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| Sabrina Back representing Kentucky Writing Project |
In what ways are you a connected educator?
Connecting with others online and in person is what ignites my professional learning. As a 2003 Fellow of the Mountain Writing Project (MtWP), I learned, even before many common online platforms such as Facebook (2004) and YouTube (2005) were born, that connecting and networking were invaluable tools to nurture myself as a lifelong learner. Fast forward a decade later, and my opportunities for connection are limitless. This. Is. Great! Rather than waiting weeks for a conference, I can access quality, self-selected professional development multiple times a day just by logging in to Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Facebook, or a Google + Community. I select webinars and follow Twitter feeds like #edchat, #edtech, and #ce14. In my role as a Co-Director of MtWP, I use online forums such as Neatchat, Today’sMeet, Google Hangouts, TitanPad, and Edmodo to coordinate and plan professional development for teachers in our service region. Most recently, I was approved for a grant through the National Writing Project to initiate and maintain various online social media accounts for the Kentucky Writing Project. I like the idea of paying it forward; professional learning online is all about being part of the stream of knowledge. You contribute to the stream, and in turn, drink from the stream. The stream sustains you, and you sustain the stream. Whether it’s by creating in CLMOOC, “liking” on Facebook, “following” on Pinterest, or simply indulging in consumption through YouTube playlists, RSS feeds, taptu, or Flipboard, I am connected. My PLN is rich and diverse.
How does being connected impact your practice in schools/classroom?
Accessing the various platforms that feed my PLN makes me keenly aware of what students need to know to use various forms of media. I am fortunate to have one class of digital communications, and I use this time to teach digital citizenship and online safety. I show students privacy settings, talk to them about ways to avoid cyberbullying, and I teach them how to block unwanted connections. I also share safe and effective use of the technology. As a teacher, I know a plethora of apps, platforms, and websites to digitally enhance instruction in my Language Arts classrooms. Moreover, I fully believe the words of Alvin Toffler, “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. ” Teachers have all seen those “Shift Happens” videos. We know we are preparing our students for types of jobs that have not been created. I ask myself these questions very often: How am I helping students to unlearn or relearn? How am I helping them become flexible problem-solvers in a connected environment?
Making all this happen takes a considerable amount of planning, but my students reap dividends. Each year I select platforms based on students’ needs and interests, as well as the availability of technology. In past, this has been some combination of: blogging and/or microblogging, podcasting, creating infographics, using Edmodo for collaboration and quizzing, and creating multi-genre websites based on a topic of self-interest. We all know students adore technology, but it is our job as teachers to make sure we plan technology integration with the instructional objective foremost in our minds, not simply the excitement of using a “cool” tool. One way to plan well is to consider Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy, and to infuse technology through Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR): A model that combines Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy and SAMR.
How does being connected impact you as a professional?
My interest in teacher tech was sparked as a Transition to Teaching Mentor several years ago. Much of how we communicated was online, and at that time, I was such a newbie. I had many frustrating encounters trying to collaborate online with others in the network. Gradually, I learned to navigate Elluminate and had some success with Wimba. In the following year, the Kentucky Writing Project started the Literacy and Technology Inquiry Project (LTIP), making three day teacher tech camps accessible during the summer months at a number of locations throughout the state. Those technology offerings were very well-received, and I soon became a facilitator for LTIP. To date, I have facilitated at seven tech camps at various locations: University of Louisville, University of Kentucky, and for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System at both the Perry and Floyd campuses. The website I use to develop materials for these academies is: teachersknowtech.
This gradual acquisition of technology through the years has given me the experience needed to coordinate the development of Kentucky Writing Project’s online social accounts. Several individual sites maintain websites, blogs, etc. This effort is an attempt to solidify and spotlight the incredible work of our writing projects. Want to know more? Get connected with us:
What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?
Other than the resources and links I have already provided, I would just encourage teachers to jump in. I have never attended KySTE or ISTE (yes, I would love to), and I am “that” teacher who had an iPad before purchasing my first smartphone. You have to start somewhere, and it is best to develop a “no fear” attitude. Yes, things are going to go wrong. Those things will matter little in comparison to how much you and your students will benefit. Some practical advice:
- Learn how to curate content---Mitchell Kapor is not exaggerating when he says, “Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant.” We are suffering from immeasurable “infobesity,” and there is a possibility of being subsumed if we try to do too much all at once. Whether you create Pinterest boards or Scoops (via Scoop.it), use Storify or Listly, find an application you like and start harnessing the web! The websites Edudemic and TeachThought are great places to learn about content curation.
- Figure out how to manage workflow in your classroom---As you have students create digital products, where will those be stored? Will students publish on a class website, submit via GoogleDrive, share a file through DropBox, etc.? Do some preparation beforehand to determine if students need to create separate accounts, if students can do work via mobile or desktop, and if one app integrates with others to create a much better product (app smashing).
- Completely understand the functionality of the tool you are using---How will you teach students to use the tool (via screencast/by demonstrating on the SmartBoard/by taking screenshots)? Does the tool require the use of flash/java/etc., and have those been updated on the computers students will use? What is the cost of the app, and is the app/tool available in IOS/Windows/Droid?
Bio: Sabrina has been teaching for fourteen years, eight of those as a sixth grade language arts teacher at Morgan County Middle School. Since 2005, she has served as a Co-Director of the Mountain Writing Project, the same year she became a National Board Certified Teacher. In 2009, she was selected as an Ashland Teacher Achievement Award winner. She has presented numerous times at the state level for KCTE and KWP, and has presented twice during NCTE’s annual conference. From 2010 - 2012, she participated in Literacy in the Common Core, a Gates-funded endeavor that assembled teachers from Colorado, New York, and Kentucky to develop and refine modules around the LDC framework. She is currently awaiting the results of her recent re-certification attempt from the National Board.
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