Presentation given to the pre-service teachers in the Teacher Education Program at the University fo the Fraser Valley in Chiiliwack, BC. Focusing on introducing social media as a collaborative learning tool.
3. Social Media – Where Do We Begin?
Image: http://flic.kr/p/aDX4de
4. Learning Intentions:
• I can explain my social media strategy
• I can search using Twitter
• I can connect and learn with other
educators using Twitter
• I can discuss how social media can help to
engage school families and community
#ufvtep
8. How do we
grab this power of
social media &
use it for
professional learning?
Image: http://flic.kr/p/HhC3h
9. Moving from a culture of fear…
To a culture of trust…
Image: http://flic.kr/p/8vj4Ba
10. Purpose, Purpose, Purpose
• Where are you at
with social media?
• Where would you
like to go?
• What tools can help
you?
• I’m curious about…
Image: http://flic.kr/p/avE5rE
11. My Journey…
That started after lunch with an old friend
19. “If you generally think of the
internet as a place to look up
stuff, you are missing the best
part.”
Alec/George Couros
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42931449@N07/6088751332/
20. My PLN
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanspoldoja/5001818922/
28. Stop
the echo
chamber.
Seek out
intellectual
collisions.*
*From “Innovator’s DNA” by Dyer, Gregerson and Christensen http://www.flickr.com/photos/wetwebwork/2403416008/
34. Twitter Time
• Go to this document : http://bit.ly/zfFsyI
• Spend 5 minutes and read some of it… what
do you notice? Discuss.
• Twitter Search by Hashtags including #ufvtep
• How do you know who to follow?
• Speaking “Twitterese”
– RT, @, DM, mentions, lists,….
35. Twitter Search
• Search by Hashtags including #ufvtep
#bced #bcedplan
#edtechBC #elemchat
#a4learn #edchat
#kinderchat #ntchat
We need to model learning – not confined to libraries, offices, classrooms. Embrace it.
1989 Sears Catalog pose – unfortunately it was 1994. Grew up in Hope,Grade 12 – thought I knew it all… not a learner. Connected through land line… and letters. Went to UVIC – B. Ed. – practicum at Sardis – PE, ScienceTaught at Brookswood in Langley for 7 years – taught just like everyone else… until my masters at UBCStarted to realize power of networking, collab and reflection– cohort group, Started as VP at Kent in AgassizFurther networking through BCELC but mostly face to face/email, Principal in 2009 and that is where my journey with Social Media began.
SO much out there – how do we find what is useful? Where do we start? How do we not get sidetracked and distracted?Start slowly – develop a strategy to suit your needsToday we will focus on the tools that I believe are currently best for professional learning: Twitter and Blogging (w a little bit of FB)
We are going to focus on Twitter and Blogging.How many are here only to learn about twitter
Soclial media video
How I was introduced to the story of Lilee.How the story has reached a community… and beyond using SM.Fundraisers, support
Releases song PrayPromoted through SMReaches #1 on iTunes ahead of Nickelback, Rhianna, etcChallenges Nickelback ---- Nickelbackdonates $50,000 to Children’s hospital
Teachers banned. Students banned. Policy based on fear. Policy based on a single mistake.
Reflect and write down some thoughts…Discuss with a partner/groupShareAny questions you want covered for today?
Lunch to discuss business promotion through social media and techHalfway through said that I should try it for the school – network with parents and other educators. Promote the good things and maybe share ideas with others.
2009 -Twitter profile for @mrwejr (originally created for school info), begin to use it for professional learningFB Page grows to over 100 followers2010 - The Wejr Board Blog begins – share philosophies, increase transparency, gain feedbackDeath of an Awards CeremonyStart to notice skeptics – Twitter Boy and blogging = arrogance (principals should be spending time with kids, not blogging)
2010 Invited to blog at Connected Principals – started to expand my network and become closer with other adminAsked to present online – presented on parent engagementMostly cross-postsConnectedprincipals.com and #cpchat
2011 Learning and networkingwith other educators has provided me with great ideas to share and propose to staffIdentity DayOther ways to connect – skype in the classroom (with school from Eaastern Washington), kidblogs, Global Read Aloud, connecting classes with @darcymullin, Skype Play,
Meeting Old Friends for the first timePrevious conference/PD experience: pick a conference based on what came in my box, got to the conference, take a few notes by myself, go homeNOW – network with passionate people, discuss conferences and workshops, go there and meet them, discuss the day on backchannels, go for lunch and continue the conversations afterwardEdCamp Vancouver
Summer 2011 – Read book by Bill and EricSpoke with George and a few others.... We need to let go a bit... Trust that it will be ok. So I opened up our FB Page to posts and discussion boards. I am encouraging our teachers to open up the student blogs for others to read (while teaching them about what to post online)... ALL moderated though.I wanted to increase our school’s social media presenceMost of this stuff we did last year... But added a few things. I want to meet parents where they are and this means options. Also, rather than only newsletters, I started a school blog – comments and more “in time” info for parents. Parent communication that embraces WITH rather than TOSo that is my story of how I built a network of passionate educators around me... And now I want to dive into a bit more of what that looks like.
We don’t hoard learning anymore – this is Learning 2.0 – collaborate, create, share, challenge
CONNECT – form relationships.
3 main components of my PLN – FB, Twitter, and Blogging (+LinkedIn and Google+)
Before Twitter, my PLN included my staff and admin team along with listerves. It worked well but I failed to see what was happening in schools and education outside of sd78.LOCAL
NO TIME?Your personalized, experienced learning tool. Instead of searching blindly, ask people who have used them! 2010 Summer Pro-D... High school science and PE teacher – facilitating summer pd on literacy. Tweet + Google Doc + DMs and emails.The conversation changed the culture of literacy in our school...Collaborate with a new audience, gain new insights. What does a K class look like in ______?
Summer 2010 – we decided to discuss literacy goals and direction.PE, Math, Science at high school as a teacher… very little background but wanted to facilitate good sessionTweeted out Google Doc for ideas… DM’d some primary teacher and literacy specialists.Provided the structure and support needed for staff to build from. I even through out some good ideas.
Now what? What is your social media strategy? What is your purpose? Different tools serve different purposes.Where do I start?
Lurk.... Check out some key people and watch how they interact. Where did the tweet go? Did you see my tweet? Is there anybody out there? Use hashtags.Keep your tweets fairly safe at the start. Share interesting but not controversial topics. Zite, Flipboard, Google Reader
Tweet something. Post something. RT something. DO something!
Take a few weeks to play, build, learn.
Respectfully challenge people... Be open to being challenged. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Getting challenged online has actually helped me offline. Challenge me. End the “great post” comment. Ask powerful questions.
Watch the addiction… power down. Take time to reflect on thoughts and learning.
Starting teaching can be lonely experience.
Its all about learning.
We are going to take most of the rest of the time to play with Twitter. Connect, search… you don’t need an account but it is better if you have one.
Find people with like interests by using hashtags.Twitter will help you.Search for lists of people - Twellow
Learn the language…
1.0vs 2.0Newsletters vs blogsWebsites vs Facebook Pages
Facebook Page, Blog, Private/public video and images
Always respond to comments… keep the dialogue going.