Throw Back Thursday Launches in 2015

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 step

I’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 

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Student-Friendly Social Media Guidelines Make a Great Bulletin Board

Innovative educator Samantha Stouber uses the NYCDOE student-friendly social media guidelines as part of her efforts to teach digital literacy to her students. The guidelines provide a roadmap for to use digital media effectively.  For parents and staff there are guides. For students, the guidelines are in infographic format. As a reminder, Stouber printed out the guidelines and infographic to create this great visually teen-pleasing bulletin board.  

Need some attractive reminders for your class? Visit the social media guidelines infographics and print them out for your classroom.

Here are some close up pictures of the board:
I want more »

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The Hottest Posts Everyone's Reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment.

Entry	Pageviews
One mistake presenters should never make and 8 str... Dec 7, 2014,	3740
Stop Letting Good Students Do Bad Presentations Nov 19, 2014,	3572
Does Twitter have a minimum age requirement? Jun 13, 2013,	1871
Great Digital Citizenship Activity for Teens to #S... Nov 23, 2014,	1232
If You're Not Giving, You're Not Teaching Nov 26, 2014,	1073
Create Video Playlists to Enrich Learning with Emb... Aug 4, 2010,	881

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10 Guidelines for #EdTech Companies + Social Media - It's All About Relationships

Social media has changed how vendors do business. It is no longer one way communication. Instead with social media, like never before, there is now two-way communication allowing companies to have conversations with their customers. Those who are doing so effectively. Those who are doing so effectively, grow customer loyalty and respect.  Those who are not doing it well, will be perceived as out-of-touch and will move further toward irrelevance. 
Those who serve our schools should be expected to engage with educators via social media. Simply providing products is no longer enough. Educators want to have relationships with the people behind the products. Some ed tech partners are doing a terrific job of this with robust online communities where the people behind the resource are there to support educators in relevant ways. What's more, educators are able to connect with others using their product.  

Here are some do's and don'ts when businesses do get in the business of using social media with educators. 
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Screentime Is Good For #Students + #StuVoice

The next time someone shares with you another piece of shock journalism with claims that research says if kids use tech they'll get fat and stupid, arm yourself with this piece (10 Points Where the Research Behind Banning Handheld Devices for Children Is Flawed) which debunks that research. If you don't feel like reading it, it says this: The research cited against technology use for youth focuses on passive television viewing or addiction to video games that are usually of violent nature. 

Of course video game addiction and passively intaking information for hours on end is bad for anyone. In those cases the problem is usually not the technology, but rather the lack of a responsible adult guiding these young people.

However, when young people have responsible parents and teachers in their lives, this does not describe what most young people do with technology. When responsible adults are involved in and understand the digital lives of young people, great things happen. Below is an arsenal of material that explains how today's youth are using technology effectively.  Pick a few of your favorites. Then share, and shift the conversation from lamenting about "kids today" to celebrating the wonderful things young people are doing when given proper support and access technology.  
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The Hottest Posts Everyone's Reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment.

Entry	Pageviews
Going #BYOD ? Educators Share Ideas on Using Devic... Oct 29, 2014,	4219
6 Ways To Access @YouTube Videos Even If They're B... Oct 12, 2014,	3949
Going #GAFE (Google Apps for Ed)? Here's a Great R... Nov 2, 2014,	3204
6 Ways To Access @YouTube Videos Even If They're B... Oct 12, 2014,	2949
Does Twitter have a minimum age requirement? Jun 13, 2013,	2855
Bored? Explore it! Oct 15, 2014,	2597
Digital Footprint - Advice from the Experts at Tec... Oct 26, 2014,	2190
Interactive whiteboards: A Comparison + Some Alte... Nov 5, 2014,	1844

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Best Options for Purchasing a Domain

The best way to control your digital footprint is to purchase a domain for your site.  Doing so is cheap (only about $15 a year) and easy, but which site should you use?

Don’t drive yourself crazy.  Just pick one of the suggestions below and get on your way to taking control of the digital identity you want.  

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One mistake presenters should never make and 8 strategies to avoid it

Whether workshops, panels, keynotes, or classes there is one mistake presenters should never make. It is a mistake I learned to never ever do from a wise lady early in my career. I've heeded this advice and seen the negative ramifications of those who do not. Ramifications such as a frustrated, unsatisfied, and anxious audience as well as less than favorable reviews and feedback. Additionally, when presenters, don't heed this advice, the chances of their audience incorporating what they've learned into their work, decreases.

Fortunately, if you remember this one piece of advice, your future presentations will be brighter and your audience will leave more satisfied.

The advice is…

I want more »

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The Hottest Posts Everybody's Reading

Here’s the roundup of what's been popular on The Innovative Educator blog. Below you’ll see the top posts along with the number of page views. I hope there's something that looks of interest to you.  If it does, check it out. If you’re inspired use one of those icons below the post to share it with others and/or leave a comment.

Entry	Pageviews
Stop Letting Good Students Do Bad Presentations Nov 19, 2014,	3391
Does Twitter have a minimum age requirement? Jun 13, 2013,	2227
Interactive whiteboards: A Comparison + Some Alternatives... Nov 5, 2014,	2065
Going #GAFE (Google Apps for Ed)? Here's a Great R... Nov 2, 2014,	1609
Conversation topics for educators in the age of social media... Nov 12, 2014,	1429
Great Digital Citizenship Activity for Teens to #SayThanks ... Nov 23, 2014,	1257

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Tech Requirements When Innovative Educators Present

Innovative educators are sharers of their craft. As such they present a lot. When they do, they’re asked to share their tech requirements. It’s surprising that this is still a question as needs are standard. If you present or if you arrange for presenters, below is your list.  

1. Computer

• High speed and less than three years old

2. A place to project

• A modern projector and then make sure you have…
• Adapters
• HDMI, Apple and or whatever new device comes along.
• Find out what the presenting device needs (if they are not using the one at the facility) and get it.

OR

• A flatscreen television that can connect to a device
• WiDi, Apple TV, Chromecast, AirTame

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Engage Any Audience with Google Voice Texting

Innovative educators love presenting to tech-savvy audiences. It's backchannel galore with as folks Tweet, tag, and hashtag away. It's great fun to live Tweet from the stage and pull audience polls up while on stage. However there are times when I speak to an audience that simply isn't quite that savvy. Texting to Poll Everywhere, Cel.ly, or asking folks to use a hashtag leaves audience members scratching their heads. 

But, there is a way you can engage audiences even if they are not tech savvy. 

Today, everyone knows how to text. So, simply ask them to text your Google Voice number. Why Google Voice verses your regular phone number? Because with Google Voice the texts go to your Google Voice account so you have the ability to project the texts for the audience to see. See the below screenshot for an example:

If you plan to show a short video you can even respond to the texts, and copy/paste the questions and answers in your Google Slides presentation so everyone has the answers.  

A nice benefit of this strategy is that there is no one who leaves your presentation frustrated that their burning question or thought is left unheard/unanswered and everyone can be involved.  

If you don't have or know how to set up Google Voice on your phone, read this.  

Watch the below video for directions on texting via Google Voice.

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