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tech support
LeadershipProfessional LearningTechnical Support

Two Techie Events, One Incredible Network

by Alexis Cline
written by Alexis Cline

It’s no surprise that this year’s System Administrator and Technical Support Conference is filling up faster than ever before. There are fewer than 60 seats left, in part because we’ve packed so much techno-goodness into three days (October 26-28) that will build both your tech support and leadership skills. To make your time away from the office as impactful as possible, we’ve scheduled the Fall TEC-SIG Meeting and the annual Sys Admin conference back-to-back. Register for both and enjoy three full days of learning and networking with professionals like you.

Fall TEC-SIG Meeting Highlights

TCEA’s special interest group, TEC-SIG, provides a forum for CTOs, technology directors, technology coordinators, instructional technology leaders, and other administrators to connect as a network of edtech leaders and get up-to-date information on hardware and software, networking, bandwidth decisions, advocacy and other issues that impact your district. The Fall TEC-SIG Meeting will feature a keynote from visionary leader Travis Allen, president and founder of iSchool Initiative, along with a broad lineup of great breakout sessions. You can review the full schedule and breakout descriptions here.

Networking with Networkers

Bridging the two events is a Wednesday evening reception, sponsored by GTS Technology Solutions. This free, laid-back reception features a showcase of a trendy Austin eatery, great food, and libations. And the evening wouldn’t be complete without a special feature from the Live Music Capital of the World. Please RSVP for this event. 

Sys Admin Conference Extras

The sponsors of this event bring added value with their content expertise. From offering guided presentations with top districts to bringing the latest in edtech to the forefront, the vendors showcased at the conference are dedicated to providing the best solutions.

GAFE Q&A with Amplified IT
Many questions were brought forward last year regarding GAFE implementation and support. We’ve partnered with Amplified IT, a Google for Education Partner and leader in GAFE support, to provide dedicated time in an informal Q&A setting to address those tough and lingering issues you are seeking solutions for. This session, more than any other this year, may provide more ROI than any other event you’ll attend.

Sys Admin Unconference
Because we know the real expertise lies in the trenches, the last session of the event will held in unconference format. Attendees will suggest relevant topics and then discuss solutions, ideas, and initiatives that have worked in their districts. This is networking at its finest!

Sponsor Support
We’d like to extend a special thanks to this year’s conference sponsors.

Platinum Sponsors
ClassLink
GTS Technology Solutions
StorageCraft

Gold Sponsors
Amplified IT
Filewave
Howard Edu
MNJ Technologies
Paessler PRTG Network Monitor

Silver Sponsor
Adtran

Networking Sponsor
AppsAdmins
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TEC-SIG
Professional LearningTechnical Support

Become a Connected TEC-SIG Educator!

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Dream more, learn more, inspire more. These aspirations define leadership. And for the Technology Education Coordinators Special Interest Group (TEC-SIG), these words have power. Register for TEC-SIG’s next meeting on October 26, 2016 to tap into this power. At the request of TCEA members, the October 26, 2016 meeting of TEC-SIG has been strategically placed next to the fall TCEA SysAdmin Conference. These two events take place October 26 through October 28, 2016. tecsig

  • Stay connected, especially important during Connected Educators’ month.
  • Engage in community-based learning efforts that support hyper-connected students and staff.

Dream More

“How are you using digital signage in your district?” Technologies abound that can shape teaching, learning, and leading. When members ask, “How can I use new edtech in my situation?” they invite you to collaborate with them in world-building. Each effort forces us to re-imagine the possibilities. Whatever your role (technical, policy, instruction), you are invited to dream and learn more.

Learn More

“Use a cheap Android USB dongle and GoogleCast,” shares one TEC-SIG member. “Or,” counters another, “you can use Xibo, Navori, Visix, or  flat panels connected to a video multiplier running Powerpoint!” These meetings inspire attendees to learn from each other. Relationships begin in face-to-face encounters that endure via digital connections TEC-SIG makes available post-meeting.

Inspire Others

“We place digital signage in front of schools, in cafeterias, in hallways, gyms, libraries, and offices. Our high school librarian programs the specific messages that appear on each.” When everyone can be your teacher, it’s important to have a few colleagues you can trust and rely on. Being in the presence of so many educational technologists will inspire you to be a leader.

Act now to inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more. Be a TCEA TEC-SIG Connected Education Leader.

