be interested in the top posts of all time. Actually, not all time, just since analytics started in 2010. You can check em out below.   Post Page views Does Twitter have a minimum age requirement?Jun 13, 2013,  29746 Using Cell Phones to Support Student Engagement  ...May 6, 2012,  27540 8 Real Ways Facebook Enriched Ms. Schoening’s First Grade Class...Jul 15, 2010,  26807 The Ten No Nos of Teaching with a Projector or Int...May 10, 2010,  24876 Cure ADHD without Drugs with These Resources  ...Feb 5, 2011,  22397 20 Things Students Want the Nation to Know About Education...Sep 28, 2011,  19353 I hope there was a post or two that resonated with you in some way. If there was, I'd love to hear about it in the comments. 

In the early days of my work in helping schools integrate technology, I remember how frustrated I was when I'd walk into a school and witness how devices were used. In so many classrooms, students would take what was written on loose leaf paper and type their work into a computer. Next, they'd print it out. The teacher would mark it up, and they'd type in the new version.Ack!Not only were they only use technology as a substitution for paper, but the way they were doing this work was actually less efficient than just using paper.I'd work at the very basic level to explain that this transition back and forth between paper didn't need to happen. Students could type right onto a computer and teachers could comment right into student drafts.  Even in the relatively early days of MS Word comments (even voice comments) were a little known, but effective tool available.I want more »

Social Media isn’t the only area in which New York City is paving the way. As announced in the NY Daily News, the New York City Department of Education will lift the ban on cell phones and other digital devices in March.Instead of banning devices, schools will have options including:Store mobile devices in backpacks or a designated location during the school day.Allow mobile devices to be used during lunch or in designated areas only.Allow mobile devices for instructional purposes in some or all classrooms.While there have been teachers, schools, and districts who have given students the freedom to bring cell phones and other technology to school, New York City is the largest. This will set the trend and help move others to open the doors for student devices in school.I want more »

When schools decide they want to embrace the use of student devices for learning, it doesn't "start" with inviting devices into the classroom. It starts with inviting the use of devices into homework. While parents understand why cell phones are important to stay in touch with their children and keep them safe, they may not understand their usefulness for learning. This is no surprise. Students haven’t been given the opportunity or guidance by teachers in doing so. Rather than simply telling parents about the research and benefits of using cell phones for learning, show them!Before using cell phones in your classroom with students, begin giving students the option to use cell phones to complete their homework. This gives the teacher the opportunity to allow students to use cell phones for learning without classroom management concerns. It gives students (and their parents) experience in using cell phones for learning. Yet another benefit is that using cell phones to support learning at home enables educational leaders see firsthand how these tools can support student learning. To follow are some Ideas for enabling students to use cell phones for learning at home. I want more »

While most adults understand the benefits of students having cell phones in school to stay in touch with parents for safety purposes, when it comes to classroom use, some have fears. These include concerns over data collection, privacy, being a distraction, replacing personal interaction, discipline, theft, use for bullying, and more. The concerns are real and they don't only apply to cell phone use. It's no different when doing many things at first: Crossing the street, using pointy scissors, talking to strangers, swimming, riding a bike, and more. While all of these activities have risks, because of their advantages, rather than banning them, we patiently guide children to do them with care and scrutiny. Personal devices are no different. Here are some ideas to arm educators with strategies to address common concerns that may arise when students bring their own devices to the classroom.I want more »

When schools lift the ban on cell phones, they need to decide if they want to embrace the use of student devices for learning. If they do, it doesn't "start" with inviting devices into the classroom. It starts in student's homes. What better way to help parents understand the instructional value of cell phones than to use these devices to strengthen the home-school connection? Cell phones provide a terrific means for connecting with parents. Teachers can begin using phones to develop and strengthen those relationships. This can provide a foundation and help develop understanding around the benefits and value of cell phone use in general and later for use with students. Here are three ideas to get started:I want more »

