ISTE19: 30 Plus Ways To Use Your iPad For Personalized Professional Development

Are you looking for free or low cost professional development opportunities? Do you have an iPad? You can use several apps to find the content to create your own personalized professional development.

There are multiple free and low-cost apps, as well as iPad-friendly websites, that you can tap into to personalize your own professional development on the topics that you are interested in. Since the iPad is mobile, you can work through your curated PD resource when and wherever you like as best fits your schedule.

Come join me on Monday, June 24 to learn more about how the iPad just might be the most versatile learning device available.

Resources:
I listed the apps below in categories of how the apps can be used for personalized professional development. Most apps are free but there are a few that are not but they do something really well that makes them worth the cost.

Record Yourself and Others 
(With Permission - Some conferences and presenters do note allow recording) 
Camera
iMovie
FlipGrid
YouTube Capture
Periscope
Snapchat
Zoom and Reflector 3

Record Your Voice
Voice Memos
GarageBand
Recorder
iTalk

Collect Artifacts
Camera
Photos
FlipGrid
Google Drive
Snapchat
Files

Create Podcasts
Anchor
GarageBand
TouchCast
Adobe Voice
Camera
iMovie
DoInk
Tellagami
Tellaprompter

Capture Your Learning - Take Notes
Notes
Pages
Evernote
Google Docs
Notability
GoodNote
Microsoft Word
Penultimate
Moleskine

Create and Expand Your PLN (Personal Learning Network)
Twitter
Hootsuite
Boxer
FlipGrid
FaceBook
Periscope
Instagram
Snapchat

QR Code Readers
Camera app
QR Code Reader by Scan
Qrafter
I-nigma

Curate Resources
Books
FlipBoard
Scoop.It
Pocket
Slideshare
Pinterest
Instapaper
YouTube
iTunes U
Pearltrees

Create Publications
Pages
Book Creator
iBooks Author (On Your Mac)
FlipBoard
Scoop.It
Instapaper

Professional Reading
Books
Kindle
SlideShare

Expand Your Skill Set
YouTube
iTunes U
Tips app
Drippler
Simple K12
Lynda.com
Udemy.com
AppleTeacher

Create Professional Development Resources
iTunes U
Zaption
iOS Screenrecording Feature

Connect and Learn
FaceTime
Skype
Google Hangouts
FlipGrid
BlackBoard Collaborate
WebEx
Adobe Connect
Zoom

Collect and Organize Your Learning
Evernote
Penultimate
OneNote
Notability
GoodNotes
Files
Paperport Notes
Google Drive
Google Docs
Google Slides
Google Sheets

Organize Your Thoughts
Inspiration
Padlet
Lineoit
Sticky Notes
Total Recall
Popplet
Trello

Organize and Transfer Resources
Google Drive
Box
Dropbox
One Drive
Files

Inspire Yourself
YouTube
TED

Create Presentations
Keynote
Google Slides
Haiku Deck
Prezi
Microsoft PowerPoint

Track Your Time
Timer
Do Now Then
WorkBreaker

Health and Well-being
Health
Hydrate
Waterlogged
Pedometer
Timer
FitBit
StandUp!
WorkBreaker

Illustrate Your Ideas
Keynote
Notes
Notability
GoodNotes
Paper 53
Adobe Draw
Tayasui Sketches
Procreate
Pages
Sketches School
Markup

Schedule Your Time
Calendar
Google Calendar
Draw Calendar
Trello

Explain - Create Screencasts
Educreations
Skitch
Explain Everything
30Hands
Doceri
Reflector 3
QuickTime (On Your Mac)
ShowMe
ScreenChomp
Stage Pro
iOS Screenrecording Feature

Expand Your Programming Knowledge
Scratch
Hopscotch
Tynkle
Code.org
Tickle
Udemy
Swift Playgrounds

Collaboratively Brainstorm
Pages
Docs
Keynote
Google Docs

Create Flyers and Infographics
Keynote
Canva

Relax
Metronome
Zen Garden

Reminders and Task Lists
Remember The Milk
2Do
Trello

PDF Annotations/Scanning
Notes
PDF Scanner
Cam Scanner
iAnnotate PDF
Tiny PDF
Notability
GoodNotes
Paperport Notes
Skitch

Siri
Search internet
Answer questions
Take notes and reminders
Get directions

Accessibility Settings
Screen zoom
Screen brightness
Font size
Color contrast
Text to speech
Speak screen

Image Source

Reflector 3 - For Presenting
Reflector 3  - Mirror your iPad screen to your computer.
Available for Apple, Windows, Chromebook, and Android.