More about TEC-SIG

TEC-SIG is the largest SIG and was established in 1989 for the purpose of providing a means of communication between technology coordinators, instructional technology leaders, and other administrators. The organization furnishes its members up-to-date information on legislation, happenings within the Texas Education Agency, grants, and TEC SIG activities. Members share their own technology-related experiences at three yearly meetings in an effort to educate and inform each other on what is happening in the field of technology. You can also participate via the email listserv and TCEA Community.

More about TCEA Sys Admin Conference

The 2016 System Administrator and Technical Support Conference is specifically designed to offer useful and practical information to individuals like you who provide hardware, software, network, and infrastructure support for PreK-16 educators. We have created this conference specifically for the tech savvy system administrator, and we have planned a comprehensive package of strands that covers the real-world problems you encounter every day, offering solutions you can use.

 

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Connected Educator Month
Good TeachingLeadershipProfessional Learning

It’s All About the Connections We Make

by Dr. Bruce Ellis
written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

With school now underway and students knowing their routines, it’s time to catch up on connecting with others and growing professionally. Since October is Connected Educator Month, it’s a perfect time to remember that you have needs as well. To help you get connected to some awesome educators that can help you maintain your enthusiasm throughout the year, I’ve selected five of my favorite resources.

Connected Educator Month Resources

The obvious starting place is the calendar of virtual events that you might want to join throughout the month of October. There are multiple events every single day, many of which are free and can be attended from anywhere in the world. You can also follow the hashtag #ce16 to discuss connectedness with other educators.

EdCamp Calendar

Sometimes the best professional development happens organically and without a formal schedule. If that sounds interesting to you, then let me encourage you to check out Edcamp’s calendar of upcoming events…possibly in a town very near you. You’ll have a chance to learn about relevant topics from folks just like yourself who are on their learning journey of using technology to make a difference in their classrooms.

Twitter Chat Schedule

We all have special hashtags that we like to follow for a stream of great resources and ideas. But do you have any favorite Twitter chats that you really enjoy? If you don’t, or if you would like more, consider looking at TweetReport’s Twitter chat schedule. Sort by topic, day, or time to find the most relevant one(s) for you. And, if you run your own Twitter chat, drop the information into their database so others can find it and connect with your group.

Best Web 2.0 Applications for 2016

And finally, who better to help us connect than Larry Ferlazzo himself. Check out his Best Web 2.0 Applications for 2016 to discover his newest favorite tools that you can use. You’ll find some great ones to share with your peers as you talk about engaging students and livening up lessons.

TCEA Social Community

If you are a TCEA member, then you should already know about the TCEA Community groups that can help you connect with like-minded educators. If you are not a TCEA member, then just know that this is one of several great member benefits of joining TCEA. Subscribe to the groups that meet your needs; ask questions, swap ideas, and share resources. And you can even create your own group if you find that the one for your niche is missing.

Regardless of the content and grade level you teach, you are sure to find some great educators to connect with using one (or more) of these five resources. What other resources do you use to connect with educators? We’d love to hear about them. Just leave us a comment and share.

 

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Twitter
Professional Learning

Twitter-ize Your Learning Network

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“How many of you have a Twitter account?” I asked a recent workshop audience. Only a few hands went up. That made me sad. I find Twitter a powerful tool for daily professional development. Twitter-ize your learning with this question in mind, “What are you learning now?”

Get Started with Twitter

Watch this short 15 minute video that walks you through the steps in creating your own free Twitter account. Yes, it’s just that easy!

Use Twitter Lists

A Twitter list is a subset of the people you follow on Twitter. Set up different lists for organizations you may be a part of. When you view Twitter lists, you ONLY see what those people are tweeting. This can help you focus. Here’s a video that demonstrates.

Take Advantage of Hashtags

Hashtags are words embedded in a tweet that allow others to track what you are tweeting about. If I want to quickly find out what others are saying about education in general, I can do so by doing a Twitter search on the hashtag #edchat or by taking advantage of one of the free services that searches for me, such as Twubs.

Manage Your Twitter account?

