Tech Talks Episode 05: Creating Tutorials with Snagit

Episode 05 of Tech Talks explores that dilemma we face when trying to explain something better. Sometimes textual instructions just aren't enough. That's where using a screenshot and/or screencasting tool comes in handy. The online tool that I have grown fond of is Snagit. While I have been using Snagit to make the episodes of Tech Talks, I did have to use a different screencasting program for a portion of this episode in order to demonstrate Snagit.

The cool thing about Snagit is that it connects with Google Drive to save your screenshots and screencasts in a folder in Drive. The screenshot images can be added to Google Docs or Slides (or emailed) to demonstrate a task, or the screencast video can be shared from a Drive folder, embedded on a website, or uploaded to YouTube. Not only is making visual tutorials handy for teachers, but making tutorials is an excellent demonstration tool for students. Outside of school projects, the tool is also a great way to capture or explain an error that is occurring on your computer so tech support better understands your issue. A win-win all around.

Tech Talks Episode 4: Opening an Incognito Window in Chrome so I Do Not Have to Log Out

This Tech Talk discusses opening an Incognito Window in a Google Chrome browser. This feature of Chrome enables you to stay logged in while a student uses your computer to access his/her email or TeacherEase without forcing you to log off. Since the incognito window functions separately from the Chrome browsers you are logged into, you can stay logged in without being affected.

The incognito feature is also really helpful if you have multiple students presenting from your laptop. You will not have to worry about multiple users clogging up your login page if you have them use an incognito window. If you have any questions, let me know.

Tech Talks Episode 3: Speeding Up/Slowing Down a YouTube Demonstration Video

This Tech Talks episode shows how you can speed up and slow down the playing speed of a YouTube video. There are times when the demonstration is going too fast for you, and there are times when the demonstration is going to slow because you may just need a refresher. Any time you need one-on-one assistance, schedule time with me.

The Right Technology in the Right Place, Right Time

I have put a lot of thought into why I still use Grandpa Young's old riding mower to mow my lawn. I could very easily upgrade to a new mower that is more efficient, cutting a better swath and in much less time. Most of the attachment to that old mower is nostalgia - it has sentimental value: I think of Grandpa and the good times while I mow. It makes me feel comfortable.

When I think back on some of my best lessons in my classroom, I consider the tools that I had available to facilitate those lessons. I fondly remember feeling cutting edge while I used a dry erase marker directly on an overhead projector for grammar lessons. I also enjoy thinking back on the audio clips from cassette tapes that were played during English class to make Shakespeare easier to understand.

I also recognize that those old, nostalgic tools have their place in the past, but new tools have come along that do a better job of improving student learning and understanding.

While we didn't used to have very many tools available to us in the past, we do have a wealth of tools to choose from today. We have so many tools available that sometimes it gets overwhelming about which tool to use for a group of students at a particular moment.

In choosing the right tool for the task, consider the following:

1. Your objectives for your lesson are the focal point.
2. The end product(s) that students create should demonstrate proficiency in those objectives.
3. Are there multiple means of demonstrating proficiency in the objectives? (differentiated instruction/assessment)
4. Technology is a tool that A) makes it easier for the teacher to teach the lesson, B) improves learning and understanding for the student, and (C) makes it easier for the student to demonstrate proficiency in the learning objectives.
5. Don't use a technology tool just because it is the latest fad - make sure it fulfills #4. If not, find the right tool.
6. Feedback should be consistent and productive throughout each step of the lesson. (formative assessments)
7. The pedagogy used to create the lesson and its assessments should allow for a meaningful experience for the students.

One of our greatest Pleasant Plains toolkits is our Google Apps for Education, which provide multiple means for students and teachers to collaborate, create, and produce their ideas. The summer professional development training sessions for Pleasant Plains CUSD8 have been designed around the pedagogy for 21st Century learning as well as integration of technology to facilitate that learning.

