I really enjoyed this highly interactive style of presentation. It definitely took some pressure off of me to carry the entire preso, but more importantly it allowed for collaboration. The audience collaborated with us to form our website, and my team collaborated well to balance a bunch of responsibilities simultaneously.

Thanks to my team, and thanks to our audience for making this #ISTE12 presentation so enjoyable.

Here is the slides from a recent presentation I did for SimpleK12

Tools for Teaching Students in Bloom’s Taxonomy

or

https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhsgv8zv_4143np48dg

There are many teachers who want to start using technology in their classrooms, but just aren’t sure where to start. That’s why I got together ten prominent ed tech bloggers, teachers, and school administrators to createThe Super Book of Web Tools for Educators. In this book there introductions to more than six dozen web tools for K-12 teachers. Additionally, you will find sections devoted to using Skype with students, ESL/ELL, blogging in elementary schools, social media for educators, teaching online, and using technology in alternative education settings.

Here’s the list of contributors to The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators:
George Couros, Patrick Larkin, Kelly Tenkely, Adam Bellow, Silvia Tolisano, Steven Anderson, Cory Plough, Beth Still, Larry Ferlazzo, Lee Kolbert, and Richard Byrne. If you like what you read, please visit the contributors’ blogs and let them know.

The Super Book of Web Tools for Educators –

There has been a lot of upset educators in our digital learning networks over the last couple weeks.  With that in mind, I came up with the theme of Inspirational Blogs for this week’s edBLOG project.  I called for suggestions and received so many that I’m going to run a couple week’s in a row of the same theme, except next week we will have an international feel.

For this week, the four blogs that peers from my personal learning network recommended the most were: Connected Principals started by George Couros which includes regular posts a group of administrators, Langwitches Blog by Silvia Tolisano which focuses on the magic of educating, Speaking of History by Eric Langhorst which is a classroom based blog used to share with kids and other educators, and Successful Teaching by Pat Hensley which looks at the art of teaching.

Congratulations to Successful Teaching for being chosen by your peers as the edBlog of the week

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If you are not already a regular reader of the featured blog, take a couple minutes to check out how you can support this wonderful edBlog.

Please support this blog by following the steps below:

1. Subscribe to Successful Teaching
2. Read at least one of their recent posts
3. Comment if you can – This takes time but helps get more in depth conversation going
4. Retweet the edBlog when you see it come across the TwitterStream and share in other networks
5. Send a tweet out congratulating @loonyhiker for a blog well done

Over the last couple weeks, I have seen a very saddened tone in postings from my online learning community.  With that in mind, I decided to run a new type of theme for this project, and rather than looking at content areas or grade levels, I wanted to find out which education blogs inspire you.

I received enough suggestions that I will create two polls, one that features inspirational blogs from the U.S. (for the most part), and an international theme for next week.

This week’s poll includes a good variety of classroom, teaching, and admin focused blogs.  Thanks for the suggestions everybody.

As for now,

Click here and vote to help select the featured edBLOG of the week.

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I was excited to be a part of the Tri State Ed Tech Conference.  Originally I was trying to figure out a way to travel out there and speak, but when that fell through the organizers asked me if I would Skype in my presentation.  I have been using Skype for several years (even before Oprah if you can imagine ), but I had never done a presentation using it.

I was worried about the logistics, audio, delayed feeds, and other technical difficulties.  The main issue that came to play was hearing the audience ask questions but otherwise it went great.

Thanks to Eric Sheninger and Schoology for hosting the conference and congratulations on the success of TSETC’s inaugural event.

Below is the slide deck I used.

This week I took a look at New Blogs.  This was a little hard to do because I received a lot of suggestions, then had to research back into their archives (if available) and find the first post. Several great blogs that were recommended started over a year ago, but four that were highly recommended all began within the last year; the most recent was About a Teacher which began just a few weeks ago.  In addition, InTec InSights, Blogging through the Fourth Dimension and Julie A Cunningham were in this week’s poll.  After a couple days of voting, About a Teacher , with 3 posts and over 100 comments was selected.

Congratulations to About A Teacher for being chosen by your peers as the edBlog of the week

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If you are not already a regular reader of the featured blog, take a couple minutes to check out how you can support this wonderful edBlog.

Please support this blog by following the steps below:

1. Subscribe to About a Teacher
2. Read at least one of their recent posts
3. Comment if you can – This takes time but helps get more in depth conversation going
4. Retweet the edBlog when you see it come across the TwitterStream and share in other networks
5. Send a tweet out congratulating @gret for a blog well done

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For this week, I wanted to look at some new blogs and bloggers that have recently begun publishing online (within the last year).  Take a look at some of these blogs and see which one(s) you might like to read and support in the future.

Click here to vote for the featured edBLOG of the week.

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Remember when you sat around waiting for appointments, or doctor visits, or at stoplights and you didn’t have anything to do?

Remember where you were the last time you were really frustrated and had no recourse, no outlet, and just had to deal with dealing with it?  I don’t.

I have Twitter.

I have Facebook.

I have a Personal Learning Network.

I have an opportunity at almost any point in the day, at any break in momentum, at any pause in my life to make a connection to someone.

I have a computer and a cell phone and a data plan.

I have hundreds of people to connect with at any time of the day.

If I want, I never have to be bored again.  Well, maybe if my phone dies.  But otherwise, I just tap in when I feel the slightest hint of boredom.

And,

I’m not convinced this is a good thing.

Are you?