Reflector 3 is a must-have app for your Mac computer if you are presenting on an iPad. Reflector 3 mirrors your iPad screen to your computer, allowing you to move around without any VGA or HDMI cables attached to your iPad.

Image Source

Reflector Teacher - For The Classroom
Reflector Teacher - Manage and mirror your students' devices to your computer. Available for Apple, Windows, Chromebook, and Android.

Reflector Teacher is a must-have app for your Mac computer if you are teaching in a classroom with student devices. Reflector 3 allows you to mirror your students' iPad screens to your computer to display for the class, allowing you to manage student work, display examples for the class, and move around without any VGA or HDMI cables attached to your iPad.

ISTE18: 30 Plus Ways To Use Your iPad For Personalized Professional Development

Are you looking for free or low cost professional development opportunities? Do you have an iPad? You can use several apps to find the content to create your own personalized professional development.

Image Source

There are multiple free and low-cost apps, as well as iPad-friendly websites, that you can tap into to personalize your own professional development on the topics that you are interested in. Since the iPad is mobile, you can work through your curated PD resource when and wherever you like as best fits your schedule.

Come join me on Monday, June25 to learn more about how the iPad just might be the most versatile learning device available.

Resources:
I listed the apps below in categories of how the apps can be used for personalized professional development. Most apps are free but there are a few that are not but they do something really well that makes them worth the cost.

Record Yourself and Others 
(With Permission - Some conferences and presenters do note allow recording) 
Camera
iMovie
FlipGrid
YouTube Capture
Periscope
Snapchat
Zoom and Reflector 3

Record Your Voice
GarageBand
Recorder
iTalk

Collect Artifacts
Camera
Photos
FlipGrid
Google Drive
Snapchat
iCloud Drive

Create Podcasts
GarageBand
TouchCast
Adobe Voice
Camera
iMovie
DoInk
Tellagami
Tellaprompter

Capture Your Learning - Take Notes
Notes
Pages
Evernote
Google Docs
Notability
GoodNote
Microsoft Word
Penultimate
Moleskine

Create and Expand Your PLN (Personal Learning Network)
Twitter
Hootsuite
Boxer
FlipGrid
FaceBook
Google+
Periscope
Instagram
Snapchat

QR Code Readers
QR Code Reader by Scan
Qrafter
I-nigma
Camera QR Code Feature

Curate Resources
FlipBoard
Scoop.It
Pocket
Slideshare
Pinterest
Instapaper
YouTube
iTunes U
Pearltrees

Create Publications
Pages
Book Creator
iBooks Author (On Your Mac)
FlipBoard
Scoop.It
Instapaper

Professional Reading
iBooks
Kindle
SlideShare

Expand Your Skill Set
YouTube
iTunes U
Tips app
Drippler
Simple K12
Lynda.com
Udemy.com
AppleTeacher

Create Professional Development Resources
iTunes U
Zaption
iOS Screenrecording Feature

Connect and Learn
FaceTime
Skype
Google Hangouts
FlipGrid
BlackBoard Collaborate
WebEx
Adobe Connect
Zoom

Collect and Organize Your Learning
Evernote
Penultimate
OneNote
Notability
GoodNotes
iCloud Drive
Paperport Notes
Google Drive
Google Docs
Google Slides
Google Sheets

Organize Your Thoughts
Inspiration
Padlet
Lineoit
Sticky Notes
Total Recall
Popplet

Organize and Transfer Resources
Google Drive
iCloud Drive
Box
Dropbox
One Drive
Files

Inspire Yourself
YouTube
TED

Create Presentations
Keynote
Google Slides
Haiku Deck
Prezi
Microsoft PowerPoint

Track Your Time
Timer
Do Now Then
WorkBreaker

Health and Well-being
Health
Hydrate
Waterlogged
Pedometer
Timer
FitBit
StandUp!
WorkBreaker

Illustrate Your Ideas
Notes
Notability
GoodNotes
Paper 53
Adobe Draw
Tayasui Sketches
Procreate
Pages
Sketches School
Markup

Schedule Your Time
Calendar
Google Calendar
Draw Calendar
Trello

Explain - Create Screencasts
Educreations
Skitch
Explain Everything
30Hands
Doceri
Reflector 3
QuickTime (On Your Mac)
ShowMe
ScreenChomp
Stage Pro
iOS Screenrecording Feature

