Jul 07, 2017
Jun 30, 2017
Jun 23, 2017
The days of sitting in one-size-fits-all professional meetings are dwindling. Whole day, large group professional development sessions are being replaced with technology-infused collaboration ripe for lifelong learning. For me, the best part of this shift in professional learning is the ability to focus on the topics that interest me the most.
Jun 16, 2017
In order to be good digital citizens, students must cultivate a filter through which they view their digital lives and understand online communication. To help students build that filter, we must support them in developing a multifaceted awareness consisting of a number characteristics. Here are three of the most important:
Jun 09, 2017
Jun 02, 2017
May 26, 2017
The Workout is a model I created for designing professional learning events related to technology integration with innovative teaching and learning. The Workout framework is effective for a variety of topics, such as digital storytelling, formative assessment, visual learning, global collaboration, anytime-anywhere communication, design thinking, blended learning, and problem-based learning.
May 19, 2017
One of the challenges of teaching digital citizenship is to get students comfortable openly thinking and talking about key issues. We know students are constantly facing issues and making choices in their online lives. Creating an environment where students are encouraged to discuss issues helps them think critically about the choices they're making online. Here are some strategies to start students thinking and talking about digital citizenship.
May 12, 2017
Social media has undoubtedly expanded classroom walls, but has it also closed the minds of our students? The echo chamber effect suggests so-students want to hear what they think is the truth and search for others through social media who agree with them.
May 05, 2017
Classrooms aren't always represented accurately in the media. It is not uncommon for news outlets to highlight the latest teacher scandals but ignore the quality work the majority of teachers are doing. Popular television shows often show students seated neatly in rows, reading textbooks, and looking bored. Images of blackboards and chalk still abound when referencing education, yet the classrooms I see everyday are filled with the very opposite of these depictions.
Apr 28, 2017
Nearly five years ago, Gurnee District 56 embarked on a journey to equip students in the district with iPads to be used as their primary curriculum delivery tool. As we began that journey, there were no road maps to follow, and many times it felt as if we were walking in a dense forest with no idea what lurked five feet ahead of us. In a truly collaborative effort, we began to clear the forest and discover enough light to chart a clear path forward. We have come so far since then.
Apr 21, 2017
In my last blog, we explored activities to help students “frame the system” rather than game the system in order to think critically about the rules that should govern their digital lifestyles. Now I'd like to discuss an activity that helps students develop digital citizenship skills by imagining new technologies. The goal is for students to take charge of their futures by inventing it. Digital citizenship is often approached from a reactive perspective in response to unwanted behavior like cyberbullying or cyberstalking. In contrast, this activity approaches digital citizenship proactively, casting students in the roles of leaders and “imagineers.”
Apr 14, 2017
Apr 07, 2017
Mar 31, 2017
Digital Learning • Learning Support
Funding & Recognition
Mobile Learning
Professional Growth
Social Media
STEM • STEAM • STREAM