Grandpa's old lawn mower has its place in my heart and home, but new tools for a new generation are a necessity for education. Better tools are out there to help better prepare this generation of students. We'll find them together and share our successes and setbacks with each other along the way.

Share your successful lessons and the technology tools that you integrated to facilitate the lessons in the comments.

Goals for Improving Technology Professional Development

As I reflect on the goals that I have established for improving technology at Pleasant Plains School District, I have found that there are five goals that require continuous attention. The full size view of each chart may be seen by clicking on the respective chart.

Teacher professional development training in the teacher leadership models 

Encourage teachers to take ownership in their own professional development and to share ideas with their colleagues  

Teacher professional development training in the tools available in the Edline hosted district website 

Student and parent technology training, including training on the Edline hosted district website as well as any communication tools that the district utilizes.

Ongoing technology integration professional development for teachers. This model would be used for any technology tool that teachers would like to integrate into their lessons to improve student learning and understanding.

As noted, each goal is based on a cycle of training, evaluation, reflection, and needs. Both student/parent training and teacher professional development tend to occur based on immediate need. There is often little or no evaluation, reflection, or needs assessment completed to determine further needs. Education tends to be flooded with reforms that require administrators to hold professional development workshops on changes in legislation or in standards. Therefore, it is important to follow the process which includes a preliminary needs assessment; multiple learning venues for the learners; a method of evaluating not only what was learned, but also the effectiveness of the training; reflection on the training by both the trainer and the participant to make necessary adjustments to be successful; and a needs assessment that will drive the content of the next training sessions. If any of the steps are missing, training will continue to follow the course it currently has been following, a system based on immediate needs and not on long term improvement.

The area that I need to focus on the most is the importance of the cycle for each of the training goals. I, like most educators, tend to get caught up in the training - the immediate needs. I do typically make it through an abbreviated evaluation process and a personal reflection phase of any training that I have led, but tend to bypass the evaluation process of the entire training and fall short of a needs assessment that will lead to a reboot of the cycle. As I move forward with the training goals for the district, I need to ensure that the administrators are on board with the cycle as well as the teacher leaders leading the training.

Creating a 21st Century Skills Team

Integrating technology and 21^st Century Skills (http://www.p21.org) into teachers' classrooms is a challenge that is currently facing Pleasant Plains High School. In order to facilitate the change, I have been speaking with the principal about creating a 21^st Century Team of teachers, administrators, and students who will plan the integration of technology and 21^st Century Skills into classrooms. The purpose of the Team will be to integrate technology and 21^st Century Skills into classrooms in order improve student learning and understanding, to differentiate instruction, and to better prepare students for college and career readiness. The goals of the Team will be to 1) create a culture in the educational system that reflects the learning styles of current students, 2) plan ongoing professional development for teachers to build self-efficacy in technology tools, 3) plan ongoing professional development for teachers regarding new pedagogies, 4) create a culture where both students and teachers are life-long learners, 5) provide a means for teachers to build Learning Communities and utilize Personal Learning Networks, and 6) create a culture where students have a way to collaborate with teachers about their education. In order to accomplish these goals, the Team must create a culture of teacher leadership as well as plan for roadblocks to the success of this project.

Creating a team for this project “means creating a phalanx – including the principal – of true believers who assume ownership of new ideas and learn strategies for implementing them and winning adherents among their colleagues in the school community” (Maeroff, 1993). Maeroff (1993) notes the importance of including the principal in the team in order to reduce possible resistance. Thousand and Villa (1992) and Villa and Thousand (2000) note that “collaborative teams are hypothesized to function optimally when team members pursue shared goals, hold mutual levels of respect for the unique areas of expertise and input of members, engage in distributive leadership, and hold members accountable” (as cited in Phillipo & Stone, 2006, p. 230). With this in mind, the 21^st Century Team members will need to know and agree to pursue the purpose and goals outlined for the project. Larson and LaFasto identify eight characteristics that successful teams must have: “1.) a clear, elevating goal; 2.) a results-driven structure; 3) competent members; 4) a unified commitment; 5.) a collaborative environment; 6.) standards of excellence; 7.) external support and recognition; and 8.) principled leadership” (Maeroff, 1993).

