David Truss discusses why he blogs and the benefits of blogging. His blog is a place to share his thoughts on education, technology, and learning with others. It allows him to learn from reading other blogs and Twitter, write about his own learning experiences, and meaningfully connect with other educators. While it takes time to blog, he provides tips on finding efficiencies like writing on mobile apps and saving ideas to draft later. The rewards are losing your fear of sharing ideas and enhancing your learning through open conversations.

1. Why blog?
David Truss
Pair-a-Dimes for Your Thoughts
http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com

2. Intentions:
Understanding challenges & value.
Provide supporting strategies.
Links to explore!

3. Intentions:
Understanding challenges & value.
Provide supporting strategies.
Agenda:
• Introduction
• Inspiration
• Perspiration
• Reward

4. My blog:
A place to put my thoughts on Education,
Technology, and Learning.

5. A journal that I share….

6. A journal that I share….
With the world!

7. My blog
is…
Head Inside: Brain Wash by ArtWerk / Yanko

8. we need more of it. By wei never sleeps / Wei on flickr

9. Where I spend time learning!
Where I meaningfully connect
to other educators!
Where I challenge myself to improve!

10. Agenda:
• Introduction
• Inspiration
• Perspiration
• Reward

11. 1. Reading other blogs. (I use Flipboard to read
blogs I’ve saved in a Google Reader folder.)

12. 2. Twitter. I follow #hashtags like #cpchat
(Connected Principals Chat)

13. 3. Learning. I often write about things I’ve learned
from Pro-D sessions, books, TED Talks & meetings.

14. 4. Things that happen at school.
Events, highlights, lessons, challenges.

15. 5. Community or world events.
(Trends, news, inspiration & special events.)

16. 3 Minute chat:
What would or could you blog about?

17. 3 Minute chat:
What would or could you blog about?
Inspiration from:
Other bloggers
Twitter
Learning experiences
School events
Community/World
events

18. Agenda:
• Introduction Posts per month
• Inspiration
• Perspiration
• Reward

19. Where do you find the time?
(It does take time, here are some
efficiencies that help.)

20. 1. Watch less TV 
2. Write about things you
think about anyway.
3. If you enjoy writing,
it doesn’t feel like work.

21. 1. Watch less TV 
2. Write about things you
think about anyway.
3. If you enjoy writing,
it doesn’t feel like work.

22. Create some efficiencies:
Blogsy (iPad app)
You can add pictures, videos and
web links right from Blogsy,
I usually use it to start Draft ideas
that I write later on my laptop.

23. Create some efficiencies:
Quick Notepad memos

24. Create some efficiencies:
Record ideas on the go.

25. Create some efficiencies:
Send ideas to yourself.
From Flipboard (Star it)
Share on Twitter, then
‘Favorite’ it.
Email it to yourself.
Use an app to save it and
‘read later’.

26. Create some efficiencies:
Keep ideas in your ‘Drafts’.

27. LOSE THE FEAR!
Take the leap…

28. LOSE THE FEAR!
Take the leap…
Push the button!

29. “We can never know the totality of our influence in the world,
or what conversations happen in response to our work.”
Bud Hunt
Splash! By Luke Peterson Photography
You wouldn’t be in the position
you are in today, if you didn’t have
something worth sharing.

30. Agenda:
• Introduction
• Inspiration
• Perspiration
• Reward

31. Idea Bank – (Store ideas I’ve thought about)
1-stop shop for sharing my ideas on:
Homework, Zero’s,
Late Penalties, Grades,
Testing, 1:1, BYOD,
Facebook, Pro-D,
Parents as partners…

32. Idea Bank – (Store ideas I’ve thought about)
1-stop shop for sharing my ideas on:
Homework, Zero’s,
Late Penalties, Grades,
Testing, 1:1, BYOD,
Facebook, Pro-D,
Parents as partners…
I often: Google search my name & topics I’ve written about.
I seldom: Send people links to my blog posts, I usually just
copy/paste my ideas to share them.

33. Comments – Moving from journal to conversation!
Offer “Thanks”
Share Agreement
Provide Disagreement
(challenge ideas in a good way)
Add value (and new learning)
Suggest new directions (new posts)

34. Connections – We don’t need to learn in isolation!
Conversations in the room and
across the world. My learning is OPEN…

35. How can you use a blog to enhance your learning?
The World through your eyes on flickr
by The eclectic Oneironaut / Rubén Pérez

36. Thank you!
David Truss
Pair-a-Dimes for Your Thoughts
http://pairadimes.davidtruss.com