Kentucky Connected Educator Day 20

James Allen

Library Media Specialist

Oldham County

In what way (s) are you a connected educator?

Although we teach in the same building, services like Twitter, Edmodo, and SharePoint help me stay connected to my own OCHS teachers. Facebook, and Instagram help us reach out to our students and parents. I also stay connected at a district level with our other Oldham County librarians and school technology coordinators through daily Lync conversations and monthly face to face meetings. Additionally we have a larger district-level cadre of like-minded educators interested in harnessing the power of educational technology (OCTI). Participating in listservs is another method I use to connect to librarians and teachers, not only in Kentucky, but across the country. Finally, and most powerfully, Twitter has helped me to connect not only to my local PLN, but to educators all over the world.

How does being connected impact your practice? 

Staying connected creates opportunities for learning about new and innovative tools, methods, and lessons, which can ultimately support our students. Smore, a digital flyer creation site, is a recent example where following well-connected and informed educators allowed me to learn about an awesome resource that I was able to immediately use to help our students and teachers. Learning about the creative and innovative uses of Google Drive is another example where connectivity really keeps my educational practice as a school librarian fluid and flexible.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

My relatively new and growing PLN has offered me new perspectives, renewed my enthusiasm for education in general, and has increased my desire to expand upon my connections. I suspect this increased excitement comes directly from the act of connecting on a new level with colleagues, often strangers, but still colleagues that are tirelessly willing to share their ideas and help. I believe these new connections have also given me added confidence to reach out to others in our field and to take more professional risks. School librarianship can be a truly lonely boat ride at times, but usually right when I need it, my network reminds me I am far from alone in my efforts.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

I got my start in being “connected” when I opened my Flickr account nearly ten years ago. The feeling of community, shared interest, and a place for free support was awesome to discover. I’ve applied my experiences with Flickr to my more recent social media interactions. First… do not be afraid. Everyone on Twitter was a new user at some point. Start small and follow just a few users that you find interesting and observe their interactions. Become comfortable with the tools and environment by participating in chat sessions. A few of my favorites are #TLChat, #KyLChat, and #KYEdChat. When you are ready for more use Flipboard, Scoop.it!, or another service to organize content that matters to you and your students. Lastly, share your knowledge, your experience, your expertise, and your unique perspective.

James Allen is a Librarian and School Technology Coordinator at Oldham County High School in his eleventh year of teaching. He enjoys computers and technology, but is especially interested in tools that can genuinely support student learning. James also loves promoting reading and believes that the school library should be a haven of student inquiry and discovery. The moments he is not playing, fiddling, reading, or learning on some type of computer-like device… he enjoys time with his family, practicing photography, and making music.

Twitter: @TLJamesA

Blog: http://ochslibrary.wordpress.com/

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 4

Laura Raganas

Technology Integration Specialist

Taylor County School District

In what ways are you a connected educator?

When I think about this question, my mind begins to race as to the many directions this could go...connected to/with students, parents, co-workers, community, and internationally.  However, with each of those, I can use the same sites, apps, and programs.  I began my journey to be connected with my teacher website years ago and would post activities, hyperlinks and my newsletter.  From there, I got a twitter account and began connecting with other teachers around the world.  Our district is performance-based which pushed me to create videos for my 4th and 5th grade math classes using the site/app Knowmia.  Those are now publicly posted and students can access them any time as a tutorial.  Since I have moved into a technology position, I have broadened my network to include Google (Drive, Apps, Hangout, etc…), Collaborize Classroom, Ky iTunesU (4th Grade Math and 5th Grade Math courses), Edmodo, Nearpod, Evernote, ISTE, KySTE, and Remind101.  (This is definitely not an exhaustive list.)  I also have a livebinder of apps at:  http://www.livebinders.com/play/play/923579

How does being connected impact your practice?

Being connected is the best and most progressive thing I have done to help facilitate my classroom.  Through the numerous connections, not only do I gain knowledge, I am able to share my findings with my students, colleagues, and others with whom I network.  

As a classroom teacher at Taylor County Elementary, I was fortunate enough to be in a 1:1 iPad situation.  Our district is also performance-based K-12 so the students would access their assignments online and progress at their own pace.  This allowed me to meet each child’s individual need(s) where they needed me most.  The students would access their assignments via Ky iTunesU or on my website and then take their tests on CIITS.