With the purpose and goals clearly outlined, the next step is to work on team building concepts with the team. Curtis, Humbarger, and Mann (2011) identify ten tips for effective coaching of adults that also make good ground rules for team interaction during meetings: “1. start with a safe, supportive environment” (51), “2. build [positive] relationships” (52), “3. consider staff [and student team members] capable” (52), “4. observe with an open mind” (52), “5. ask and actively listen” (52), “6. highlight strengths first” (52), “7. help staff connect behavior with results” (53), “8. investigate alternatives” (53). “9. nurture work on the goal” (54), and “10. grow your skills – build your strengths” (54). The team must then be trained on integrating technology into the classroom so they can become knowledge brokers. Plair (2008) states that “knowledge of educational or instructional technology is a commodity to be shared, exchanged, valued, sought, and purchased, and the concept of a broker, or go-between, fits what teachers need and want when integrating technology” (72).

In preparing the team members to be knowledge brokers, the team must research and review technology integration for 21^st Century Learners. Lawless and Peligrino (2007); Partnership for 21^st Century Skills (2007); and Zemelman, Daniels, and Hyde (2005) all note that “using technology simply to support lecture-based instruction falls far short of recommended best practice” (as cited in Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010, p. 257). Ertmer and Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2010) continue that “we need to help teachers understand how to use technology to facilitate meaningful learning, defined as that which enables students to construct deep and connected knowledge, which can be applied to real situations” (p. 257). Because the first step is to provide teachers with the knowledge of the technology available (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010, p. 259), the team will need to identify ways to provide professional development to the faculty on basic technology tools so they will be able to transfer that knowledge to technology tools that better fit their own classrooms. Next, the team needs to identify professional development in “pedagogical methods that facilitate student learning, and the specific ways in which technology can support those methods” (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010, p. 260). Professional development will also need to be planned to build technology self-efficacy by providing teachers with

Intense professional development experiences, followed by continued support and community discussions

Opportunities to practice managing technology in the classroom by providing additional help (teacher aides, parents, advanced students, etc.)

Opportunities to share success stories related to using technology to facilitate student learning, at grade-level or discipline based teacher meetings

Opportunities to witness other teachers using technology in the classrooms

Encouragement/expectation of small changes with technology over extended time period

Implementation of a culture that encourages and supports experimentation (Ertmer & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010, p. 260)

Ertmer and Ottenbreit-Leftwich (2010) also recommend that the team hold regular meetings to check on the progress of professional development (266).

            In order to create a culture where students have a voice in their education, the 21^st Century Skills Team should consider the creation of a technology team of students as well. Students generally know what their learning style is and which technology tools they might use in various instances. A team of advanced students who are knowledgeable about various technology tools can fulfill the need that Plair (2008) says that teachers have for on-the-spot professional development (p. 73). By arranging for a team of students trained to assist teachers with technology tools as issues arise, the school will adapt a culture where it is acceptable for teachers to learn from students in addition to students learning from both students and teachers. The process will not only empower the student trainers, but will also provide them with real world, relevant experiences.

            Once the 21^st Century Skills Team is trained and has a plan in place, the Team will need to prepare for the implementation with the understanding that “change is then thwarted by [teachers’] tendency to change as little as possible” (Fullan & Stiegelbauer as cited in Maeroff, 1993). Maeroff (1993) advises that the team begin the conversation with the rest of the school as conversations that spread until they become schoolwide. He also says that at first the team members should do most of the talking, but other people who take up the team’s beliefs should be encouraged to promote the beliefs as well (Maeroff 1993). Maeroff (1993) identifies ten ways that teams can promote change in their schools:

·         Teams can set priorities so that all of the team’s ideas are not just dumped on the school with no sense of what is important.