Expand Your Programming Knowledge
Scratch
Hopscotch
Tynkle
Code.org
Tickle
Udemy
Swift Playgrounds

Collaboratively Brainstorm
iCloud Drive
Pages
Docs

Create Flyers and Infographics
Keynote
Canva

Relax
Metronome
Zen Garden

Reminders and Task Lists
Remember The Milk
2Do
Trello

PDF Annotations/Scanning
PDF Scanner
Cam Scanner
iAnnotate PDF
Tiny PDF
Notability
GoodNotes
Paperport Notes
Skitch

Siri
Search internet
Answer questions
Take notes and reminders
Get directions

Accessibility Settings
Screen zoom
Screen brightness
Font size
Color contrast
Text to speech
Speak screen

Image Source

Reflector 3 - For Presenting
Reflector 3  - Mirror your iPad screen to your computer.
Available for Apple, Windows, Chromebook, and Android.

Reflector 3 is a must-have app for your Mac computer if you are presenting on an iPad. Reflector 3 mirrors your iPad screen to your computer, allowing you to move around without any VGA or HDMI cables attached to your iPad.

Image Source

Reflector Teacher - For The Classroom
Reflector Teacher - Manage and mirror your students' devices to your computer. Available for Apple, Windows, Chromebook, and Android.

Reflector Teacher is a must-have app for your Mac computer if you are teaching in a classroom with student devices. Reflector 3 allows you to mirror your students' iPad screens to your computer to display for the class, allowing you to manage student work, display examples for the class, and move around without any VGA or HDMI cables attached to your iPad.

Enter Drawing For A Chance To Win Reflector Teacher License

Join Me At TIES17 For Awesome Ideas Ways To Highlight Student Voice And Choice

Image Source

I will be presenting two preconference workshop sessions for the TIES Conference in December and will be doing two conference sessions highlighting student tech teams with one of our secondary school Genius Squads and showing how to use the power of interactive video to share classroom learning and stories with parents and your school community.

My weekend workshop sessions will be:

• Amplifying Student Voice Beyond Classroom Walls
• Explore iPad apps that will help you to amplify your ELA students' voice with an authentic global audience. These apps will inspire your students to read more, develop their presentation skills, and share their writing and thinking beyond the classroom walls.
• 3-2-1 Tell Your Story With An Amazing Free Classroom Studio
• Tap into the award-winning power of TouchCast's easy-to-use free iPad app to create an engaging, interactive mobile recording studio with multi-cam control of extra iPads, green screen, onscreen pop-up documents, and screencasting whiteboard. With a simple green screen, empower your students to share their learning live from within the structures of a cell to the surface of the moon or the depths of the ocean and other amazing locations. Ditch classroom newsletters and tell the story of your classroom or school with simple-to-create student-produced videos that build students' speaking and presentation skills and make learning fun. Great for highlighting your school with monthly principal-created videos parents will watch!

My regular conference sessions will be:

• Student Tech Teams Playground
• Student tech teams leverage the power of student knowledge and enthusiasm to support technology in their schools. From help desks, to rollouts, to repairs, student tech teams are helping teachers and students use technology, while giving participants valuable leadership and service experience. Come meet student tech-team participants (from elementary to high school) and their leaders during this session of the playground.
• Tell Your Classroom Story With TouchCast
• Tap into the power of TouchCast's easy-to-use free iPad app to create a mobile green screen recording studio. With a simple green screen, empower your students to share their learning live from within the structures of a cell to the surface of the moon or the depths of the ocean & other amazing locations. Ditch classroom newsletters & replace them with student-produced videos that highlight your classroom, build students' speaking & presentation skills, & make learning fun.

I am looking forward to networking with other educators and tech integration leaders from the midwest and hoping some of you may join me for these fun three-hour-long hands-on workshops on December 9 and 10 and for my regular conference sessions on December 11 and 12.

K12 Online Conference - Stories of Connection - A Little Help From Teachers Near and Far: Creating a Global PLN

Are you searching for resources or ideas to help in your position? Do you have a personal learning network established yet?

Learn about some ways to use social media to find resources and get connected  to other educators who share your passions!