This year, I am working with all teachers K-12 in the district to help implement technology effectively.  My main focus has been at the high school level where all the teachers and students have a Google account and they collaborate through this platform.  Many of them also have a Collaborize Classroom account for their students to blog.  Others may use Ky iTunesU, Edmodo, Nearpod or Evernote.

How does being connected impact you as a professional?

By being “connected”, I have access to others’ creativity and ingenuity.  On the above mentioned sites and apps, I can share with other professionals as well.  Let’s face it, in this age of technology, educators must stay current.

What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

I would say that you should begin with Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.   These would give you an opportunity to learn from others and share what works for you.  From there, try to create a blog and access sites such as Ky iTunesU to see how others have created online courses for students.  Finally, expand your connections in the direction that works for YOUR students and YOU -- Personalize your Learning.  

 

As a teacher, I strive to provide the best education for each child...differentiating however and whenever possible to reach each one.  I have taught 3rd grade and gifted/talented in Florida, 4th and 5th grade in Kentucky, and am now Technology Integration Specialist in the Taylor County School District. 

If you would like more information, you may contact me at: laura.raganas@taylor.kyschools.us

connect with me on Twitter @lraganas

find me (Laura Raganas) on LinkedIn

Kentucky Connected Educator Month Day 1

Donnie Piercey

Simmons Elementary
Woodford County

In what way(s) are you a connected educator?

Connected Educator Month is a celebration of teachers who figured out how the Internet can be their friend in the classroom.  The word “educator” jumps out at me, though.  All of us are teachers of students first-being connected just makes our lessons all the more awesome.  So, how am I connected? 

I tweet (@MrPiercey) to get and share ideas with other educators around the world (who I know are a whole lot more creative than I am!). I started the #KyEdChat hashtag for that reason. There are wonderful teachers here in Kentucky who understand the importance of being connected; solid educators who love sharing many of the creative things they are doing with their students. Check out all these Kentucky teachers on Twitter.

Three years ago, I created a classroom blog for my students and parents. My site is a collection of websites, resources, and videos that I use for instruction throughout the school year. If we play a game in class on our Chromebooks, I'll put a link to it on my blog, so my students can go home and play it. If we watch a great Youtube video in class, I'll embed it on my website so my students will watch it over and over again while they are at home. Why should the walls of my classroom be the place where learning stops?

Lastly, this past May I was given the opportunity to attend the Google Teacher Academy down in Sydney, Australia. Being a Google Certified Teacher is a great honor and (okay, I'll admit it) a whole lot of fun, too. It's given me the opportunity to meet some very prominent teachers; some at conference, and others through communities on Google+. The best part for me though: the 160 students who come into my classroom each day get to experience the Googley goodness, too! If you've never played around with the free Google Apps for Education, you're missing out. Sure, I'm a connected educator, but I'm connected to my students first.  

How does being connected impact your practice?

This year, Woodford County Schools is letting me pilot a 1:1 Chromebook classroom with my 4th and 5th grade students at Simmons Elementary. They’re very powerful tools that I believe can change the way teachers teach here in Kentucky.  My students each have their own Google Account which gives them access to all of the free Google Apps for Education. My big, long-term goal is to use my Chromebooks to run a virtual, paperless classroom.  I know this is a wild idea for an elementary classroom, but I’m all about dreaming big.  Here’s one way that I’m using my Chromebooks to make that dream happen:
Every day, my students take a “Flashback” using Google Forms.  Here’s a sample one from a few weeks back (click if you’d like to take it yourself).   All of their information is instantly recorded onto a spreadsheet, and this is where the really-cool-and-nerdy-teacher-stuff starts.  I learned from fellow Google Certified Teacher Jay Atwood (@jayatwood on Twitter, you should follow him!) about a quick little script called “Flubaroo”. Flubaroo grades my students’ work within a matter of seconds; it even emails my students their results!  Check out this video below to see how it works:

  Boom!  Instant Feedback.

Because he's a Google Certified Teacher and he's always looking to teach people new tools and content to improve their learning, Donnie asked Fund staff member, Renee Boss, to join him for a Google Hangout on Air.  In the video below you will find the answer to the last two questions Renee asked Donnie.  How does being connected impact you as an educator?  What advice or resources would you recommend to colleagues interested in becoming connected?

(Note:  In his teacher as facilitator way, Donnie kept the camera on Renee for the first two minutes of the video chat, so be sure to watch the whole thing to see Donnie and to hear his thoughtful responses to the final two questions.)