·         Teams can model the kinds of behavior that they would like to elicit from their colleagues.

·         Teams can try to anticipate objections so that the answers are provided before some of the negative reactions are registered.

·         Teams should remember that each member is only part of the team and does not speak for the entire group unless delegated to do so.

·         Teams can make certain that team members interact with their colleagues.

·         Teams should keep the school community informed about the team’s progress.

·         Teams should be positive whenever possible.

·         And, finally, team members should maintain a sense of humor about the serious work at hand. (Maeroff, 1993)

Using these strategies, the team can formulate a plan for both implementing and promoting the shift to integrating technology into the classrooms. The strategies will also help with the introduction of the concept of students as technology tool trainers.

            Maeroff (1993) mentions some other barriers to change, such as societal barriers, budgets, unions, teachers’ knowledge, team functioning, school schedules, and continuity of staffing. In addressing these barriers, it is notable that budgets and unions will likely not be issues. The leaders of the Pleasant Plains Education Association have been promoting 21^st Century Skills and technology integration to the faculty of the district for the last two years. Since most of the technology tools are free web tools, there will be little to no expense for implementation. The purpose statement of the 21^st Century Skills Team aligns with the district technology plan as well. School schedules will need to checked to determine which students are in classes where they can be utilized as technology trainers as well as which students can work with teachers and students during the PACE (student assistance) period.

            As one of the goals of the project is to provide a means for teachers to build Learning Communities and utilize Personal Learning Networks, it is hopeful that an outcome of the project will also be the creating of teacher-leaders. A healthy ideal self of both the 21^st Century Skills Team and the teacher-leaders will need to be created. Boyatzis and Akrivou (2006) identify the ideal self as “the core mechanism for self-regulation and intrinsic motivation” (p. 625). It is “an evolving, motivational core within the self, focusing a person’s desires and hope, aspirations and dreams, purpose and calling” (Boyatzis & Akrivou, 2006, p. 625). Intrinsic motivation is key in the success of the both the project and in the success of teacher-leaders. Boyatzis and Akrivou (2006) identify three paths leading to a healthy ideal self that the 21^st Century Skills Team should address (p. 634). The first is to assess if the ideal self has been articulated – if it is explicit. This path requires an increase of mindfulness concerning the ideal self. If the ideal self is low, then “the person is mindless or in denial of a desired future” (Boyatzis & Akrivou, 2006, p. 634). The second path is to determine the importance of the ideal self in terms of desire for its components. A low ideal self would result “in superficial commitments to change” ((Boyatzis & Akriou, 2006, p. 634). The third path is to determine if all of the components fit in with the person’s desire for the future. A low ideal self in this pathway may result in “unintended consequences in other parts of their life” (Boyatzis & Akriou, 2006, p. 634). In defining the ideal self, Boyatzis and Akriou (2006) state that “optimism and efficacy are seen as the main determinants and generators of hope, and therefore, key determinants of the ideal self” (p. 630). They blatantly state that “people who are relatively lower in self-efficacy and optimism experience less hope” (Boyayzis & Akriou, 2006, p. 632).

            Addressing the ideal self is important throughout each step of the process: in developing the 21^st Century Skills Team, in preparing the Team, in planning professional development for the staff, discussing the project with others schoolwide, and in implementing the project. Building teacher self-efficacy in instructional technology and maintaining an optimistic attitude with the Team will provide the hope that teachers need to successfully integrate technology into classrooms. Teachers all share the ideal of preparing students for their futures. Developing this ideal to include the component of ensuring that students receive the 21^st Century Skills required for their futures is imperative. In doing so, teachers are likely to achieve the healthy ideal self that enables each of them to be effective teacher-leaders in their schools.

