Microsoft Teams

Collaborative platform helps manage multiple groups and projects

Pros: Easy group creation, integrative approach, and step-by step support get teachers started with fun and practical features for their classes or PLCs.

Cons: Since it integrates with other Microsoft tools, such as OneNote and PowerPoint, novice users may find it busy and daunting to learn to use them as well.

Bottom Line: It offers a ton of options for integrating learning; the lack of some typical LMS features may make it a better fit for small groups or nontraditional group configurations.

Read more 

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. 

By Common Sense Education

As  the Educational Technology Coach and a District Personalized Learning Coach for Verona Area High School, in Verona, Wisconsin, a key part of my role is supporting my colleagues as they learn to integrate technology into the classroom.  In our fourth year as a 1:1 iPad school (K-12), we have made great strides in our digital transformation, and in order to do this I have been actively working with teachers to develop lessons and content for our 1:1 iPad environment to meet the needs of all learners by incorporating universal design for learning principles.  

Personally, I’ve found that Professional Learning Networks (PLN) can be an immense benefit to teachers looking to continue to grow their classroom practice.  I am a Discovery Educator, Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Innovator and ISTE Arts and Technology PLN Leader, and in each of these PLN’s, I’ve learned valuable lessons and made tremendous connections that support my work each day.  

I couldn’t do my job, or be the educator or person I am today without my PLN. If I post something in an area that I know members of my PLN view or visit such as Twitter, Facebook, or various Blogs,  in a matter of 24 hours, I can immediately get answers to questions, have resources shared with me or have people volunteer to support me with a project. 

Here are five ways you can immediately put a PLN to work for you:

Use your PLN to collaborate with others or answer questions about topics and content.
My PLN’s are a tremendous support to me, because if I need a collaborator on a project, or If I am uncertain with a problem or an issue, I can turn to my PLNs for support and answers.  Often, answers to a problem or resources for a challenge I am facing have already been solved or found by one of my PLN colleagues. 

Use your PLN as a source for creative and effective resources.
I love that educators share.  Recently, I needed to learn more about how I could incorporate digital citizenship into various content areas.  Turning to social media and my PLNs, I immediately received responses.  In seeking new instructional strategies for teachers to use in the classroom, I turned to my PLN and learned about a variety of SOS strategies (Spotlight on Strategies) found in the new Discovery Education Experience.  Educators are united by a common desire to see all students succeed, so you’ll find that PLN members will always share their expertise, passions and resources with you. 

Use your PLN to source virtual presenters or guest speakers.
Guest speakers and content experts are a great way for students to learn from others around the world. I’ve found that my PLN is an abundant source of passionate individuals willing to share information via Google Hangouts or other conferencing software.  

Use your PLN for personalized professional learning.  Educators by nature are lifelong professional learners.  In addition to participating in their school system’s formal professional learning programs, many educators are undertaking their own, self-directed professional learning through their PLNs.  Through book clubs, discussion groups, interactive courses and weekly webinars, PLNs can be a great venue for educators seeking to continue their professional learning through non-traditional means.  Furthermore, many organizations such as Google, Apple and Discovery Education offer professional learning.

Use your PLN to support or challenge your perspective.  
Personally, I find my PLN to be a window out onto the larger educational community and a group that can support or challenge my perspective. Through my PLN, I can learn what it is like to teach in rural schools around the United States or in other parts of the world.  When I learn how other educators around the world would approach a problem or find solutions to challenging issues, it is refreshing.  No matter what idea I am looking to explore, I can always count on my PLN to challenge my thinking and provide a way for me to connect with others outside of my organization. 

At our opening day kick off last year, one of the presenters mentioned that we are better together.  I truly believe that and I apply that on my educational journey.  PLN’s are a wealth of information and professional support, and I encourage all my colleagues to find a PLN that will support their needs.

You’re right. Most New Year’s resolutions are made closer to the actual New Year. But it’s [almost] still January . . . so I’m good, right?

And it’s never too late to make a few 2019 social studies resolutions. Best place to start? Asking questions about our current practice, especially during this middle of the year period: What’s working? What’s not? What do my students need? What resource needs to be phased out? How can I get better?

The middle of the school year is a perfect time to think about these sorts of questions. In that spirit, here are five New Year’s resolutions every social studies teacher should make:

1. Focus more on problems and process

I talked about this just a few days ago and I’ve been harping on this for years. But we all need to hear it – especially in January and February when it might seem easier to just lecture and give kids some questions to answer.