When I speak with educators about the power of hashtags in social media, I get four questions.1. How do I figure out which hashtag to use and set it up?2. How do I know what people are saying?3. How do I know what hashtag people are using if I want to find conversations about an area of interest?4. How do I know who is using the hashtag?There's a few great sites to help you answer these questions. They are Tagboard, Hashtagify.me, TOPSY, and Twitter.  Let's take a look and how to use these platforms to most effectively answer these questions.I want more »

Guest post by James Alan SturtevantTeachers are often lectured, "Get to know your students!" That’s not easy to do! A lot of kids can be pretty closed down. And, if you try to get to know them before they’re ready…it can be counter productive.Bonding with students is fundamental to the learning process. John Hattie, in his landmark book "Visible Learning", created a list of 138 influences on student learning. He placed student-teacher relationships in 11th place, far ahead of many things one might think more important. State departments of education, like in Ohio where I live, are requiring resident educators to demonstrate that positive relationships are being fostered in classrooms.I want more »

At a recent NYC Mayor’s Office event on tech, innovation, leadership, and diversity, a student audience member shared that she was the only girl in her school to take computer programming classes.  A panelist made a commonly-heard suggestion.... Make computer programming a requirement. The idea is that if opting out is not an option, then we will have more diversity AND students will learn a subject that everyone should know these days. Finis! Job done. Of course artists might make the same case for visual literacy; musicians could make that case for learning to read music, we could make foreign language mandatory, and on and on and on and on.Educator, mathematician, and computer scientist Seymour Papert reminds us that we’re only able to teach in schools about one-billionth of one percent of all there is to know, yet we argue endlessly over what that should be. Creating new class requirements is the easy way out. It doesn’t look at why a more diverse population isn’t attracted to the class in the first place. It doesn’t put any responsibility on the teachers and curriculum designers to look at what they’re offering and change it so that it is indeed more appealing to a diverse audience. Another problem is that requirements can backfire. Rather than help students find an undiscovered passion, they can turn a student off from a subject forever. When we require all kids to take the same one-size-fits-all classes, we are not looking at our audience. Learning should be by choice, not force.I want more »

Teens today.Always on their phones. Lightening fast thumbs sharing content on Snapchat, Vine, Instagram, Twitter and more. While teens, teachers, and parents are familiar with cell phone's use as a social tool, more and more are discovering they are a great learning resource as well. There's even evidence and research to prove it. This is useful for the texting teen trying to convince school staff or a parent that they really do use their devices for learning. It is also useful for innovative educators who are trying to convince administration and explain to parents why they want to empower students by letting them use the devices they own and love.Want to see the evidence showing how students can use mobile devices for learning?I want more »

While it’s not uncommon to hear students say "I hate school," some are really suffering and desperately want out.I can relate. I became an educator not because I loved school, but because I was bored and miserable in school. I wanted to figure out how to change that for others. I started this blog to share ideas about how to do  that.  Like my own experience, many students today are bored and disengaged for many hours each day, despite the best efforts of their teachers and parents to try to help them make the most of school. Many are depressed. They feel a complete lack of control over their lives, and have a bleak view of the future.Some of these kids, having Googled  "I hate school," find their way to School-Survival.net, a support site for kids who can't stand school.I want more »

I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Rae Pica at BAM Radio about how much technology is too much when it comes to technology in the classroom. Joining me in the conversation were Sonny Magaña an award-winning teacher who has been studying the impact of technology on teaching and learning and author of "Art and Science of Teaching with Technology" as well as Andy Marcinek, Director of Technology, Grafton Public Schools, and author of article, "Technology and Teaching: Finding a Balance". In the conversation I shared my belief that you can never have too much technology, just like you can never have too many books, if it is used well. In fact, we need to get rid of the idea that balance is key when we come to using technology.  I also share a great tool to find teachers can use to find the right technology for student learning goals.   If this topic is of interest to you, take a listen at any of the links below.Show link: http://www.bamradionetwork.com/educators-channel/2239-how-much-technology-in-the-classroom-is-too-much Play episode: http://www.jackstreet.com/jackstreet/WTEA.Integratingtechnology.cfm Subscribe on iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rae-pica/id368754208 If you do tune in, let me know what you thought in the comments.