            The 21^st Century Skills Team will need to meet throughout the project to maintain the collaboration between teachers, administration, and students. The Team will need to continue to assess the needs of both students and teachers as it plans professional development activities. The Team will also need to plan for the turnover of team members as student members of the team change and as new teacher-leaders rotate into the Team. The Team, however, needs to strive for continuity by maintaining focus on the original purpose and goals. If that focus is maintained, then the Team will be able to create a culture of success in the school. Curtis, Humbarger, and Mann (2011) state that “when people feel they are making a difference in the classroom, they become more involved in their work and their job performance improves. They reconnect with the excitement of being an integral part of a dynamic team” (p. 54).

References

Boyatzis, R. & Akrivou, K. (2006). The Ideal Self as the Driver of Intentional Change. The Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 624-642. doi:1079220841

Curtis, R., Humbarger, J., & Mann, T. (2011). Ten Tips for Coaching Adults: An Emotionally Healthy Approach. YC Young Children, 66(1), 50-54. doi:2387291781

Ertmer, P., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. (2010). Teacher Technology Change: How Knowledge, Confidence, Beliefs, and Culture Intersect. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 255-284. doi:2212521271

Maeroff, G. (1993). Building Teams to Rebuild Schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 74(7). doi:5004446

Phillippo, K., & Stone, S. (2006). School-Based Collaborative Teams: An Exploratory Study of Tasks and Activities. Children & Schools, 28(4), 229-235. doi:1177685511

Plair, S. (2008). Revamping Professional Development for Technology Integration and Fluency. The Clearing House, 82(2), 70-74. doi:1592650381

Adaptive and Assistive Technologies (ATs)

What policies or procedures do you have in place for adaptive and assistive technologies (ATs)?
Neither Pleasant Plains School District nor Pleasant Plains High School has policies in place for adaptive and assistive technologies. General education teachers routinely infuse AT tools into their classrooms for all students. The special education department reviews each student individually and determines the best adaptive and assistive technologies necessary for that student, making the AT part of the IEP for the student.

Does your school/district have ATs? If so, what are they?
According to the PPCUSD8 Technology Plan, the district does not have any adaptive or assistive devices. However, the special education and general education classrooms have ATs that are routinely used.

While it is not a global practice at the high school, in several general education classrooms, PowerPoint presentations are made available online for students to access before, during, and after in most classes; assignment and project instructions with due dates included are made available online for student and parent access; essay and project rubrics are made available online for student and parent access; and classroom expectations and policies are made available online for both students and parents. In addition, textbook companies such as McGraw-Hill, the provider of our Glencoe Literature books provide a digital textbook for pc’s/mac’s that allows students to take notes, listen to professional readings of the literature while reading along, highlight text, do a quick search for text, zoom in/out, and place post-it notes on the pages of the text.

Like most teachers, I have learned to be creative in my classroom in creating ATs. I have converted text from articles, websites, or essays to pdf so students with reading difficulties could listen to Adobe Reader read the passages aloud as they read along. I have also tracked down audio versions of literature either through the internet or through the library when necessary.

Pleasant Plains High School has continuously been striving to increase reading skills for all students with various reading strategies. Some of these strategies include the use of graphic organizers in all content areas possible. Pre-reading, reading, and post-reading strategies are also highlighted in all content areas. Ongoing professional development in reading strategies has been a core of Pleasant Plains High School.

According to J. Peterson, the use of AT tools in special education classrooms includes an OCR scanner that reads aloud printed text to the student, Jamestown Reading Navigator software for increasing reading skills, books on tape/cd, spellcheckers, a social skills software program, and math textbook company software for notes and tutorials (personal communication, June 21, 2011).