While you can use the Twitter website, as well as one of the various mobile apps for Twitter, consider taking a look at Tweetdeck or Hootsuite.  These free tools let you manage multiple twitter accounts and schedule tweets in advance. For example, using Twitter, your tweets are shared as they happen. With Tweetdeck or Hootsuite, though, you can schedule your Tweets in advance. Use it to schedule tweets to celebrate an event, make announcements during a presentation, or coincide with a specific event. And using a tool such as one of these will also make it easier for you to participate and keep up with Twitter chats on topics you’re interested in.

Consider Twitter’s Dashboard, a relatively new service that works as an iOS app and is accessible via your web browser (no Android version as of this writing).

How do I track what I like via Twitter?

As you are working your way through Twitter, there are several ways to keep track of what you are seeing. Here are a few ways to keep track of your Twitter favorites for use later on:

  • Favorite/”Heart” It – The quickest and easiest way is to tap on the star (on mobile apps, press and hold on a tweet you want to favorite, then press on the star. Other options include retweeting). You can then access your Twitter favorites by replacing “mguhlin” in this link with your own Twitter handle. You can later embed your favorites in a web page, blog, or wiki for digital curation of resources and ideas.
  • Send It to Pocket (ReadItLater) – Pocket allows you to share the full text of an article, image, etc. to other sites like Onenote via IFTTT.com.
  • Retweet It – When you retweet, quote the tweet and add your username (e.g. @mguhlin) to ensure you can find it later. Just check your notifications area.
  • Hashtag It – When you retweet something, add a hashtag to it. Drop the # symbol when searching on a hashtag.

Twitter-ize your learning network to discover more about what interests you, as well as share with others what drives your learning! The rewards are infinite.

 

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library
LibrariesProfessional Learning

Conference on the Future of the Library

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

On Thursday, October 6 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Central time, there will be an amazing, free opportunity for librarians from around the world to gather virtually and discuss the future of libraries. Attendees will engage in conversations with civic, social, and education innovators who have made the library the hub of learning. The conference schedule will include both keynote presentations and crowd-sourced sessions and will be held entirely online via Blackboard Collaborate web conferencing.

School libraries have seen tremendous change over the past few years with the coming of age of makerspaces and the librarian as technology expert. This free conference sponsored by the American Library Association Center for the Future of Libraries provides a powerful way to ensure that your library continues to serve the changing needs of your students and staff. Advanced registration is required, and registrants will receive the live session links, as well as links to the recordings. Make sure you register today!

 

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Good TeachingLeadershipProfessional Learning

Seven Reasons You MUST Attend TCEA 2017

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

I’ve attended a lot of conferences in my educational career: 34 TCEA Conventions & Expositions, seven Tots and Technology conferences, four System Admin conferences, and literally hundreds of other great learning events put on by various associations and groups. I strongly believe in the power of educators meeting together to share expertise and common problems, in the need for networking and finding solutions together, and in the desire to continually “sharpen our saw” so that what we do in classrooms and schools every day makes a meaningful difference for kids.

I know that all of you reading this blog believe the same. That’s why I want to encourage you to attend the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition in Austin February 6-10, 2017. More than just a convention, this event every year is a major learning experience for dedicated educators from around the globe. And it’s just downright fun, too! Here are the top seven reasons why you simply MUST attend!

Reason #7:

Everyone wants to hang out with rock stars. And at the TCEA convention, we’ll have the most famous ed tech stars in the world. Accost them in the bathroom, stalk them in sessions, and put a face to a name of your Twitter have-to-follows. This is your chance to rub shoulders and learn from the best and the brightest gurus in our field.


Reason #6:

TCEA 2017You need more swag for your classroom because you’ve already gone through all of the things you bought from Oriental Trading Company for your students for the entire year. TCEA’s amazing exhibitors and the wacky board members who present the First Timers’ sessions always have the best toys and giveaways that will restock your supply closet and make you the most popular teacher on campus.

Reason #5:

There are still a couple of iPad apps or Chrome extensions that you don’t know about, but might be able to use with your kids or staff. TCEA’s presenters are carefully selected for their outstanding knowledge and up-to-date expertise in the integration of all kinds of technologies, including apps, extensions, websites, Web 2.0 tools, social media, and much, much more.

Reason #4:

In the most steps competition with your campus, you are lagging far behind the PE teachers and coaches. Come walk the Austin Convention Center with its 881,400 square feet and its six city blocks, and you’ll leave them lagging in the dust.