Session Description:
In the past teachers were limited to seeking out advice from their colleague across the hall or a department chair during lunch or after school. Now teachers can use a variety of social media tools and apps to find and tap into the collective knowledge of educators near and far for new ideas, resources, and ways to hook and engage students in academic learning. Learn about a variety of ways to expand your professional learning network and revitalize your teaching with a little help from a global line-up of educators.

Resources:
Link to the session video on the K12 Online Conference website.

Local Connections:
TIES Technology Conference - The TIES Education Technology Conference has been a leading conference in the Midwest for 30 years. It is a premiere national professional development opportunity for all educators.

Minnetonka Technology Institute - Learn the best practices and tips and trick the district has learned for implementing meaningful technology integration that will accelerate learning.

PLAYDATE - People Learning and Asking Y - Digital Age Teacher Exploration - PLAYDATE is a space for us to come together and collaboratively explore these tools we've always wanted to learn more about. The concept is to invite educators from around the area to join together on one day, sit in a room for a few hours and just play. They will collaborate to learn about EdTech apps, programs and tools with one another. There are no presenters in the room, no experts and no agenda. Simply time to play, tinker, and explore. 

EdCamp - Professional development event dedicated to participant-driven professional learning that accelerates student growth.
Schedule of upcoming EdCamp events with geographic locations listed.

Local Connections:

Apple Foundations Trainer Academy - Apple offers a rich variety of courses designed to help educators learn core skills and to integrate Apple products into classroom curriculum.

ISTE Conference - ISTE - International Society for Technology in Education - Premiere technology conference for those who are interested in educational technology.

Flipcon15 - Annual conference focused on best practices of flipped learning in education.

Ignite - Ignite is a style of presentation where participants are given five minutes to speak on a subject accompanied by 20 slides. Each slide is displayed for 15 seconds, and slides are automatically advanced. Ignite is intended to be a rapid way to transmit entertaining and engaging ideas.

Online Connections:

Voxerhttp://voxer.com - Voxer is an app that combines the power of live voice with text and image sharing.

Twitter - Social media network composed of hundreds of millions of global users sharing content updates.

Cybraryman Educational Twitter Hashtag Resources - A listing of education chat hashtags for Twitter.

Global Connections:

K12 Online Conference - Annual free online conference organized by educators for educators around the world interested in integrating emerging technologies into classroom practice. 

Connected Educator Month - Networking catalog of professional learning experiences worldwide that foster collaboration and innovation to transform professional learning and effect educational change. Connected Educator Month takes place in October each year.

Digital Learning Day - Digital learning is any instructional practice that effectively uses technology to strengthen a student's learning experience. It emphasizes high-quality instruction and provides access to challenging content, feedback through formative assessment, opportunities for learning anytime anywhere, and individualized instruction. Digital Learning Day promotes the effective use of technology tools to improve the learning experience in K12 schools.  

Image Resources In Presentation:

http://k12onlineconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/k12-online-badge.png

http://k12onlineconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/K12Online2015-Flyert.pdf

https://pixabay.com/en/twitter-tweet-bird-funny-cute-117595/

https://pixabay.com/en/header-headline-lettering-poster-156421/

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevwnrPWRP6NESe8FwefOmilesxBlZU7XOqIz9ODjd9AIS75K9sAEiHlVFpnnybx4oloNxcisgeOKj6Ar714w9Vp5Rw3GQ6Jk9KbBfSIsxsq55Ea7Awab0TYuwPtdnXJ98cZTCqaZumjFX/s1600/3eae4cfaee9c459aadff9ed45bf9f213.jpg

http://www.wherelearningclicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/TIES-2015-Education-Technology-Conference.png

http://ties.k12.mn.us/sites/ties.k12.mn.us/files/styles/large/public/TIES2015_UpcomingEvents_playdate.png?itok=T6CpDYqG

https://mnqm.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/conf_mnesummit_1200x200.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1901518224/edcamp_logo.jpg

http://www.edcampmsp.org/uploads/1/5/8/6/15867128/6642682_orig.jpg

https://sites.google.com/a/isd191.org/edcamp-twin-cities/_/rsrc/1391135518645/config/customLogo.gif?revision=2

http://www.edcampmsp.org/uploads/1/5/8/6/15867128/2152543_orig.jpg

http://edcamp.wikispaces.com/file/view/edcampmnlogo_(1).png/332003622/edcampmnlogo_(1).png

http://innedco.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/gI_143297_ISTE_logo_tag_2C.png