Are there other AT tools that you have used and have found beneficial in your classroom or school?
I use McGraw-Hill’s digital textbook with my American Literature students and am pleased with all of the ATs available within it. It was interesting to see students from all skill levels access the tools, which seemed to erase any stigma a student with reading difficulties might have. While Edyburn mentions that “the traditional textbook has become a representative symbol of an inaccessible curriculum” (2008, p. 62), it appears that textbook companies have begun to create tools that have become valuable assets in the classroom for all students. In addition to the textbooks, I have used Google Docs to share class notes/presentations with all students and Primary Pad to save collaborative classroom written discussions that all students could access afterwards. This past year one of my students, who is dyslexic, researched Spaaze for a speech project about a web 2.0 tool that can be used in the classroom and liked it so much that he began using it to stay organized.

References

Edyburn, D.. (2008). Research and Practice. Journal of Special Education Technology, 23(4), 62-65. Retrieved June 21, 2011, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 1767837251).

Educational Technology Issues

What are your personal concerns about education technology?
One of my concerns regarding education technology is that education technology is not and likely will not catch up with business technology. In preparing students for college and career readiness, the technology that schools are using is already behind that of business technology. Students may well be using technologies that businesses have already cast off. The endless game of “catch-up” that schools play to get as close as possible to using relevant business tools is a concern. However, if educators are addressing the 21st Century Skills, then students will have the efficacy to handle new technologies as presented to them.

My other concern getting teachers to accept the concept of life-long learning and create a culture where Personal Learning Networks (PLN’s) are the norm.

What technology issues are affecting your school/district?
While the district, like most other districts, is faced with the issue of funds for technology, the main issue is professional development for educational technology. There are so many web 2.0 tools available as well as cloud computing, that even hand-me-down computers/laptops are making do when necessary. The real issue appears to getting teachers trained to use technology that pertains to their curriculum and be able to use that technology to improve student learning. Professional development of the past has been a one-size-fits-all model that will not suffice any longer. McCombs (2010) discusses using “regular daylong collaborative planning sessions, [where] teacher leaders provide mini-lessons that highlight new technologies they have used in their classrooms since the last planning session” (p. 12). Administration and teachers at Pleasant Plains school district have just recently begun discussions for professional development activities similar to this.

Based on issues identified by your classmates, how have you resolved them (or how would you resolve them?)
Funding issues have been addressed by soliciting monetary or hardware donations from local businesses and booster organizations. Since the Pleasant Plains student population has a small percentage of low-income families, the district often does not qualify for any grants. However, several teachers have found organizations such as Donor’s Choose to be helpful.

As president of the Pleasant Plains Education Association the past two years, I strongly advocated for 21st Century Skills. I introduced both the faculty and administration to the concepts of PLN’s and pushed for collaboration between teachers. I facilitated Teacher Share websites at each building where teachers could post various project plans, rubrics, classroom management ideas, Web 2.0 tools, PLN nings to join, and, finally, twitter hashtags for collaboration. As I got teachers to start talking and sharing with each other, I started to have discussions with the administration regarding professional development. While the plan in the past for professional development has been to demonstrate a technology tool to teachers with the expectation that they will just “go use it,” the administration and I discussed the need for Teacher Technology Share Fairs where tech-savy teachers can demonstrate tools that they use. We then discussed giving teachers multiple professional development blocks of time to work independently or in teams to plan lessons that incorporate technology tools that make sense in their individual curriculums.

As administrators and teachers work together to build this model of professional development next school year, they will also need to look at collaborative evaluations of the professional development to allow for adjustments as they progress. Smolin and Lawless (2011) note that “by engaging stakeholders in both the processes and the outcomes of evaluation, professional development can be dynamic, responsive to the needs of a greater number of stakeholders, and sustainable over the long term”(p. 97). Professional development regarding 21st Century Skills is a long term need. Having a good plan going into the Professional Development and an evaluation tool to make sure professional development is effective only makes sense.

References

McCombs, Brenda. "Culture of Collaboration." Learning & Leading with Technology Nov. 2010: 10-13. ERIC. Web. 13 June 2011.