Today's #ThrowbackThursday brings us to a post I wrote when I was frustrated with a project I was working on with a vendor that didn't understand the value of free translation tools. Instead they were trying to figure out how to translate everything via a human translator making the project an impossible undertaking in terms of man power and money. Fast forward several years and many of these tools, such as Google Translate, have become common place. I also touched on some less commonly known tools like  Odiogo which makes text talk.  Written: November 9, 2008I want more »

I am a power user of social media. My main spaces for work are Google Communities, Facebook, Twitter, and my blog.  I have maintained a blog since 2008 and moderate more than a dozen online communities.  The question I’m consistently asked is "How do you have time for it all?"  While for some social media has the unfortunate reputation of being a time waster, it can be used as a tool to increase efficiency and support learning for self and others. So, when I’m asked the question, the answer is easy.I have time for it all because for me, social media saves me time.Here’s how.I want more »

I'm a student voice advocate. Fortunately, my employer supports this and as such, we have been incorporating the voice of students in the guidelines around social media (You can see the teen guidelines at schools.nyc.gov/socialmedia). Most recently I had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of elementary students about social media and which platforms they are using. Admittedly, I'm not much of a user of social media platforms for the under 13 set, so I knew I had a lot to learn. Interestingly, across the board, one platform rose to the top and I had never heard of it before. The platform is called MovieStar Planet and it promises players "Fame, Fortune, and Friends." Interestingly, though not surprisingly, the first reaction from many of the adults about this game was negative. Online gaming? Social media? Fame, fortune, friends = narcissism. Blech. When I suggested this would be a great game to be reviewed on an education site, I was told, the site only reviews games that were educational. For some it seems if kids like it and it plays to their need for attention, it has to be bad.  Not so.Here is how MovieStar Planet describes their site:"MovieStarPlanet is a social website where children and teenagers work together with their friends to create cartoons. MovieStarPlanet is a blend of Facebook and YouTube with a learning dimension added." Here's how it works:In MovieStarPlanet you get a personal virtual MovieStar which is used in movies, chat rooms and games.In the Movies and chat rooms a microphone can be used to record speechlines and voice chat - please see the "How to record sound" instruction movie for details about how to record sound.Your MovieStar earns fame points and StarCoins (the virtual money in MovieStarPlanet) when you participate in the MovieStarPlanet virtual world.StarCoins are earned when other users watch your published movies, when you watch and rate other movies, and when you play games in the chat rooms.Fame points are earned when other users watch your published movies.Your MovieStar starts at level 0, and when you earn fame points you rise in levels. New levels give access to new animations and access to chat rooms reserved for MovieStars at higher levels. So you might be reading this and be a bit freaked out that young people are being social online. What if someone says something mean? What if someone is not who they say they are?  Real concerns indeed which is why it is important for adults to be in the online worlds of young people.  That said, when I talked to the students, they could have given a class on the topic. They definitely knew how to handle it.-Tell the person nicely that you don't like what they are saying.-If they continue block and report them.That usually did the trick. If not, they say they'd get a parent or teacher that wouldn't "freak out and ban it" involved. And, that's a real concern for kids. Too often one negative thing happens and the response from adults is to ban and block (like this school did) rather than empower and prepare our youth who are growing up in a world where being savvy on social media in crucial.  Think about it this way.  What better way for children to develop literacy skills then to chat with each and create movies for a real audience. And, bonus. The children have the opportunity to connect with others from around the world.  Now check out who is behind the creation of MovieStar Planet:The Danish Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation in cooperation with The Danish University of Education, and a number of elementary school teachers.In 2009-11 the development of MovieStarPlanet is part of the research and development project about the use of games in education called Serious Games on a Global Market PlaceHere are the education objectives: The cartoons in MovieStarPlanet are small and very simple, focusing on using English in new and motivating ways. The cartoon medium is used to practice the written English skills of the children allowing them to:·         read and write screenplays·         watch their own and other children’s Movies so that they practice listening to and understanding/interpreting the English languageFor the children, MovieStarPlanet is ideal for:·         participating in "language games" and role-plays·         using digital media to create simple or more advanced texts·         communicating with children in other grades and schools·         understanding and performing simple or more advance language actions·         using digital media for creative expressionReady to get started? ·         Teachers: Head on over to the teacher's center.   ·         Students: www.moviestarplanet.com is freely available on the internet and can be freely used in education or privately by anyone.·         Parents: Read http://info.moviestarplanet.com/parents.aspx. ·         Everyone: Safety first. Read this: http://info.moviestarplanet.com/safety.aspx

