Alex Laubscher and mentor Mike King at MoCCA FestAlex Laubscher is a cartoonist who I met this year when his mother brought him to New York City for MoCCA Fest which is an art festival for illustrators. By the age of 15 Alex developed an extensive network of others who share his love for the zine culture and illustrating.  Alex connected and developed relationships with some of the leaders in his field via Instagram. Laubscher has learned to produce and sell his own self-created zines.  He has learned everything he knows about his craft not through school, not through his parents or family, but via the learning network he has created for himself. He has asked for and received some terrific support in this work through his school, but for the most part school has gotten in the way of his success. His parents have been supportive of his endeavors, but by no means are they ones guiding him in this journey. Rather they are their to support him in doing their best to ensure he is safely and happily able to pursue his passion.  In the following interview, Alex explains his tips for success in creating a professional learning network.  I want more »

Editor’s note: This guest post from Chris Casal started as a comment on "Filtering social media in schools because it’s a ‘distraction’" which appeared on Scott McCleod’s Dangerously Irrelevant blog.Social media is no different than pencil and paper. I doodled a lot in the margins of my physics book. It wasn’t Twitter and Facebook that made me doodle but I doodled nonetheless.Social media can serve as the new platform for distraction but not a new cause for it. Doodles, passing notes, sleeping in class, all of the "analog" forms of distraction, have just morphed into branded platforms.The difference? Sleeping in class never led to anything. On the other hand, connecting & engaging on social media might. The doodler who grew up to be a graphic designer may have been distracted in class but is now earning a living born out of that distraction. Maybe the students tweeting in class will develop the next great media platform.Social media has no intent. It can be used for evil, but it has far more potential for good. Second graders in my school composed 100 tweets for the 100th day of school in @MsGlembocki’s class. Things they loved, learned, and experienced in 100 days. They did the full writing process, including paper drafts, and then used class iPads to publish their tweets. It was amazing to see 30 second graders engaged the entire day in a writing process that covered both traditional methods & social media. They got instant feedback on their writing from around the world. Not a distraction in the least.@MsKertesz, 4th grade ICT, used Twitter to connect with a class in Liverpool, England. They had weekly Skype sessions, did cross-pond spelling bees, and collaborated on Prezis.These are just two examples of how social media is used in my building in very positive ways. Our students are excited about the prospect of their own accounts when they get to the appropriate age. I am confident that when they do have their own accounts they will use them as productively and positively as our teachers have.Nothing beats a good model.It shouldn’t be blocked. It should be used. Distraction exists no matter what. Don’t censor a whole medium in fear of distraction.To read more ways we use social media at my school visit http://thecasalos.blogspot.com/search/label/twitter

At their most basic level, playing video games is akin to reading books. Like books, video games can range in quality from trashy novels to informative historical fiction. Like books different genres of video games have varying learning potential. Like books, video games offer different purposes and varying levels of usefulness when it comes to learning. To decide which type of games are best for your children, first consider which type of learning you want to support, then figure out which games are best suited for your child's needs. You can check out my latest article on Answers.com here to do that.  

Are you an innovative educator who loves using digital media, but is a little concerned about the safety of student data?Do you wonder if your classroom tech use is CIPA and FERPA compliant?  You are not alone.This is a hot media topic which often gives us cause for concern. Being concerned is good. Being armed with the facts is better.This came to my attention recently, because innovative educators (in threads like this one) provided me with articles that made them second-guess their use of certain technology resources. I did some investigating and here is what I discovered.I want more »

Most degree programs provide students with the option of using an e-textbook instead of a traditional hard copy. This usually means scouring the Internet for the best deal. It also means figuring out what format works best for you. Innovative educators who are taking classes are making informed choices for themselves. However, whether they are in school or not they must ensure their students are college ready. This includes arming their students with knowledge on how to determine what format is best for them. Here are some considerations.I want more »

When I talk to students these days they tell me that when they want to learn something they're interested in, it usually is not teachers or parents they turn to. It’s Google, YouTube, or to others they find online (aka their PLN) who engage in their activities of interest. These kids aren’t just playing on the computer either. They mean serious business. Teen Jack Andraka turned to Google when doing his research that led to his discovery of a new screening for pancreatic cancer. Teens like Courtney Gressman and Alex Laubscher are building networks using social media to pursue their passions and do work that matters to them and others. Not only does access to the internet provide limitless access to resources but tools like the iPad (or other tablets) also change with the needs of the user. One device can transform into a piano, drawing canvas, book, publishing press, or whatever a student wants it to be... on demand. This has come up in my world recently when a parent confess to me that she was unsure of her ability to support her child's learning away from school. To put her mind at ease we simply discussed what her child wants to learn, and then determined available resources.  What follows is a possible curriculum via tablet, customized to one student’s passions and abilities:I want more »

Google Hangouts on Air let you conduct a video conference with up to ten people that is live streamed and taped for later viewing. Earlier versions of hangouts, were quite clunky with a few glitches, but they've come a LONG way since I first wrote about them. Two great new features are that you can now do Google Hangout on Air events and you can get the embed code, YouTube link, and even link in advance.  This means you can embed the hangout right on your website, blog, or other online space. I made the poster below to walk you through the 7 simple steps required to start a Google Hangout On Air. (Tip:  If you are having trouble viewing this in your browser, it may be easier to right click the image and download or open in a new tab.)  

Guest post by Chris Casal (A more detailed version of this article was cross posted at The Casal Operating System)If you haven’t heard, another story of technology gone wild was recently shared in this WNYC article "Why Hoboken is Throwing Away All of its Student Laptops." As is the case with other failed technology initiatives in places like Liverpool, and Los Angeles, the problem is not the tech, but rather the ineffective deployment and implementation strategy.  If you don’t want your school or district to end up in the headlines after purchasing technology, follow these six suggestions to make implementations more effective:I want more »

Innovative educators are often frustrated when administration will not allow them time for collaboration and professional study. At the same time,  innovative educators know that to succeed they need to have an effective principal at the helm. Principal effectiveness includes knowing how to provide teachers with these three things:Time for collaborationTime for professional developmentA school wide system that supports positive behaviorThese items require principals to find innovative ways to give their teachers time to learn.  Without that, even the most motivated of educators will have a hard time staying up to date and bringing innovative practices to their school.  If your school principal forgets, share the below infographic. It makes a great case for principals who may need a reminder every so often why you need to attend that amazing conference, ed camp, workshop, or Twitter chat. Click below to check out the Infographic Via:The Impact Effective Principals Have on Education

If you are looking for inspirational videos to spruce up professional development at your school this year, you have to look no further than "The Brainwaves" video anthology which features videos on a myriad of topics from innovative educators.The videos are free and generally run between 5 - 10 minutes. Should you decide to use them, you may want to follow these guidelines from WNET for using digital media in the classroom.I want more »