Kids need problems to solve. They need evidence to solve them. They need to develop the skills needed to mess with that evidence. They need to work with others to create solutions. And they need the opportunity to share their solutions. Content will always be important. But we need to be intentional about finding a good balance of content and historical thinking skills.

And after a lengthy conversation this morning with Steve Wyckoff around the idea of using badges as a way to focus on social studies competencies, I’m reminded again of the importance of teaching process skills.

Need some examples? 

• Stanford History Education Group lessons
• Read.Inquire.Write
• DocsTeach lessons
• National Archives: Teaching with Documents
• CaseMaker and DB Quest (New Library of Congress inquiry model tools)
• Library of Congress Teacher Page 

2. Apply for summer professional learning opportunities

We should never stop learning, never stop honing our craft. The cool thing is that there are a ton of groups out there who are dying to provide free professional learning. Some of my faves? Gilder Lehrman. Ford’s Theater. Goethe Transatlantic Outreach.

Need some more?

• Professional Learning Opportunities  (Massive spreadsheet compiled by Stefanie Wagner from the Iowa Department of Education.)
• Goethe Transatlantic Outreach
• National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) summer programs
• Gilder Lehrman summer programs
• Ford’s Theater summer programs
• Foundation for Teaching Economics summer program
• National Geographic professional learning resources 

3. More intentional civic engagement

Ok. Most of us have probably dropped the ball on this one. Seriously. Twenty to twenty five percent of Americans can’t name the three branches of government. We have the lowest voter turnout of any modern democracy while at the same time voting rights are being curtailed across the country. And we seem to believe just about anything some 18 year-old Russian kid posts on our social media feed.

It’s not completely our fault. But . . . it’s a little our fault. We need to be much more intentional about finding ways to support both the content and process of Civics – whether we teach Civics or not.

Try these tools:

• Stanford History Education Group civic literacy lessons
• iCivics
• Generation Citizen
• EagleEye Citizen
• Kid Citizen
• Engaging Congress
• Voting Rights, Women’s Equality Day, & Constitution Day
• Civic Action Project 

4. Use social media to grow your PLN

We can all use a hand now and again. A question answered. A resource shared. A strategy explained. And we all have a Personal Learning Network. But social media has the power to expand that network exponentially. (That’s a math term meaning “a lot” or “a bunch.”)

So explore Twitter or Pinterest or even something like GoodReads. Because the more people that we can connect with, the smarter we get.

Need a kickstart? 

• Twitter chats are your best friend. So why are you ignoring them?
• Twitter Chat Basics 

5. Try something scary

As the K-12 education system morphs into one more focused on process, problem solving, college and career readiness, and truly preparing students for their future, we need to change as well. And that can be scary. It might mean changing lessons or adapting resources. It could mean integrating more technology into your instruction. And I guarantee that it means shifting control of learning over to your students.

This semester? Try something new. Something different. Something that you’re not quite sure how it’s going to turn out. One teacher said:

Need a few ideas?

• Google Expeditions
• Use more fiction
• Boy Scout Badges
• Greet kids at the door 

cross posted at glennwiebe.org

Glenn Wiebe is an education and technology consultant with 15 years' experience teaching history and social studies. He is a curriculum consultant forESSDACK, an educational service center in Hutchinson, Kansas, blogs frequently at History Tech and maintains Social Studies Central, a repository of resources targeted at K-12 educators. Visit glennwiebe.org to learn more about his speaking and presentation on education technology, innovative instruction and social studies.

[The Real Way to Avoid Hearing from the Same 26 Facebook Friends]

Twitter

Smart classroom tool if used with care; priceless for PLNs

Pros: Its energetic, fast-paced communication appeals to those who like to be "in the know."

Cons: Safety and privacy issues definitely come into play with kid Twitter use.

Bottom Line: Twitter offers something for everyone: information, resources, and an easy way to connect with just about anyone.

Read more here.

App of the Day picks are selected from the top edtech tools reviewed by Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly.

By Common Sense Education

Think about some of the recent movie blockbusters like The Avengers, Justice League, and X-Men. Yes, these are fictional characters, but what do they have in common? They are all stories of individuals combining their talents to achieve a common goal. Collaboration produces victory in the world of blockbuster movies and can help you do the same in education.

Unlike professionals who work in the private sector, educators spend most of the day with children in classrooms. How can school leaders find ways for educators to work together when it’s hard for them to find even a few minutes to use the bathroom, let alone collaborate with their peers? Technology has given us new and exciting ways to connect! Whether it is a live virtual meeting, Twitter chat, recorded webinars, or simply a series of emails, technology has given us ways to connect like never before.

