I spent much of the conference thinking about students as leaders. I included Chris Lehman and Sylvia Martinez in one of my presentations because of how they empower the students they work with.

I listened to stories form the changes Shannon Miller has made in Van Meter, Iowa. I sat and heard Jason Markey and some other folks from East Leyden High School in Illinois speak about empowering students as leaders. I engaged in some great conversations on Twitter:

Heidi Hayes Jacobs spoke about how we are limited by what we know. Many of us tend to do things that we are used to and comfortable with. But she also said that we have to feel uncomfortable in order to grow. I think one of the great ways to get in that un-comfort zone is to put the learning in the hands of the students.

Heidi talked about the following with regards to what makes a good Web 2.0 site:

• encourage engagement and curiosity
• deepens examination of content
• engenders independence
• reflects quality in student products/performance

But I am thinking that we can apply these same requirements to how we put our students in leadership roles.

So, think about how you can push yourself to try something new. Perhaps that new thing can be a change in the role of the students in your classroom. Please let me know what you think.

I have never owned a Mac. I used them in college. I’ve used them in Mac districts that I work with. Bu I’ve never had one as my primary computer. Until now.

When they asked me at my new job at Kean what type of laptop I wanted, I jumped on the chance to try something new. It was time to get a Mac. I have had an iPad since they were released in early 2010. I’ve had an iPod Classic and an iPodTouch for many years. I even got the iPod Nano and watch band for the holidays this year. But, I wanted a chance to learn about the operating system and some of the software packages only available for Macs. (Perhaps I wanted some of my friends that have Macs to stop picking on me as well.)

So, my Macbook Air was delivered to me at work just about a month ago. The first thing I did was install the Chrome browser so that I would have access to all my personalized apps and extensions that I had used on my Chromebook and PCs. But since then, these are the apps that I’ve asked the office to install for me.

• Keynote
• Pages
• Adobe Photoshop Elements

I’m happy I made the change as I look forward to seeing what some of these pieces of software can do, but honestly, I really only use the Chrome Browser. The rest is just gravy. (Yummy gravy.)

Registration has opened for the first ever NY / NJ Google Apps Summit. Kean and the School for Global Education and Innovation are proud to sponsor this event at the University’s STEM Building on March 22 and 23, 2012.

The event has three conference strands:

1. Google Apps for Education Overview
2. Technical Deployment
3. Using Google Apps for Education in the Classroom

We also have planned to accomodate differing tech abilities by noting which sessions are designed for:

1. Basics
2. Tips and Tricks
3. Getting Geeky

Sessions will be presented by:

1. Google Apps Certified Trainers
2. Google Certified Teachers
3. Area administrators and classroom practitioners
4. The Google Apps for Education Team

Please consider joining us for both days (3/22 8:00-4:00 and 3/23 8:00-12:00) for a cost of $200. (https://sites.google.com/site/nynjgs12/registration)

Please contact me directly at lisa dot thumann at gmail dot com if you have any additional questions, but more information on the Summit can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/nynjgs12/home.

Twitter hashtag #NYNJGS12

Registration will open on January 3, 2012 for the first ever NY / NJ Google Apps Summit. Kean and the School for Global Education and Innovation are proud to sponsor this event at the University’s STEM Building on March 22 and 23, 2012.

The event has three conference strands:

1. Google Apps for Education Overview
2. Technical Deployment
3. Using Google Apps for Education in the Classroom

We also have planned to accomodate differing tech abilities by noting which sessions are designed for:

1. Basics
2. Tips and Tricks
3. Getting Geeky

Sessions will be presented by:

1. Google Apps Certified Trainers
2. Google Certified Teachers
3. Area administrators and classroom practitioners
4. The Google Apps for Education Team

Please consider joining us for both days (3/22 8:00-4:00 and 3/23 8:00-12:00) for a cost of $200. Registration opens on January 3, 2012. You’ll find registration information listed here, on the Google Apps Education site or you can contact me directly at lisa dot thumann at gmail dot com and I will gladly send you the link.

Twitter hashtag #NYNJGS12

Best Class Blog (top 5 winners)

1. Mrs. Yollis’ 3rd Grade Class Blog http://yollisclassblog.blogspot.com
2. St. Wolstan’s Transition Year Blog http://stwolstansty.blogspot.com/
3. Mr. Buxton’s 5th Grade Class SAS http://mrbuxton.blogspot.com/
4. Mr. Salsich’s Class http://jmsalsich.edublogs.org/
5. 2KM And 2KJ @ Leopold Primary School http://2kmand2kj.global2.vic.edu.au/

Best Student Blog (top 5 winners)

1. Jaden’s Blog http://jadensawesomeblog.blogspot.com/
2. Miriam’s Blog http://victoria-miriamsmoments.blogspot.com/
3. Jake’s Blog http://mjgds.org/students/jakeg/
4. Jarrod’s Blog http://jarrodsblog.global2.vic.edu.au/
5. Gemma’s Blog http://gemmaccs11.edublogs.org

Best Teacher Blog (top 5 winners)

1. Brunswick Acres Art Blog http://baart.weebly.com/
2. allatc http://allatc.wordpress.com/
3. Teacher Tom http://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com/
4. Ms Mac’s Website http://kmcfadzen.wordpress.com/
5. In search of Scientific Creativity http://problemfinding.labanca.net/

Fantastic! All of them! And congratulations to all the nominees.