http://www.flippedlearning.org/cms/lib07/VA01923112/Centricity/Domain/18/FlipCon_2015_Logo%202%20inches.jpg

http://aihce2015.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Ignite-Logo.jpg

http://m.bestofmedia.com/sfp/images/downloads/260x260/7/W/global/44348/detail-0297794001322216091.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3rB5Vbs69-k/hqdefault.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YOAESSNBLJY/0.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2wm0fgCAAAeOgC.jpg

http://static.wixstatic.com/media/879cdc_324b8fc792c645ca8ce256222b5f4b62.png_srz_840_192_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_png_srz

http://smartblogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Connected_Edu_Month_logo.png

http://connectededucators.org/wp-content/timthumb.php?src=http://connectededucators.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/slides_global.png&w=400&h=280&zc=0

http://blogs.techsmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Digital-Learning-Day-Button1-300x292.png

http://cybraryman.com/edhashtags.html

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CApTXSIWcAAhz5R.png

http://www.teachercast.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/ditch-that-textbook-web.png

https://www.iste.org/handlers/productimage.ashx?id=3580

Minnesota eLearning Summit Poster Session: 30 Plus Ways To Use Your iPad For Personalized Professional Development

Are you looking for free or low cost professional development opportunities? Do you have an iPad? You can use several apps to find the content to create your own personalized professional development.

Image Source

Session Description:
Use your iPad to build your professional learning network, engage in self-selected professional development, and transform your learning.

Resources:
I listed the apps below in categories of how the apps can be used for personalized professional development. Most apps are free but there are a few that are not but they do something really well that makes them worth the cost.


Click on the image below and then click on the colored dots on the image to learn more about the apps shown.

Record Yourself and Others 
(With Permission - Some conferences and presenters do not allow recording) 
Camera
iMovie
YouTube Capture

Record Your Voice
GarageBand
Recorder


Collect Artifacts
Camera
Photos

Create Podcasts
GarageBand
TouchCast
Adobe Voice
Camera
iMovie
DoInk
Tellagami
Tellaprompter

Capture Your Learning - Take Notes
Notes
Pages
Evernote
Google Docs
Notability
GoodNote
Microsoft Word
Penultimate
Moleskine

Create and Expand Your PLN (Personal Learning Network)
Twitter
Hootsuite
Voxer
FaceBook
Google+

QR Code Readers
QR Code Reader by Scan
Qrafter

Curate Resources
FlipBoard
Scoop.It
Pocket
Slideshare
Pinterest
Learnist
Instapaper
YouTube
iTunes U
Pearltrees

Create Publications
Pages
Book Creator
iBooks Author (On Your Mac)

Professional Reading
iBooks
Kindle

Expand Your Skill Set
YouTube
iTunes U
Tips app
Drippler
Simple K12
Lynda.com
Udemy.com

Create Professional Development Resources
iTunes U
Blogger
Zaption

Connect and Learn
FaceTime
Skype
Google Hangouts
BlackBoard Collaborate
WebEx
Adobe Connect
FlipGrid

Collect and Organize Your Learning
Evernote
Penultimate
OneNote
Notability
GoodNotes
Paperport Notes
Google Drive
Google Docs
Google Slides

Organize Your Thoughts
Inspiration
Padlet
Lineoit
Sticky Notes
Total Recall
Popplet

Organize and Transfer Resources
Google Drive
Box
Dropbox

Inspire Yourself
YouTube
TED

Create Presentations
Keynote
Google Slides
Haiku Deck
Prezi
Microsoft PowerPoint

Track Your Time
Timer
Do Now Then

Health and Well-being
Health
Hydrate
Waterlogged
Pedometer

Illustrate Your Ideas
Notability
GoodNotes
Paper 53
Adobe Draw
Tayasui Sketches

Blog - Reflect On Your Learning
Blogger

Schedule Your Time
Calendar
Google Calendar

Explain - Create Screencasts
Educreations
Skitch
Explain Everything
30Hands
Doceri
Reflector
QuickTime (On Your Mac)
ShowMe
ScreenChomp
Stage
Knowmia Teach
TechSmith Fuse

Expand Your Programming Knowledge
Scratch
Hopscotch

Collaboratively Brainstorm
Baiboard

Create Flyers and Infographics
Keynote
Canva

Relax
Metronome
Zen Garden

Reminders and Task Lists
Remember The Milk
2Do

PDF Annotations/Scanning
PDF Scanner
Cam Scanner
iAnnotate PDF
Tiny PDF
Notability
GoodNotes
Paperport Notes
Skitch

Siri
Search internet
Answer questions
Take notes and reminders

Accessibility Settings
Screen zoom
Screen brightness
Font size
Color contrast
Text to speech

Presenting
Reflector is a must-have app for your Mac computer if you are presenting on an iPad. Reflector mirrors your iPad screen to your computer, allowing you to move around without any VGA or HDMI cables attached to your iPad.

