EDU221OngoingPDinTechIntegration

We know technology is constantly changing, new apps/hardware/mobile devices/software/Cloud services show up every day. How can you keep up with it? And how can you figure out how to use it in your classroom?! One way is to follow Web 2.0-using educators and technology-using teachers through their blogs or social media sharing.

Part 1: "Follow" an expert to see ideas of how real teachers are using technology in their class. Choose one of these many options:
 * Find a technology-using educator to"follow" (subscribe to their blog, like them on Facebook, follow their board on Pinterest, follow their tweets on Twitter, subscribe to their emails, listen to their podcasts,...)
 * [|Kelly Tenkely], [|Dan Meyer] (focus on math, but fascinating for everyone), [|Vicki Davis], [|Wes Fryer], [|Lisa Nielsen], or [|Richard Byrne] (from Maine!) or [|Susan Pojer] (great social studies Pinterest user)
 * OR one of the winners of the [|Edublog Awards]
 * OR do your own Google search to find a teacher blogger who blogs about using technology in your content area.

OR OR
 * Become a part of [|Edutopia], created by the George Lucas Foundation which "is dedicated to improving the K-12 learning process by documenting, disseminating, and advocating innovative, replicable, and evidence-based strategies that prepare students to thrive in their future education, careers, and adult lives." (Note that they cover more than just using technology.)
 * "Like" them on Facebook and then explore the articles/videos that they post in updates on your newsfeed.
 * [|Subscribe to their email service] and explore the articles/videos they send to your email.
 * Use a reader app to subscribe to some of their blogs and check your reader often.
 * Follow it on Twitter.
 * "Pin" it on Pinterest.


 * Find a professional organization that has a method of sharing that you'd like to try. Make sure the information they share is about using technology in education (for this assignment it has to be technology-oriented...feel free to follow their other information for your own good).

OR


 * Use Twitter to create your own professional learning network (PLN) and participate in the #EdChatME Twitter Chat on Monday Nights 8:30-9:30pm, especially the one specifically for pre-service teachers (for spring 2016, that's Monday March 14)

Part 2 : Read/listen/watch what they have to say; explore/read the sites and tools they share. "Follow" them enough to get a feel for their sharing style and their teaching philosophy. Write a blog entry about your experience. What did you learn? What did you think of this person/organization as a source? Would you consider continuing to follow/subscribe? How else will you continue to learn/grow in the area of using technology in the classroom?
 * Be sure to describe the source you used and hyperlink to the site/source.
 * In your writing there should be enough examples that it is evident you actually explored/read/watched/listened to multiple ideas from your source
 * Title the blog entry "Professional Development in Technology Integration"
 * Label the blog entry "PD"