Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Top 10 ed-tech stories of 2013, No. 9: Connected Educators

eSchool News counts down the 10 most significant developments in educational technology during the past year. No. 9 is Connected Educator Month.

connected-top10In school systems from coast to coast, tech-savvy educators experimented with augmented reality, educational gaming, and other techniques designed to enhance teaching and learning.

These are only some of the key ed-tech developments affecting K-12 schools in the past year—and we’ve got a full recap for you right here.

Here, the editors of eSchool News highlight what we think are the 10 most significant ed-tech stories of 2013.…Read More

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Connected Educator Month by the numbers

How did you participate in Connected Educator Month?

cem-monthOn Oct. 31, Connected Educators and the U.S. Department of Education wrapped up the second annual Connected Educator Month, an October event aimed at helping administrators, technology leaders, and classroom educators stay connected and learn from one another.

And while wrap-up events occurred on Oct. 31, the connected events did not end on Oct. 31, and that’s one main goal of Connected Educators and Connected Educators Month–to stay connected all year.

Connected Educators offers five steps for staying connected every month, all year long.…Read More

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Six ways to engage in Connected Educator Month

School leaders can make a concerted effort to engage their staff in Connected Educator Month

connected-monthDuring Connected Educator Month, it’s important to realize that the skills, information, and resources shared among school leaders and teachers should be used and applied all year long for the most impactful teaching and learning.

Here, Patrick Larkin, the Assistant Superintendent for Learning for Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts, outlines some key steps school leaders can take to support Connected Educator Month in October, and all year long:

A few years ago, I was leading a conversation on the topic of getting more school leaders “connected” at a conference in Philadelphia with my friend George Couros, a school administrator from Edmonton, Alberta.…Read More

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State leaders learn tips in Connected Educator Month

SETDA details new initiatives, communities for state leaders as part of Connected Educator Month

state-connected-educator-month If state technology leaders know one thing, it’s that community and connection are vital for achievement–both professionally and for student achievement. As part of Connected Educator Month (CEM), the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has partnered with CEM to provide state leaders with vital resources to bring states up-to-speed on key technology issues.

“Keeping up with new ways to teach and learn to ensure our students are successful…is a mind-boggling task if a teacher only has his or her own colleagues in the local school to talk to,” said Geoff Fletcher, deputy executive director of SETDA.

According to Fletcher, having access to other educators, and especially state technology leaders, is the most valuable resource teachers can have, providing ideas and support that will “enrich the lives of students in many classrooms.” For that reason, being connected is “essential.”…Read More

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Teamwork in schools: What administrators should know

Administrators can build a teamwork mentality with a few simple steps

school-teamwork-administratorsAdministrators are tasked with an ever-growing list of responsibilities in their schools and districts. Central to ensuring smooth operations? Teamwork. When school administrators, teachers, and staff members work together collaboratively, school operations and initiative are more efficient.

During Connected Educator Month, administrators will examine how they can not only stay connected through technology, but how they can use important strategies and tools to ensure that they are connected to their teachers.

Addressing teamwork and communication breakdowns can be a touchy subject. But trying one or a few of these 27 steps to encouraging teamwork in a school environment can help administrators ensure that their entire school and district team is working efficiently and effectively.…Read More

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Nine useful lists for educators

EducationWorld has a list of five must-follow users to help you get in the pinning groove.

As part of Connected Educator Month (CEM), social media-savvy teachers and education professionals are using Twitter, blogs, and publications to get information out as quickly and easily as possible, and are using lists in many ways.

Browsing CEM’s Twitter, #CE12, the editors at eSchool News have highlighted some of the most popular lists Tweeted, as well as some that may be most helpful to our readers.

From educator-recommended apps designed for specific subsets of 21st century literacies to 14 of the best ed-tech Tweeters, and from the best CEM speaker quotes to the 10 technology commandments for connected learners, these lists are classroom-tested and educator-approved.…Read More

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New nationwide online community opens for educators

There will be coordinated opportunities for educators to participate in live events and activities in dozens of online locations.

“Improvement requires connection” with peers, colleagues, and new ideas, said Karen Cator, director of the Office of Educational Technology for the U.S. Education Department (ED), at a recent ed-tech conference—and that’s the idea behind the first-ever Connected Educator Month, which kicks off Aug. 1.

To celebrate the occasion, which encourages educators to join online “communities of practice” to improve their craft, ED and its partners in the project are hosting a series of online forums and events.

“As we ramp up for the 2012-13 school year, teachers and leaders … have the opportunity to work toward a more connected and collaborative profession,” Cator said during the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in late June.…Read More

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