professional learning is everywhere - just have to know where to look

I continually go back to Brad Currie's blog post, 100 Minutes a Week. The post talks about how you can spend just 20 minutes a day on professional learning.  Take a moment and read the post! I frequently have to remind myself it just takes 20 minutes.

Read a book, follow a hashtag, watch a webinar, read a blog post, and listen to a podcast.  Five simply ways you can gain personalized professional learning!

Lets look at each one and some go-to resources for each.  Of course, take some time and read (or reread Brad Currie's blog post above).

(1) Read a Book
New books are published everyday and just like textbooks, some are outdated the moment it hits the shelves.  I have come across a great series of books published by Corwin Press.  These are the Connected Educator series.  The books are quick reads, but full of useful information. I started with The Relevant Educator and find myself going back to it often as a reference.  Check out the Connected Educator's Series by Corwin Press.

(2) Follow a Hashtag
I have been on Twitter since 2009 and I haven't looked back!  I am able to connect with edtech gurus 24/7 and gain endless amounts of personalized learning.  A hashtag on Twitter is like a divider in a notebook.  Everything related to science goes behind the science divider in my notebook.  Think of hashtags like dividers.  There are hashtags for EVERYTHING and there are new ones created everyday.  One great place to check out is hashtag list on Cybrary Man's website. Don't let the list scare you, find your interest and go from there!

(3) Watch a Webinar
Webinars are great. I can watch from anywhere and if it is pre-recorded, I can pause and rewind. You can find webinars on sites like SimpleK12 and edWeb. Educational companies will also host webinars related to the product. These are helpful if you are thinking of making a purchase.

(4) Read a Blog Post
Blogs are great. Blogs are a way educators can share their failures, successes, and "verbalize" ideas. You can find classroom arrangement ideas, themed units, and thought provoking topics on blogs.  Some blogs, like Fifth in the Middle, provides lists of blogs by state.  You can also find some great blog suggestions here. (shameless plug for my Pinterest board) If you find yourself starting to follow a variety of blogs, take a look at Feedly. Feedly puts all of your followed blog posts in one location.

(5) Listen to a Podcast
Podcasts are my go-to resource when I have to drive alone. It is a great way to learn new ideas and forget about the fact you are driving somewhere for three hours!  Now, don't forget that you ARE DRIVING and if you need to write something down, pull over! I have the Podcast app on my phone and I am currently listening to Edchat Podcast, Edtechchat Podcast, Satchat Podcast, and Every Classroom Matters. A great list of Podcasts can be found on the BamRadioNetwork website.

That is a lot to digest!  I had a participant ask me during this year's MECA (MS Educational Computing Association) Conference how do you not feel overwhelmed.  If you go 100% on each suggestion, you will start to feel overwhelmed and want to through your hands up.  Find one or two that really click for you.  This is what is so great about personalized learning.  You pick the learning avenue!  If Twitter is your thing, then drive into Twitter.  If you are a visual learner, podcasts might not be for you.  You get to decide!

Did I miss a great resource?  Please share!

eva

The Awesomeness of Twitter

Twitter is awesome! Twitter gives you the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and share ideas. You get to connect, create, and collaborate with people miles and hours away from you.  If you are lucky, you get to meet those people you connect with virtually. I was lucky this week at FETC. I was able to connect with one of my Twitter friends, Melissa Edwards. Melissa and I connect with each other on Twitter as well as present for Simple K12.



This conversation allowed us to connect!  We talked, shared ideas, and even have some collaboration projects in mind. Had to not been for Twitter, I would have never met my new tech integration friend from North Carolina.

Melissa wasn't my only Twitter meet this week. I had the opportunity to meet the awesome leaders of #edtechchat and so many more at the #edtechchat Tweet Up. I got to put a real faces to the Twitter handles I talk to every week. I look up to these people as ed tech leaders and when I would say "Hi, I'm Eva" they would say hey I know you and comment about what I say on Twitter. That's just awesome to me!!

Because of Twitter, I caught to have a conversation with two authors about writing a book. I got to have a conversation with Kathy Schrock and Meg Ormiston. That made my night!

Because of Twitter, I get to learn from these ed tech leaders. Because of Twitter and FETC, I got to meet these ed tech leaders. All because I joined Twitter.

So what is your excuse? Why aren't you on Twitter?? What is stopping you from connecting with experts in education?

#edtechchat with Arne Duncan - my thoughts

On October 28th, 1401 people from around the world got together to talk about being a connected educator.

On October 28th, 1401 people from around the world got together to to share ideas and resources on being a connected educators.

On October 28th, 1401 people from around the world got together and gave educators a voice!


I am a big fan of weekly Twitter chats. I participate in three chats a week - #edtechchat on Monday, #patue, on Tuesday, and #MSedchat on Thursday. I am able to connect with other educators from all over the US and collaborate on ideas and resources that will benefit the educators and students in my school district. I am able to connect with people who are smarter than me and grow professionally!

Last night's #edtechchat Twitter chat was amazing. My Twitter feed was moving so far that I could hardly keep up. What was even more amazing was the chat itself. For one hour, 1401 people came together to talk about being a connected educator. They came together to share their ideas and learn from each other. Yes, there were some negative tweets, but we did not let those tweets take away from the purpose of the Twitter chat.

Last night's Twitter chat reminded me of a really good PLC meeting. A group of educators coming together and talking about what is best for students. The negative comments don't take over the meeting, because all of the participates are there for one purpose - do what is best for students.

I encourage you to check out last night's #edtechchat Twitter chat archive. Be warned though, its over 100 pages long!  It should be though with over 8500 tweets!

I also encourage you to reflect on the questions that were asked and discussed last night.  Reflect on these questions personally and use these questions at your next meeting.

What does it mean to be a connected educator?
Why do you think it's important for educators to become connected?
What barriers exist that prevent you or your colleagues from becoming connected?
How has being connected helped you become a more effective educator?
Fill in the blank: Being a connected educator means _________.