We have updated this site with curated, active Ontario blogs that can act as a model for your own blog, or a source of learning to inform your teaching practice.
If you are a blogger and you have not yet added your blog to this site, please fill out the form here.
We hope you have enjoyed the work of two Ontario bloggers over the past two days, Leigh Cassell and Michelle Parrish.
After two years of promoting connected learners, OSSEMOOC is updating its blogroll to feature active education bloggers in Ontario and beyond. You can see to the right ——>
how we are adding ACTIVE blogs to the site, curated so that you can find what you are looking for.
Please share your blog information with us in the form below. We will be removing links to blogs that are no longer active.
Thank you for your dedication to making your learning and thinking visible to others.
If you are not a blogger, please continue to visit this site so you might learn from your colleagues, and see examples of educators who believe in building our knowledge together.
Featured image shared under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non-commercial license by Thomas Hawk.
As we continue our focus on blogging, today we feature the reflective practice of KPDSB teacher Michelle Parrish. We can learn so much from teachers who openly reflect on the work they do with our young people.
You might remember Michelle’s insights as she also generously shared with us as a guest panellist during the Innovator’s Mindset book club Google Hangouts on Air.
Thanks, Michelle, for your generous open practice that helps us build knowledge together.
Please take a moment to read and comment on Michelle’s blog, or the blogs of her students, here: https://mproom31.wordpress.com
If you are just joining us today, please refer to this post where we share what we are up to!
Never before has there been such an abundance of information to contribute to our learning. At the same time, there is no doubt that our collective plates are brimming over with things to do. As a positive, we challenge ourselves to think differently and explore ways to learn on the go.
I thought I would share a couple of ideas that have improved my mobile learning. Part of my practice is to capture information using Notability on my iPad. This is a powerful app that allows me to write, record, and insert images in documents that I can refer to at any point in time. One of the things I like to do is re-listen to my recordings in the car. You can apply this idea to other mediums too, such as a livescribe pen.
Enjoy Day 4: Listen While You Work. We look forward to hearing about your learning on the go ideas too.
Oh yes. If you know a colleague that might like to participate in the 30 days of connected program, give them a nudge!
As you think about your role as a leader during the 2015-2016 school year, you know that being connected is an important part of your work. A simple first step to connecting with other leaders around the province and around the world is learning to leverage social media for professional learning.
Educators learn and share together on Twitter.
Update: CBC’s interview on why principals and teacher must be on social media
OSSEMOOC is an open support system for leaders to learn to connect and self-direct their professional learning. A perfect starting point is to get connected on Twitter.
If you are uneasy about getting on social media, here are some steps you can take to access professional learning anonymously. This is a great starting point for beginners.
On May 5, 2015, we shared how you can use Twitter as a public library. Read the full post and access all the resources here or start with just the short screencast below.
Once you are ready to be a participant on Twitter, this resource will help you get started.
This short screencast shows you what you will learn.
Check the OSSEMOOC site daily for more support in becoming a connected leader in 2015-2106.
You know you need to get connected.
Like running, sometimes you need a little help to keep going.
May is the month to get this done! OSSEMOOC will scaffold the learning this month as you work through 30 days to get connected.
We will simplify the process into four 1-week steps:
1) May 4 to 8 Collect – Where do we go to find the information educators need?
2) May 11 to 15 Connect – How can I connect with other educators around the world?
3) May 19 to 22 Curate – How do I share great resources with my network?
4) May 25 to 29 Create – How do I make my learning and thinking visible? (Including a group project you won’t want to miss).
We will work through the four weeks in the supportive environment of a cohort of learners, complete with screencasted instructions, responsive learning, and incremental challenges to keep your learning moving forward!
So grab a colleague and make the leap to accessing the learning all over the world!
(Sign up is NOT required, but if you sign up (here), you will be on our mailing list for support and event notification in your email stream.)
How is Education Leadership in our Networked World different from leadership in the past?
Over the next few weeks, we are considering the skills needed for leaders in a rapidly changing world.
We consider this recent article: Are you a Digital or Analog Leader?
As you look at the article, consider the chart that compares analog and digital leaders. While this article is for business leaders, we see many words that are bubbling up in education conversations today: “fail”, “ideas”, “multi-disciplinary”, “ecosystem”, “innovation”…
We also consider the ISTE Standards for Administrators.
What leadership skills and competencies do you think are required in today’s networked world?
Upcoming OSSEMOOC live conversations:
February 10:
Dean Shareski: “Teacher as Researcher”
In a world of constant flux and change, waiting for the white paper on “best practice” may not be the best way for teachers to stay innovative and provide the best experience for students. What is the role of teacher as researcher? What does or could it look like to be in a state of perpetual experimentation?
February 10, 2015 8 p.m. EST – 9 p.m. EST
Please use this link to enter the synchronous meeting room any time after 7:30 p.m.:
OSSEMOOC presents Dean Shareski.
Please sign up for this event using the form below:
Congratulations! You have committed time over the past month to become a connected leader. You have found where the learning is happening. You have found places to connect with other colleagues who value learning in the way that you do.
What lies ahead?
Your thinking about your practice may have shifted significantly over the past month, but relationships remain at the centre of our learning.
Sometimes, as you share your excitement about what you have learned with your colleagues, you will feel like the voice of the “Lone Wolf”.
At other times, when you are with your “tribe”, you will feel like you are “preaching to the choir”. This too, has value.
As a connected leader, you are taking ownership of your own learning. Isn’t this exactly what you want for your students?
You’ve learned that Twitter is a 24/7 stream of learning for educators. Random captures of Tweetdeck demonstrate how many ideas are flowing at once.
Will Richardson shares eight attributes of modern educational leaders here. Understanding where to find the best and most current ideas about education is the first attribute.
Watch what happens when connected leaders understand the importance of networking for students:
Look at the number of comments on this blog! How powerful is this conversation among teachers and student about mindset and learning?!
Here is a sample of the kinds of conversations among teachers and students you will see on this class blog. Take a moment to comment on some of the student thinking.
As you continue to connect, you will experience magical moments, learning and connecting that grow from your open sharing. Alan Levine expertly collects these stories. I think Ms. Balen and Ms. Calder need to contribute to this collection!
“The power, the strength, the future of the internet as we know it now, depends on this two-way flow. Share openly, and then share your story.”
Check out some of these fabulous stories of connecting, then be sure to share your story when the magic happens for you.
Congratulations on a successful 30 days of connecting.
Here at OSSEMOOC, we look forward to continuing to learn from you. Be sure to add your blog to the list through our “Join In” page.
Thanks for your participation and feedback. We hope you will continue to add resources to our posts through the comments, and that you will continue to spread the word!
We leave you with some inspiring words from Connected Leaders in Ontario – The OSSEMOOC K12 Online Conference Presentation for 2014.
Resources
On Twitter:
David Truss (@datruss)
Stacey Wallwin (@wallwins)
Bill Ferriter (@plugusin)
Julie Balen (@jacbalen)
Jaclyn Calder (@jaccalder)
Alan Levine (@cogdog)
#ossemooc
#ontedleaders
#onted, #cpchat, #suptchat
The Importance of Connected Learning Environments – Jackie Gerstein
OSSEMOOC 