Reason #3:

You won’t feel like a nerd or geek with the crowd at TCEA. Everyone there will have multiple devices, numerous dongles, and will understand your frantic, desperate rush to find an electrical outlet in the next five minutes.

TCEA 2017Reason #2:

You’ve been thinking about repapering your dining room, but can’t really afford new wallpaper. At the TCEA convention, you can grab handfuls of ribbons to wear from your badge all the way down to the floor, and then use them afterwards to redecorate.

Reason #1:

Whether you are an administrator, a librarian, a technician, a teacher, a paraprofessional, or a parent, you want to make the world better for the children you come in contact with each day. Learn from others with the same goal at TCEA 2017, discover new and effective ways to engage students, and ensure that your daily work is based on best practice and the latest research.

I look forward to seeing each of you in Austin the first week of February!

 

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Professional Learning

Professional Development with You in Mind

by Diana Benner
written by Diana Benner

It’s important that we as educators model what we want our students and staff to do. If we want them to use technology well, we have to demonstrate what that looks like on a regular basis. We also have to model the principle of continuous improvement through professional development. With new research and best practices emerging at a staggering pace, there’s no better way to stay current and effective.

TCEA offers certification programs and online courses that are designed to meet your needs. They are standards-based, aligned to best practices, and are available in formats that will work with your busy schedule.

Device-Based Certification Programs

Our device-based certification programs are designed for the busy educator. These certifications are completely online and self-paced. In addition to completing online modules, participants will submit a lesson that demonstrates effective integration into a particular content area to support student learning. Participants can jump into these programs at any time of the year. They each take approximately 18 hours to complete.

Chromebook Certification (Level 1)– This certification is designed for classroom teachers who have a Chromebook, as well as those who work with students using Chromebooks. It builds a solid foundation for getting the most from the device to impact and enhance instruction. Participants in this program will also dig deeper in their utilization of Google Apps for Education tools.

iPad Certification (Level 1)– Build a solid foundation for integrating the iPad in your classroom by participating in this certification. You’ll learn how to support diverse groups of students with various iOS features, as well as receive specific tutorials on apps that you can use in your classroom to empower student learning in your content area.

Role-Based Certification Programs for Professional Development

Our role-based certifications include live webinars and online coursework. As you go through these courses, you’ll build a portfolio to document your professional learning and implementation of the information shared and skills mastered. In addition, as a capstone, you’ll develop a final project that aligns with your coursework. Though these three certifications officially begin in September each year, many participants begin at other times during the cycle and start the certification process with ease.

Campus Technology Specialist Certification– Designed for those who work with other educators to help them integrate technology effectively, this program focuses on helping you understand the tools and processes to better engage students and increase relevant technology utilization in the classroom.

IT/Technology Director Certification– Participants in this program will cover topics to help them become an effective district leader and support administrators, teachers, and students in the use of technology. Master complex decision-making skills and best practices that will help you in your day-to-day work. Learn about funding, hiring, purchasing, and more.

21st Century Administrator Certification – This program is designed for those individuals who are already in a campus leadership role or want to move in that direction. You’ll focus on building leadership skills and learning how to model technology to other staff members, as well as understanding educational technology trends and their impact on student achievement.

Online Courses

In addition to the certification and self-paced programs, TCEA also offers instructor-led online courses. These facilitated courses last from three to four weeks. The asynchronous learning design and 24/7 access to course content allows you to manage course requirements at a time that is most convenient for you within the week’s schedule. In addition, these courses offer frequent opportunities for peer-to-peer collaboration.

Effective, Engaging Professional Development – How do you take workshop offerings to the next level to make them more meaningful for your attendees? In this course, you will learn about the latest research and best practices on adult learning to ensure that your participants are still growing long after the training is over. You’ll also discuss innovative tips and tricks for guaranteeing that your message is not only heard, but also acted upon in the classroom. This online course runs from September 13 – October 3, 2016.

Personnel Management – Learn about the critical personnel issues related to hiring, documentation, firing, and team building in order to best organize your staff and help them grow as a team. This online course runs from October 11 – 31, 2016.

Hardware, Software, and Network Management – In this information-rich course, you will explore best practices, relevant documents, and current information related to the following topics that impact the role and duties of the technology leader: asset management, cloud computing, cyber safety and security, disaster recovery, network infrastructure, one-to-one implementations, open source software, records retention, TASA Visioning, and virtualization. This online course runs from November 8 – 30, 2016.

