Along with teaching the Online Teacher Training course for SEMVA, I am also teaching a Social Media class for Saint Mary's University in Winona--also online. My experience in the past few days has made me so much more appreciative of what SEMVA offers its students, parents, and teachers. There have been several technology glitches in getting my course shell open and available to the students. I would go in and make it available, come back a few hours later, and it would be unavailable. Students were trying to access the course and couldn't. Of course, last evening was when I was struggling to get this all to work. No one was at St. Mary's to answer my questions and give me the support I needed. SEMVA offers 24/7 technical support and an actual phone number to call to talk to a real person. Hallelujah! Students can always connect qwith someone to get help with whatever problem they are currently having. I had to call the main number and get transferred several times to find the right person. I have sent emails that have not been responded to--caught in cyberspace. SEMVA offers a great service to our clientele.

Technology - what a topic to try to get you mind around these days. Just when you get comfortable with a tool, a newer and better one comes out. Amazing how fast it can be developed. Educators have no way of keeping up with what is out there. No way! This from the June, 2012 issue of Reader's Digerst, p. 112: Social media Explained Twitter: I'm eating a #donut Facebook: I like donuts Foursquare: This is where I eat donuts Instagram: Here's a vintage photo of my donut YouTube: Here I am eating a donut Linkedin: My skills include donut eating Pinterest: Here's a donut recipe Last FM: Now listening to "donuts" G+: I'm a Google employee who eats donuts How did we communicate before social media?

Flipping the Class

Now here is a concept worth investigating. Instead of lecturing in class, turn it into a video to be watched for homework. Students watch the content presentation at home and the application of the content is done in class with the teacher's assistance. So why have we done it the other way all these years?

Online Learning

Attended a great leadership summmit last week in Oklhaoma City. Wow, what a lot of information. Students are enjoying online learning for so many different reasons--as many reasons as there are students. Educators need to jump on board and make this the best experience ever.

iPads in Education

To iPad or not to iPad--that is the question. Do we jump on this band wagon because others are doing so? Are they really that great? Will they change the way content is delivered in the classroom or will it just be an expensive new pencil for students? How can we be sure the technology we are adding to the classroom will be used as a learning tool and not a toy? The decisions are expensive so educators need to be sure before they take the leap.

Teaching Online

Teaching online is such a flexible way of connecting with your students. To do it right, as with anything else, takes time and effort to stay in touch. Is it worth it? Absolutely!

What an honor

Teaching at a high school and being the technology integrationist for the district allows me to help a lot of students and teachers with technology. But what a surprise when the yearbook advisor took my picture because I had been voted by the students as the "most tech savvy teacher in the high school." Wow, I was impressed to be a senior citizen and still thought to be techie by teenagers!