Viral Learning is Contagious!

Week 13 – Individual Learning and Mass Sharing #SAVMP

The week 13 SAVMP posted asked these questions of the BLOGers:

How do you share the work that you do during individual staff PD to ensure that great learning goes viral? I would love to see some other examples of how people are sharing.

I don’t know why, but I have ALWAYS been a sharing person (sharer).  Often times, it does not benefit me whatsoever, as folks will take my ideas and implement them, and then THEY get the credit. But, hey, wasn’t it Reagan who said, “There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

There are two ways I am “sharing” the professional development we have at Cherry Street Elementary. One way is my Twitter feed. During our two days of pre-service training this year, I ran a live feed during the two days of training and posted all the videos we used as well as images of our teachers as they provided the professional development for our campus. I know that the Principals in my PLN often share videos and training topics, and they give me brilliant ideas. I hope that my sharing does the same! Here are some examples from back in August.

And, even more fun, I have started sharing videos of EVERYTHING! I created a YouTube Channel about a year ago, and I have been having the most fun populating it with faculty videos and videos I have made for school-based professional development goals. Here are just a couple:

The sky is the limit when it comes to sharing. I don’t know who the approximately 4,000 people are who have viewed my BLOG, but I hope in some way that they have had at least one “take away” from the experience. This is connected learning at its best. Viral learning is contagious! LOL. 

Balancing Administrative Reality with Being Connected #SAVMP

#SAVMP

Balancing Administrative Reality

with Being Connected

I recently finished watching the Google Hangout hosted by Amber Teaman a.k.a @8amber8 on “Balancing the Administrative Reality with Being Connected.” The hangout was extremely informative because I got to see all the different personalities that I often follow on Twitter, but I also got to think about their responses to several good questions.  I was happy that many of the responses were similar to my own responses. I shared the same answers that they did on several questions, and that helped me feel like I am being successful in my Personal Learning Network (PLN).

The first thing that was humorous to me was... YES, some people consider being connected as not necessarily working. Justin Tarte @justintarte shared a story about getting called into the superintendent's office for tweeting while at work, but he was ultimately able to explain to his superintendent and eventually win him over to understand that leveraging social media is a highly effective way to increase your instructional leadership capacity. I have always been very wary of tweeting or blogging during work hours, and so I try to reserve my PLN work for evening hours. With this practice,   I don't ever run aground, and I keep perceptions from ever being misguided. I am very careful in this respect.

Next I was able to find solace in Tom Whitford's a.k.a. @twhitford answers. His view is that it is okay to send out personal tweets included in your PLN tweets because we are all real people. I appreciated that response because I have often tried to keep my personal and professional voices separate. I have three different twitter accounts, and it was refreshing to realize it is okay to use my educational account to throw out some personal tweets every once in a while to all my peeps so they will know I am more than my leadership “self”.

Next I got a fantastic resource from Amber Teaman called #kinderchat. That, by the way, is really what all this connectedness is about.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't identify and learn something from my PLN and then I turn around and share that information with the people in my own PLN or even better... I share it with my faculty or our school or our community.

Just this past week, I used the resources I found in #kinderchat in my newsletter that goes out to the faculty which I send out every Monday. I focused on the #kinderchat information that analyzed increasing rigor in the early grades. I received new knowledge from digging deep into the resources provided on that Twitter feed.  It is a great resource that allowed me to develop a context or knowledge base for something I've never done. I have not taught kindergarten and so having the new #kinderchat tool gives me a certain level of knowledge that empowers me to be a better leader for my early grades teachers.

One of the best parts of the conversation centered on the question… how can leaders find the time and find the energy necessary to be connected? I appreciated their answers. First of all, each of them seem like they are very high-energy. I am definitely a high-energy person. I am drawn to other energetic folks.  They shared that being connected is motivating and inspiring to them and it is what they live for! I agree because I know I love to learn. I constantly pursue new learning and strive to process new information to aid me in growth and improvement.  That feeling of growth is, in itself, inspiring to me and gives me the energy to spend those extra few minutes every night being connected and being the connected learner engaging in  DIY (DO IT YOURSELF) and creating my own pathway for improvement.

The last question that spoke to me was about... the need to be connected and still be productive at work. Wow. That is a tough one. I marvel at some of the people that I follow in my PLN like George Couros or Justin Tarte or Amber Teaman. I am alarmed at the level of presence they have and how little presence I have in comparison. Sometimes it is discouraging, but I know that I have just started this journey, and I will be able to grow my connectivity as the years go by. Also, I know that I will NEVER be the “Rock star” that some of those folks are. I will just be me, and I will be amazing being me! So, I will put in my 100% during the work day, and then I will come home and give my other 10% to my PLN. Then I have to kick in my mom and wife 100%.  Until they approve human cloning, I will just be very busy and very happy giving it all I’ve got!

Here is the Hangout in case you want to watch the professionals:

Google Hangout - Balancing Administrative Reality with Being Connected

Connected Educators Month

This past month I have been learning about Online Curation. I opened a Scoop It! Curation Account. I have also been involved in a collaborative curation project with several other connected leaders: John - A Superintendent from Ohio, Mark -- A  Chief Information Officer, and Lynn -- An Elementary Technology Integrator/Coach.

Each of us was tasked with attending several different events during the Connected Educators Month of festivities and to synthesize the greater community's discussion of our theme over the course of all four weeks. Our writing is supposed to give participants who were not able to attend an event an understanding of what took place. We were invited to be curators rather than commentators--reporters vs. editorial writers.