Other Apps or Resources?
Are there other apps or resources that I did not mention that you use for expanding your PLN (Personal Learning Network) or for curating, consuming, or creating personalized professional development resources? If yes, please share them in a comment below.

What I Learned At My First PLAYDATE

I spent the morning at PLAYDATE at TIES today.

Image Source

What is a PLAYDATE?

"PLAYDATE (People Learning and Asking ‘Y,” Digital Age Technology Exploration) is a space for us to come together and collaboratively explore these tools we’ve always wanted to learn more about. Modeled after an unconference or an EdCamp, the sessions will be participant-driven, exploration-based, and hands on."

This video helps explain what PLAYDATE is about:

Another blog entry coming soon with my learning from today, but overall I took away a few key ideas about what makes a PLAYDATE event successful:

1. Like an EdCamp, sessions are proposed and led by participants based on the interests of the group. 

2. Sessions are all about having a discussion, playing with the tool, device, software, etc., and trying things out. 

3. Time to just explore with no pressure is invaluable to thinking about how new technologies, devices, software, ideas fit it with curriculum and instructional practices. 

4. Having the new devices available allows you to explore and play without the pressure of having to vouch for the value-added component of something before you have even had a chance to try it out.  

5. People are key. Having knowledgable people who have tried things, devices, software to some extent already is critical. Being able to tap into their knowledge prevents you from floundering and losing out on the value of exploration with devices or software that have a lot of bells and whistles to figure out.

I give today a giant thumbs up and look forward to the next opportunity to play and learn.

Blog Love or Neglect?

I was re-evaluating my performance as a Connected Educator today and decided I need to refocus some of my effort on keeping up with my own blog and reflecting on my practices as a digital leader and technology integrationist.

Image Source

Lately I have found myself sharing ideas via Voxer and Twitter much more than through this blog. I was prompted to compare my blog, Twitter, and Voxer by John Spencer's blog post Five Reasons The Conversations Have Moved From Twitter To Voxer.

I think the purpose of why I use each is very different. For me, Voxer is more of a tool for a conversational dialogue with a small group of educators from Minnesota, Iowa, and Canada where we share the educational endeavors that we're currently engaged with in our respective positions. Twitter is much more of a consumption-based tool for me as I connect with and learn from a broader group of colleagues, friends, educators, and like-minded individuals who represent a variety of careers and interests as well as geographic locations. Blogger is my content sharing tool of choice as well as a forum for reflective thought around improving my own practice as well as sharing resources with others.

As a Connected Educator, I don't think that one tool is better than the others as they are all different and allow me to connect with and reach different groups and audiences for different purposes.

So while I may have been sharing and connecting more via Twitter and Voxer lately, Blogger is still a critical tool for me as it allows me to tie together not only my thinking but resources that I would like to share with others.

Minnesota Educators on Voxer - Why I'm A Connected Educator

Why I'm a Connected Educator? That's the question of the hour...

Members of the Minnesota Educators on Voxer group are creating 10 - 15 second video clips about why we value being part of our PLN group on Voxer to be linked in an augmented reality video to our Voxer group t-shirts.

My video about why I'm a connected educator is embedded below:

Connected Courses Blog Syndication

As part of participating in the Connected Courses cMOOC, my blog will be linked to the Connected Courses blog. Just having my blog listed in proximity of Howard Rheingold's blog definitely puts some pressure on keeping up with my blog on a regular basis. From being part of #BlogJune, I know that it is difficult to find the time to write a reflective post every day and have been trying to maintain writing at least one post a week as my goal.

I am looking forward to being part of Connected Courses though and learning from colleagues everywhere.

Funny how in the past, I would have been fortunate to share ideas with colleagues in my own school district on district professional development days that were scheduled only once per quarter during the school year, and now I can reach out to colleagues from across North America and from around the world by just turning my laptop or iPad on and writing a blog post or sending out a tweet on Twitter. It is truly amazing what a globally connected world we live in today!