Today I listened to Dr. Punya Mishra keynote at  TechForum NY. Dr. Mishra’s presentation reminded me how important it is to publish and share. He spoke of how it’s not the technology, or the device, it’s the teaching methodologies that help students meet their objectives. Though I already knew this, it was refreshing today to hear it and see the nodding heads in the room.

What do I want to do?

My plan is to continue working with educators, administrators and students on 21st Century skills. What do I mean by that? Dr. Mishra said it well, when he said we need to prepare students for the technology of five years from now. We should not be spending precious instructional time on tools as technology should not be taught in isolation. We should combine pedagogy, content and technology in authentic ways.

This is the challenge I face as I join Mike Searson and Janis Jensen at the  School for Global Education and Innovation at Kean University on November 7, 2011. I’m looking forward to this very much. I will miss my colleagues at Rutgers as change is hard. On November 7, I will start my day with the phrase “BRING IT ON!” as change is good.

Here’s the description of the session:
There are a plethora of FREE Web2.0 resources for bringing professional development to the educators in your district. Archived webinars can be viewed at home in your pajamas or with your PLC (professional learning community) as part of a district meeting. Using archived and live Blackboard Elluminate (desktop video conferencing) sessions from presentations all over the world, harness the power of your network to virtually keep learning.

Here are the opportunities I spoke about:

2011 Library Worldwide Virtual Conference
http://library2011.net

FETC 2011 Fall Virtual Conference
http://fetc.org/Events/Virtual-Conference/Home.aspx

The Future of Education
http://www.futureofeducation.com/

iEarn online courses
http://us.iearn.org/

The DEN Fall Virtual Conference 2011
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/VirtualConference2011/

Classroom 2.0
http://www.classroom20.com/

Classroom 2.0 Live
http://live.classroom20.com/

iTunes U
http://www.apple.com/education/itunes-u/

Edutopia on iTunes
http://www.edutopia.org/itunes

Learn Central
http://www.learncentral.org/

Youtube: Apps Edu Certified Trainer Channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/AppsEduCT

Ed Tech Talk
http://edtechtalk.com/

Teacher 2.0
http://teacher20.com/

There are countless others, but I only had 50 minutes. Please share links to opportunities for professional development as a comment if you would like to add to the list.

5 Grants to Apply For:

1. ING Unsung Heroes: Are you an educator with a class project that is short on funding but long on potential? Do you know a teacher looking for grant dollars? ING Unsung Heroes® could help you turn great ideas into reality for students. Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund their innovative class projects. Three of those are chosen to receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000 and $25,000
2. NJAET Technology Project Grants: Do you know that you could win up $2000 to implement a creative educational technology project related to your curriculum? Last year three awards were made, and this year up to four grants will be awarded. The deadline is approaching, So read the Technology Project Grant Guidelines soon and get your application in no later than Sunday, November 6.
3. Lowe’s Toolbox for Education: It’s almost that easy when you take advantage of Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant program. Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation (LCEF) knows how hard you work for your kids and your community and they’re dedicated to helping your parent-teacher group achieve even more for your school. Check out additional information on how to apply.
4. Adopt-A-Classroom partners donors with teachers so you can have funds to purchase critical resources and materials for your classroom. By registering, your classroom will be posted on the Adopt-A-Classroom website available for donors to select. When adopted, you will have full discretion to purchase items that meet your unique classroom needs.
5. DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need.  Public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. Donors can give as little as a dollar. Every little bit helps.

• Search the web and visit addresses
• Search for apps, bookmarks and browsing history
• Create bookmarks
• See security, pop-up and extension alerts

This week was the first two of six Chromebook events I am helping to lead with Lucy Gray, Joe Donahue and the Google Apps Team. We presented in Boulder on Monday, Chicago on Wednesday and next week, we’ll be heading to Austin and New York.

But this company, The Flat Stanley Project,  has taken this portable cardboard figure geography project to a whole new level.

From the company: Flat Stanley is a beloved children’s/education franchise that is about to have a new life online. Walden Media (Chronicles of Narnia) just announced a movie deal for it, in fact. Flat Stanley is having a renaissance. It’s already in official use at 4,500+ schools across 88 countries, and is part of the formal curriculum for geography in most districts.

So, as with so many other projects and subjects we work with , there’s an app for it. You can find it live in the App store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flat-stanley/id382161936?mt=8).

How the App works (from the company):

Children can quickly sign up and bring Stanley with them wherever they go. In minutes, they can customize their own Stanley (skin and hair color, facial expressions and clothing), take photographs and insert Stanley into them with either front or rear-facing camera, write their character’s biography and “like,” comment on and share photos with their friends across the Flatter World network of friends and family.

The app also plots Stanleys near a particular user on a world map and sends updates on where their friends and families’ Stanleys travel. It’s a quick and easy way for kids to see the world and make new friends outside of their hometown with a familiar and friendly character leading the way. To encourage exploring Stanleys outside of one’s network, the app unlocks special pictures from exciting locations.

In many ways, Flat Stanley was the original social network – it just existed offline, in homes and schools, transported by stamp and envelope, instead of electronically. Our goal is to preserve the same values, and the same goals that we’ve always had, while extending our reach, and enriching the experience overall.
The new app gives parents and their children the opportunity to insert a Stanley from their collection into any photo, chronicling the experience, sharing it with others, and continuing a conversation ongoing around that location, or activity – all the while telling stories and beginning new adventures.