This was our first week, and my first curation EVER! It was delightful. Check out the first submission:

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Connected Educators Month is full of ways to get “connected.” One special group of learners is the CONNECTED LEADERS group who most certainly are interested in the Connected Leaders theme and anything and everything about leadership in the connected communities out there.

KICK-OFF EVENT: OCTOBER 1, 2013

The opening panel, Connected Leadership, was hosted by:

Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach – author of Connected Educator

Valerie Greenhill – Chief Learning Officer for EdLeader 21

Chris Lehmann – Founding Principal for the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia

Candice Dodson – Director of E-Learning with the Indiana DOE

Scott McLeod – Director of Innovation for Prairie Lakes Schools

Discussion centered around, “What does it mean to be a connected leader?,” How does connected leadership impact student learning?,”  and “As we become more connected, what challenges do we face in the future?” The panel got off to a great start and immediately tackled the topic of preparing our students for the future. This certainly is an underlying theme of why leaders should be connected.

The way we learn and live is moving beyond isolation. Our local Communities of Practice are becoming GLOBAL Communities of Practice. Reducing isolation is key, and this will change everything we do. For instance, educators will feel affirmed in their learning to take risks because they no longer feel isolated….instead they feel connected.

Topics ranged from issues such as openness, district systems that facilitate openness, transparency, accelerated learning, and the ever critical collaboration. Again and again, the panel members returned to the concept that there is power in learning that is socialized.

Other events throughout the week included:

CELEBRATE PRINCIPALS: OCTOBER 1, 2013

Also, on the 1^st, there began a celebration of connected Leadership. NAESP began their celebration of National Principals Month with their Hats Off to Principals Contest!

§  Step 1: Draw a picture, snap a photo, produce a video, write a song or poem, or create any other work of art that celebrates your principal. Make it cool, make it personal, but most of all, make it fun!

§  Step 2: Upload your tribute to NAESP’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/naesp

§  Step 3: Win great prizes! We’ll recognize a weekly winner. Prizes include: $50 Amazon® Gift Cards, Crayola® Dry Erase Prize Packs, and more!

TECH TIDBITS & FREE SOCIAL MEDIA APPS FOR THE HURRIED ADMINISTRATOR: 

OCTOBER 2, 2013

During this multi-vendor session, administrators were able to review several great educational apps. These apps ranged from organization and time savers for leaders to academic apps for teachers. Dr. Rob Furman, principal of South Park Elementary School new Pittsburgh, PA, shared 25 to 30 apps in all including several social apps. At the conclusion of the event, a small discussion on social media in education was also presented.

SUBMITTING A MANUSCRIPT FOR PUBLICATION: OCTOBER 3, 2013

During this webinar, Kappan Editor-in-Chief Joan Richardson walked leaders through the process of submitting a manuscript for publication. Her advice focused on Kappan but much of what she shared also applies to other professional education publications. She introduced participants to writers’ guidelines, editorial calendars, thematic issues, timelines for decisions and more, all in an effort to help educators navigate the submission process. This was a valuable session for connected leaders who are interested in print publishing as well as following the same sort of guidelines for BLOGing or publishing online.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A CONNECTED EDUCATOR CHALLENGE: OCTOBER 3, 2013

Administrator’s days are extremely busy. One theme that comes up across all the topics for Connected Educators Month is the necessity of finding the time to be connected. During this contest kick-off, the event asks the question, “What does a day in the life a Connected Educator look like?” We invite you to show us! There are many possibilities for creating a Day in the Life of a Connected Educator project. It could be as simple as a blog post, a graphic organizer or something along the lines of a podcast or video. We have not created guidelines because we want to allow for creative choice. The only requirement is that your project needs to be accessible online. Share the link to your "project" anytime during October by Tweeting it to @INeLearn with the hashtag #CE13. We will feature Indiana Connected Educators all month long at http://www.doe.in.gov/elearning The purpose for sharing:

1.    Inspire unconnected educators and educational leaders to get connected.

2.    Expand your connections and collaborations.

3.    Motivate other connected educators to create their own project to share as part of the National Connected Educator Month.

LEVERAGING TRIBE AS A MEANS OF SELF-ACTUALIZATION: OCTOBER 5, 2013

This webinar hosted by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach was designed to prepare the next generation to rise to the demands of constant change. Sheryl defined how to meet these expectations enclosed in the silos of our classrooms and offices? Her solution is that we need each other. During this session, Sheryl collaboratively explored the art of collective intelligence building and selfless tribe leadership as a means to transpersonal and professional growth.

#SATCHAT: OCTOBER 5, 2013

#Satchat is an online Twitter discussion for current and emerging school leaders that takes place every Saturday morning at 7:30 AM EST/PST. This Saturday’s #SATCHAT will most definitely be focused on Connected Educators Month; however, tune in every week to learn from the other leaders who are up with a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning to discuss the issues of the day.

REACHING PEAK LEARNING VIA CREATIVE TASKS AND REFLECTIVE WRITING:
OCTOBER 6, 2013

This Moodle MOOC 2 Webinar hosted by Dr. Ludmila Smirnova shared her experience of teaching undergrad and grad courses in a teacher-training program and how she made a change in teacher candidates's attitudes and skills from resisting technology and critical thinking to embracing technology and striving for excellence. Any administrator that works with teachers could benefit from using such strategies to move learners from technology resistance mindsets to technology participation, connection, and collaboration.

Week one was busy with options for connected leaders to continue with connected learning. Connections are transforming learning, and we are no longer dependent on local spaces. Join us each week this month as we continue to add to our personal learning networks and our communities of practice.