Smolin, Louanne, and Kimberly A. Lawless. "Evaluation Across Contexts: Evaluating the Impact of Technology Integration Professional Development Partnerships." Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education Spring 2011: 92-98. ERIC. Web. 13 June 2011.

Reflections on Educational Technology

What is your personal definition of education technology?
My personal definition of education technology is that technology first, and foremost, a tool using in teaching the curriculum of the classroom. With that stated, I also believe that it is highly important to infuse technology into the learning process whenever and wherever it makes sense. Infusing technology into the curriculum will not only align with the way students learn, but will also provide the much needed 21st Century Skills students need to be ready for college and their future careers. Teaching technology tools just for the sake of learning the tool is preparing students for 21st Century Skills. Integrating the tools into lessons as a means for the learning process is the right path. I have been a driving force in my district advocating for technology as such a tool in the classrooms. I have organized Teacher Share websites for each of our district buildings where they can more easily share what works and possible uses. I feel that communication between teachers and time to explore are crucial to staying current with education technology.

How long have you been in educational technology? During this time, what are some changes in technology that you’ve experienced in your school/district?
As a high school English, speech, photography, and yearbook teacher at Pleasant Plains High School for 14 years, I have been an advocate of using technology tools in presenting lessons, in the learning process, and in the product created by students. Printed out word processed essays have evolved into collaborative Google Docs, blogs, emailed research essays, video essays using VoiceThread, etc. Speech class has progressed from presentations within the isolated walls of the classroom to global communication and involvement in flatclassroom projects such as the NetGenEd Project. Photography technology has grown out of the darkroom and into a fully digital photography class focusing not just on the photography skills and photo-editing skills, but also on an online digital portfolio that students can maintain to promote their art. Finally, yearbook class began with film cameras and UPS mailings of photos to the publishing company – a process that currently consists of digital photos as well as text placed in InDesign software and electronically submitted to the publishing company. Next year the process will transition to online software that students can access on any pc in which they have internet availability.

How has technology impacted your approach to teaching?
As a geek, I am continuously researching ways to improve not only my curriculum, but also fresh ways for students to acquire the knowledge and to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts. I have found that my methods have evolved each year as technology has improved. In the last couple of years, as technology has allowed, I have reached out to colleagues in other areas to create collaborative projects that our students could work on together, even challenging myself and my students to get involved in global projects. I encourage backchannel chatter in Google Chat and use Today’s Meet chat during class to open the classroom discussions to include everyone. I am available to my students through email, twitter, and telephone if they have any questions. When I first started teaching, I never thought about how learning can and does occur outside the classroom. I have been able to “be there” for student questions, comments, and demonstrations through technology that I would have missed otherwise.

How much has the process of teaching and learning changed over the last 100 years?
While teaching and learning have made significant changes over the last 100 years in terms of learning standards, reactions to globalization, etc., the major shifts in education are occurring during this century. Student learning has become an important part of the equation. Barbara Chorzempa identifies areas that new teachers need to address to make themselves proficient teachers (2011). These areas include developing a literacy base, creating a positive classroom learning environment, and preparing students for 21st Century Skills (Chorzempa 2011). These areas have become the hot topics of education. Teachers are encouraged to improve themselves not only through mandated continuing education requirements, but also through a culture created by our colleagues throughout the world to maintain literacy in both our areas of study and in technology. Nings like the Educator’s PLN and Classroom 2.0 are just two amazing ways that educators can stay connected and collaborate. Teachers have also tapped into Twitter, using hash tags such as #edchat and #edtech, among others, to collaborate. Personals Learning Networks no longer involve asking advice of the teacher in the room next door – teachers are now able to connect with their peers around the globe.

Chorzempa, B.. (2011). Don't Get Left Behind! Improve Your Experiences as a New Teacher. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(2), 72-75. Retrieved June 9, 2011, from ProQuest Education Journals. (Document ID: 2219873841).