Effective Coaching for Technology Integration – Coaching educators in the area of instructional technology is challenging and important. This online course allows you to better understand this role and help you to further develop your coaching strategies for even the most reluctant of educators. This online course runs from January 10 – 30, 2017.

Budget and Finance– Knowing about good budgeting practices, types of budgets, E-Rate requirements, grants, and resources to help you with your IT finances is critical as a technology leader. You’ll learn about these, as well as receive resources that you’ll want to refer to throughout the budgeting year in your district. This online course runs from January 10 – 30, 2017.

Technology Leader Book Study – In this course, you will reflect on key questions to make application of your self-selected book to your current (and future) role as an IT/Technology Director. Prior to the beginning of this course, you will select and read a title from the approved list. This online course runs from February 21 – March 13, 2017.

If you are like me and are a lifelong learner who wants to improve your practice, then these certification programs and online courses are for you. Discounts are available for our certification programs for bulk enrollment from the same district. For more information, contact Bruce Ellis at bellis@tcea.org.

 

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jigsaw puzzle
Good TeachingProfessional Learning

PBL Planning: Begin with the End in Mind

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

“The Superintendent just called. The marquee in front of the football stadium hasn’t been connected yet.” I stared at the phone in my hand in disbelief.

When my team got together, I reviewed the facts of the situation with them. “There’s a big game tonight and the Superintendent really wants to see that marquee operational. When we spoke earlier, I had the impression the job had been finished last week.”

“Apparently,” quipped one technician, “it’s not.”

“Thanks a lot, Captain Obvious,” muttered the network engineer responsible for the job.

Dialogue-rich scenarios like this one, whether in text, image, or video format, are often sufficient to engage adults or K-12 learners in solving a problem. For adults, the focus may be on generating problem-solving strategies, while for students, the goal may be to achieve an instructional objective.

For example, in a recent lesson connected to the 5E + Technology Model, I referred to this past Christmas controversy surrounding hoverboards.

KSAT 12, a San Antonio news station, has contacted the school and asked us to investigate exploding hoverboards. What they are asking is, simply speaking, “How do hoverboards work and are they are safe?”

The length of the scenario determines the scope of the curriculum and goals to be addressed. In the scenario above for hoverboards, the relevant TEKS include:

4.6(A) Differentiate among forms of energy, including mechanical, sound, electrical, light, and heat/thermal.

4.6(B) Differentiate between conductors and insulators.

4.6(C) Demonstrate that electricity travels in a closed path, creating an electrical circuit, and explore an electromagnetic field.

4.6(D) Design an experiment to test the effect of force on an object such as a push or a pull, gravity, friction, or magnetism.

Problem-based learning (PBL), often labelled project-based learning, relies on real-life problems modeled after a contemporary or historical case to engage students as they pursue specified learning outcomes that are in line with academic standards or course objectives (Stepien & Pyke, 1997). Learners work through the problem as a stakeholder.

The teacher, or professional learning leader, acts as a guide/advisor as students explore the issues involved, formulate questions, conduct research, and consider possible solutions to the problems. An critical component for PBL planners is to reflect on questions like the following:

  • What did we really want them to learn?
  • Why was it important that they learn this?
  • What problems or issues would they be able to resolve with the information?
  • What process, if any, do we want them to follow? Was that process governed by policy? Which ones in particular?

 

These questions help us to first map out what we want students to learn and thus craft a problem that reflects that and aligns to learning objectives. Keep these questions in mind when crafting your next PBL unit.

Join the ongoing TCEA Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) SkypeChat via your mobile device or online. Explore and share concepts at the intersection of teaching, learning, leading, and technology!

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best ed tech learning conference
Announcements/Important DatesProfessional Learning

Your Best Learning Opportunity

by Lori Gracey
written by Lori Gracey

Thursday, September 8 is a date you’ll want to circle on your calendar. That’s the day that registration for the best ed tech learning conference,  2017 TCEA Convention & Exposition, will open. At 9:00 a.m. Central, our new registration system will go live, allowing you to reserve your seat and hotel accommodations at the education event designed to strengthen “The Power of You.” Watch the TCEA 2017 teaser video to learn more about “The Power of You.”

Why would you want to attend this ed tech learning convention?