Think about what we tell our students to do when they have a question: “Ask three before me” or “Work with a partner.” As leaders, we need to empower and encourage our staff to do the same. Our professional experiences have allowed us to collaborate with a variety of our colleagues, which has transformed both of our own practices. From the Tech and Learning Leadership Summits to MassCUE and other regional and national conferences, presenting at and attending these events has helped us expand our PLNs to include colleagues from around the country.

[TOP 10 FOR PLNS]

With this reach, our PLN is always there for us to connect, learn, ask a question, or just send a funny Gif for a laugh. Forming these professional relationships can encourage more risk taking. You can present together, write articles/blogs/newsletters (case in point with this article), or visit schools to collaborate.

These collaborations are incredibly valuable, but where do you begin? Here are some of the best ways to start growing your PLNs:

• Twitter Chats: Twitter Chats are an amazing way to meet others in your similar role who are outside of your classroom, building, state, or country. Follow a hashtag of interest to you to see past chats and information for future chats that highlight your area of interest. Use tools like TweetDeck to help you launch your own hashtag and get a conversation started.
• Events: Attending conferences gives you an opportunity to broaden your PLN by meeting tons of new people. Attending conferences, EdCamps, or meetups allows you to you find (or expand) your passion and purpose while increasing your opportunity to meet professionals who share that passion.

Be strategic as you channel your purpose and passion during the events to maximize collaboration. Challenge yourself to meet new professionals--you’ll be motivated to share learning as your PLC grows. After the event, keep the learning going by connecting with your new PLN members though emails, tweets, voxer, or in person.

• Organizations: Organizations that include your colleagues can be extremely advantageous in collaboration. Special Interest Groups (SIGs) often meet virtually via Google Hangout, Skype, or videoconferencing services like Zoom. Create and add to Google Docs to keep the ideas and collaboration flowing.

When working together, it’s easy to look at what needs to be “fixed” rather than what is going well. It’s important to recognize and encourage the good work we do collaboratively and build upon it. Tweet it out, shout it out, or put it in a blog or article! As the new school year begins, think of new ways you can collaborate to get outside of your own walls.

Matthew X. Joseph, EdD (@MatthewXJoseph) is the director of digital learning and innovation at Milford (MA) Public Schools. Erin Fisher, MEd (@MrsErinFisher) is the tech integration specialist at East Bridgewater (MA) Public Schools.

Are you a teacher who's new to Twitter? Looking to start an online PLN (or professional learning network)? Because it's so widely used among educators, Twitter is a great place to connect with others, share ideas, and learn from one another. Use these tips to help you get started, and watch your PLN flourish.

Get more great tips on starting an online PLN from Common Sense Education.

At this month’s ASCD Annual Conference I had the chance to chat with Billy Krakower one of the authors of 140 Twitter Tips for Educators in collaboration with Brad Currie and Scott Rocco of Evolving Educators. Billy, Brad and Scott are the founders of #satchat which I’m looking forward to guest moderating later this year. They have put together an essential guide for teachers who are looking to get started with Twitter or take their use of this tool to the next level.

In 140 Twitter Tips for Educators the Evolving Educators team provides a detailed overview of Twitter for teachers who are new to the tool. It includes the basics of setting up an account, using a hashtag, and deciding what to tweet. For veteran users of the tool it includes ideas for taking your Twitter practice to the next level by hosting a book talk or using the list tool. The final chapter provides terrific tips for teachers who want to become Twitter rockstars – perfect for those of us who have been using social media as educators for a number of years.

Highlights from #140EduTips:

• Use Twitter to connect with you PLN in person. This is something I can personally recommend. I’ve met lots of folks I first connected with on Twitter at national and regional conferences.
• Save tweets for later. #140EduTips includes suggestions for web tools that will help you keep track of Twitter chats and favorite tweets.
• Connect Twitter with other social networks. There are great ideas for continuing conversations started on Twitter on other platforms.

Check out 140 Twitter Tips for Educators on Amazon. I definitely recommend this book for teachers at all levels of using Twitter. You’ll walk away with lots of tweetable ideas to expand your PLN and continue learning and sharing!

Do you have a favorite Twitter tip? Use the hashtag #140EduTips to share it on social media.

cross posted at classtechtips.com

Monica Burns is a fifth grade teacher in a 1:1 iPad classroom. Visit her website at classtechtips.com for creative education technology tips and technology lesson plans aligned to the Common Core Standards.