One of my goals this year centers around improving my skills as an Instructional Technology Specialist/Tech Coach.  All too often schools roll out technology and for whatever reason, provide little to no professional development for integration of the tools into the curriculum.  Using a laptop or iPad for personal use is very different than knowing how to use it effectively with students.  Thankfully the Kamehameha Schools does acknowledge the need for ongoing training and support.  I am incredibly blessed to serve on a wonderful team of instructional technology specialists (coaches) that is always looking for new and innovative ways to support our teachers.

Technology now allows us to expand our resource pool beyond our island boundaries and connect with tech coaches all over the world.  This summer and fall I worked with a group of talented tech coaches on the mainland to launch an ISTE SIG for Coaches.  ISTE is the International Society for Technology in Education and a SIG is a Special Interest Group.  It was formally launched in December 2012.  We launched this SIG to be a resource for those that support teachers with integrating technology into their curriculum.  We are planning coaching webinars beginning in late January 2013 and will post resources on our wiki.

In June I will be participating in a panel discussion on coaching for educational transformation with yet another group of amazing tech coaches at the 2013 ISTE Convention in San Antonio Texas. I can’t wait to share all that I learn at the conference with my team, my teachers and SIG members.

For those who may ask, “What is a tech coach?”  I have a brief article for you to read.   As I find new articles related to this topic I’ll post them here.  You can follow this strand by clicking on the Coaching link in the menu bar.  Check back soon for more information and tech tips and tricks.

Aloha and may 2013 bring joy and peace to us all.

We are set to blast off into a Google frontier in less than 2 hours!  I’ve added a few pages to this site to support us on our journey.  Please take a few moments to look around.  Additional information and resources will be added daily.

Look forward to working with you and having fun as we explore teaching with Google docs!

Today’s agenda
1. Review homework and question & answer session. View glog on Twitter and PLN
2. Sharing of lesson plans
3. Even more cool web 2.0 tools
Storybird
Kerpoof
Makebeliefcomix
GoAnimate4Schools
Edudemic

-Twitter Classroom 20.com Twitter4Teachers Facebook Wikispaces

Copyright/Fair use
- Creative Commons

Cool Web 2.0 tools of the week Picnik Voicethread and Today’s Meet

Homework
Revised lesson plan template

PLN development – create an account on one of the sites we discussed
Be prepared to share your lesson or reflection of what you have learned for our last class. (May 12th)

Here are some of my favorites (in case you couldn’t tell by the posters in my office)
Gone with the Wind (Gable was the King!)
An Affair to Remember (Cary looked gorgeous in a tux!)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid/The Sting (actually any movie with Paul and/or Robert – need I say more?)
The Sound of Music (no hunky men but the music and scenery were beautiful)

My list could go on and on – I do love movies. What about you?

Homework
1. Comment on someone’s blog (from class, KS, or outside)
2. Create a post and embed some type of media
3. Find a clip to use with either tube chop or quietube
4. Review the NETS and reflect on how they align with your curriculum
5. Begin to plan for lesson if going for B credit

Homework
1. Create or edit a static page
2. Create a post insert media and assign a category
3. Read “How to Grow a Blog”, complete the template and email it to me.

Homework – Revised 04/11/11
1. You can keep your post on the first wall-wisher located at wall-wisher
or you can post a new one here. Please make sure to include your fist name.
2. Create and publish a post on your blog
3. Assign a category to your post
4. Review the 2 links we discuss and be prepared to discuss next week