Your professional learning dollars and time are limited, so making the best decision about what conference you’ll attend is critical. More than 13,000 of the brightest minds in educational technology will be in Austin February 6-10 for TCEA 2017, making it your best choice for learning and networking opportunities. Over 950 hands-on workshops and sessions will help empower you, offer best practices and the latest research, and position you to innovate teaching and learning, making you an even better teacher, librarian, instructional coach, and leader.

  • No need to worry about your academies and workshops months in advance. Just select Premium Registration during online registration and then choose the best content for you at the convention itself. This ensures that the events you attend will be exactly what you need most at exactly the right time.
  • Get all of your technology integration questions answered in small-group discussions with experts in the new posters area of the convention. We’ll feature the following topics in this informal, yet powerful, setting in two-hour increments:
    • STEM and Makers – Tuesday
    • 3D Printing and Virtual Reality, Elementary Needs, and Leadership – Wednesday
    • K-12 Coding and Computer Science, Amazing Resources, and Redesigning Learning – Thursday
  • Chat with exhibitors who offer strategic solutions to the problems your students and campus face during the new Exhibit Hall hours. Open Tuesday this year from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., you’ll be able to experience hands-on sessions, product demonstrations, and the latest technology for learning.

What else will attending TCEA 2017 do for you?

Ten different, specialized, in-depth academies will be offered this year, ensuring that you are powered up and ready to meet the complex needs of your students and staff. Academies are open to all Premium Registration attendees and feature extended learning on a targeted topic.

  • ELA/Social Studies Academy
  • ESL/ELL Academy
  • Google Academy
  • iPad Academy
  • Leadership Academy
  • Librarian/Media Specialist Academy
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) OneNote Academy
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Trainer Academy
  • Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Teacher Academy
  • STEM Academy

best ed tech conferenceIn addition to academies, Premium registrants may also select from more than 350 extra workshops, allowing you to get hands-on, minds-on experience with specific software, learning theories, best practices, and technology tools. Add to that the more than 450 sessions that are offered to both Premium and Basic attendees covering a wide range of topics from formative assessment to creating a makerspace to engaging student learners. All of these will ensure that you are powered up for the rest of the school year. And if you’re the chief technology officer in your district, there’s a day of special presentations just for you.

What do other educators say about the TCEA convention?

#TCEA16 Tweets

  • Bridget Visser: A1: Going to #TCEA16 was absolutely jaw dropping! So much info and networking, which is truly the best learning experience ever! #gcisdchat
  • Shawna Ford: Working to apply all of my learning from #tcea16! Anyone else operating on inspiration overload!?!?
  • Jenn and Sciefus: Phew! And we’re back!!! Is anyone else’s brain exploding with amazing #edtech after #TCEA16?!?! What a ride!

TCEA 2016 Attendee Feedback

  • “Y’all are doing a great job selecting speakers and topics. Kudos to all of you. You are wonderful educators.”
  • “Google was so energizing! Everything related to Google was GREAT!”
  • “Subject-specific all day academies – loved the ELA one this year – great resource!”
  • “All of them!?! There was not a single session in iPad and ESL Academies that I couldn’t benefit from. Presenters made it simple and appealing.”

Watch Time Warner Cable News coverage of TCEA 2016, Educators Flock to TCEA to Learn About Technology.

What are your next steps?

Talk with your district or campus leaders in advance to obtain the funds and approval you need to attend TCEA 2017. Discuss the event with your colleagues and make a plan as to who will go with you. Then set a reminder on your calendar for 9:00 a.m. Central on September 8 and register for the convention online. Once you complete the shortened registration process this year, you will be given a link to make your housing reservation. Then get ready for the best learning experience you have ever had as “The Power of You” is strengthened and magnified, empowering you and your students.

 

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curation
MicrosoftOnline Tools and AppsProfessional Learning

The Curation and Sharing of Information

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

As the end of the school year came into sight, colleague Laura Howard in San Angelo ISD wrote me a short request for help. With her permission, allow me to share it with you:

“A few years back at TCEA,” asks Laura Howard in an email, “you had a session on curation and sharing information. You talked about how to weed through information, save it for later, and use tools like IFTTT to set up rules on your social media feeds, etc. Would it be possible for me to get the information you shared at that session?”
“Absolutely!” I replied. “Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to revisit such a popular topic!”

Let’s divide this up into several bite-sized chunks.