Editor's Note: A version of this post was originally posted on career advice expert, Penelope Trunk's education blog. If you'd rather read it (and the comments) there, go here.  There’s nothing the press likes better than a story that generates real panic for teachers and parents…especially when it has the stamp of science to give a the panic an extra edge.That’s exactly what happened when the media (Scientific American, Wall Street Journal,CNN, New York Times) ran a story about the American Association of Pediatrics (AAP)recommendations on children and screen time. One to two hours a day for children older than 2, they said, and no screen time at all for those younger than 2. Longer than that is dangerous to their health and their development.An educator or parent today reading this probably had one of these reactions:1.  You are a failure because your students are in front of screens much more than 1 or 2 hours a day.2.  You don’t let students use computers so you’re good.OR 3.  Seriously? What year is this? Who is doing this research?If you fit into the third reaction, you are likely someone who has seen amazing learning from screen time for your young people: building, creating, coding, reading, writing, and more.Why would adults want to limit that?We wouldn’t.So why would the AAP make such out-of-touch recommendations?I want more »

When Teaching Generation Text was published in 2011 there were numerous ways to use text-only enabled phones for learning.  This was great for students and families who didn't have access to smartphones.  Back then there were terrific tools like Google SMS, Cha Cha, Wiffiti, and 4info. One by one as smartphones took the front seat, texting tools like those faded away, until now. Text Engine was developed to offer cell phone users a means to search the web using their text messaging service. This is great news for educators and students in low-income and rural communities.  And that's a good thing, because while smartphones are popular, there is still a great need for text-only services in low-income and rural districts. There is also a need in districts like NYC that empower students to bring their own devices to school, but don't have the means to enable students to connect to the internet.  I want more »

Today's #ThrowbackThursday brings us to a post I wrote about the importance of incorporating social media and student devices into learning even if it is blocked or banned in schools.   What a difference a half dozen or so years make! Today, social media is embraced by districts such as New York City and this week the long-standing ban on cell phones has been lifted. Back then I was running a Ning network for The Innovative Educator blog. Since then, Ning is out and The Innovative Educator Facebook group is in and boasting several thousand members.Written: May 11, 2008I want more »

BRANDS ARE WASTING TIME AND MONEY ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER, REPORT SAYS"STOP MAKING FACEBOOK THE CENTER OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP MARKETING EFFORTS," SAYS NATE ELLIOTT, VP AND PRINCIPAL ANALYST AT FORRESTER.WRONG!Headlines like this from Fast Company have it all wrong. Being on social media is right for companies but they need to know how to do it the right way. The right way is not having a social media presence that's all about you. It's finding your audience and interacting with them in meaningful ways. It means giving companies the opportunity to put a face behind a brand. It also means providing a useful service for clients and finding the right partners. I want more »

The Americas Society and Council of the Americas invited me to discuss scalable innovative practices for education with experts and leaders dedicated to advancing and shaping the political, economic, social and cultural agendas of the Western Hemisphere. The purpose was to take what works in New York City and bring it to other education systems.  Here are some ideas I shared that global leaders can bring back to their countries. 1) Online Learning Communities for Education Resources  It is no longer okay for companies to provide teachers with just a product. Today we ask companies whose products we use, like Google, PBS, and Common Sense Media to develop online learning networks comprised of their staff and NYCDOE educators who use the product. Communities on sites like Google, Facebook, and Edmodo allow educators to connect with one another to share ideas, best practices, troubleshoot issues, and more.  A member from the NYCDOE and from the company participate in the group to provide appropriate support as needed. Teachers love it. Alone, exhausted, and unseen become connected, energized, and recognized. I want more »