What Is Content Curation?

Content curation is a way of managing the firehose of data slamming into us from every device we own, from computer to smartphone. But it is more than just sorting and saving the information flow. It is also about re-sharing it with others, thus making you a trusted source of re-mixed information and ideas. Content curation involves a commitment that you agree to make sense of the world around you for the purpose of sharing it with other educators and especially with your students.

Want to Manage the Flow of Information?

Managing the flow of information can be difficult. That is why you have to identify the following three areas:

  • Source(s) of Information: You have to know where you usually get information and ideas from.
  • Tracking Tool: Once you know where you get your information, you need to decide where you want that information to be stored long-term for easy retrieval. This tracking and retrieval tool should be easy to organize using tags (one-word keywords) and make it simple to share information with others.
  • Sharing Outlet: When you have sifted through the data you want to keep and stored it for retrieval, you will want to decide where and with whom to share it.

Let’s explore these three areas in the context of a real life scenario.

Scenario – Anchor Charts

Loretta just found out she will be facilitating a workshop for her grade level on anchor charts. A quick Google search reveals that there are many places to find example anchor charts, as well as instructions on how to create them, what they should have in them, how they should be created with students, and much more. She also discovered a Twitter chat that is taking place later on the topic, but she will be on the go with only her mobile phone during that time. She wants to capture select tweets. She needs a way to organize the information so it makes sense to her later, as well as makes sense to the teachers she will be working with.

IFTTT Recipe

To help Loretta, let’s break down the problem:

Sources of Information: Loretta has identified several sources of information:

  • Web Searches: Resources are discovered on the web and via her mobile device.
  • Twitter Chat: She needs to capture Twitter chats.

Tracking Tool:

  • Twitter Chat: Loretta doesn’t want to capture EVERY contribution to a Twitter chat, only the ones she happens to notice. She decides to “like” or “heart” every tweet worth keeping. Then, IFTTT will save those select tweets to her OneNote Notebook, which sImage 181he can later organize. Also, she decides to use TweetDeck as a way to monitor multiple twitter chats on her computer because it allows for multiple columns of information. With TweetDeck, she can also schedule tweets to appear. Another option is HootSuite, which works great on mobile devices, a feature TweetDeck does not enjoy.
  • Image 187Web Searches:
    1. Option A – Pocket: Although Loretta has several choices, she decides to use Read It Later’s Pocket because it’s easy to add content via a computer web browser and/or the mobile app. Everything she tags with “anchorcharts” gets sent to her OneNote Notebook (free app) and auto-tweeted with the hashtag #anchorcharts. The auto-tweet and saving to OneNote happens through an IFTTT recipe she set up once when she began.
    2. Option B – Diigo: Another solid choice includes Diigo Social Bookmarking tool, which includes Diigo Browser and Diigo Annotator for your mobile device. Diigo is nice because it includes an outlining tool which Loretta could use to organize her links and resources.

Sharing Outlet: Once she has sifted through her data and stored it for retrieval, Loretta must decide where and with whom to share it.

  • Image 180IFTTT can be used to easily take any tweets that Loretta has liked and tweet them out from her account with the “#anchorcharts” hashtag added to the end. Another option is to use that hashtag to search on and create a Flipboard digital magazine.
  • OneNote: Loretta has accumulated quite a bit of content in OneNote. She decides to just go in and organize it a bit, adding a welcome page and organizing the resources into sections.

Scenario Solution

Image 185Loretta showed up to present to teachers. “How many of you have Twitter accounts?” Only half of the teachers raised their hands. “No problem,” she said. “Just go to my AnchorChart OneNote Notebook (the link is on the screen) and you will find what I’ll be sharing with you. I’ve put my slidedeck underneath the welcome page. We’ll be exploring the anchor chart links and key concepts I learned about this summer in the next 50 minutes.”

“For those of you that have Twitter accounts, if you know about some great anchor chart resources, please tweet them and add the hashtag #anchorcharts. Those items will get added to the OneNote Notebook we are looking at today.”

Wrap Up

As you might imagine, getting Pocket, IFTTT, and OneNote set up for the first time can be a bit of a handful. Once set up though, the hunting, gathering, and sharing system works with minimal interaction. And this system works just as well for grade 5-16 learners for whom a teacher could be curating content, as well as for administrators curating content for staff.

 

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