THANKFUL for my PLN: EduBlog Award Nominations

Click the picture above to make your 2013 EduBlog nomination.

BEST GROUP BLOG

Two Guys and Some iPads Blog

Brad Waid and Drew Minock join forces to collaborate, connect and inspire educators across the country.  Their blog is filled with quality resources to support meaningful technology integration in the classroom.  The dynamic duo also host a weekly podcast called The Two Guys Show.  I had the pleasure of experiencing their engaging energy during the live broadcast of Episode #11.  These guys not only walk the talk, but they empower others to join them in making a 21st century difference for kids!

You can follow them on Twitter at:

@TechBradWaid

@TechMinock

BEST TEACHER BLOG

Nesloney’s Adventures: Thoughts from an Elementary Teacher

Todd Nesloney is a 5th grade teacher in Texas.  His blog offers genuine insight into his journey as a teacher and connected educator.  He wears his heart on his sleeve and possesses a passion for learning that oozes out of the words in his blog posts.  Todd was gracious enough to create a custom author’s greeting for our school that we linked to his inspiring book, Spruce and Lucy, using Augmented Reality and he’s also a contributor to the #WorldBookTalk project on Twitter.

You can follow him on Twitter at:

@TechNinjaTodd

BEST ADMINISTRATOR BLOG

Passion…Purpose…Pride

Jimmy Casas is a transformational school leader in every sense of the word.  He’s a high school principal in Iowa that approaches his work and writing in a very purposeful way.  I love Jimmy’s relational approach and have taken many of his blog posts to heart.  His blogs have inspired me to take action and continue to enhance my learning.  Knowing Jimmy and reading his blog has made me a better leader.

You can follow him on Twitter at:

@Casas_Jimmy

BEST INDIVIDUAL TWEETER

Rafranz Davis is one of the most collaborative professionals I’ve had the pleasure of learning from on Twitter.  Her Tweets are a “cornucopia of tech-goodness.”  I’ve named her my unofficial WordPress blog mentor and appreciate her perspective and sharing.  Without her support and encouragement I’m not sure that you’d be reading this blog post today.

You can follow her on Twitter at:

@RafranzDavis

BEST EDUCATIONAL USE OF AUDIO / VIDEO / VISUAL / PODCAST

Curt Rees is a principal in Wisconsin and technology “triple threat.”  Some of the most engaging educational technologies that I’m learning about have been shared from Curt.  Whether he’s rapping with Smule’s Auto Rap or creating student podcasts using the TouchCast app….it’s bound to be worthy of a “mic drop.”  When Curt is not dominating the recess kickball field he’s busy co-hosting the Techlandia Podcast.

You can follow him on Twitter at:

@CurtRees

BEST EDUCATIONAL USE OF SOCIAL NETWORK

Tony Sinanis is the lead learner at Cantiague Elementary in New York.  He’s also one of the most fun and student-centric principals I’ve ever hung out with (virtually).  His weekly school podcast segments truly amplify student voice!  I was so inspired by some of the communication tools he’s using to enhance the student learning experience that I connected with Tony and another connected administrator in New Jersey to create a cross-state student podcast project we affectionately refer to as 3 Leaders Making Videos.  Having Tony in my Personal Learning Network (PLN) has turned up the “fun factor” at school while connecting our students to other schools across the country!

You can follow him on Twitter at:

@TonySinanis

BEST MOBILE APP

Aurasma is an Augmented Reality app that allows students to create their own supplemental virtual content and attach it to any trigger image.  It is one of the most engaging new educational technologies I’ve seen in my career, and it offers limitless possibilities.  Our school is using Aurasma to celebrate student creativity by embedding art talk videos into a student gallery.  We also used Aurasma to create the World Book Talk project.  Click HERE to see some other ways we are leveraging Aurasma to engage students in their learning!  Needless to say…with Aurasma the future of education is full of limitless possibilities!

You can follow the company on Twitter at:

@Aurasma

Getting Connected

Click the pic to view episode #11 of the show.

Greenwood Elementary is filled with talented professionals committed to the success of each and every child.  Connecting with students and staff on a daily basis is one of the priceless privileges I have as principal.  

Lately, I’ve also had the opportunity to share some of the things our school is doing to engage students via Twitter.  It’s difficult to explain the magic our teachers bring to their classrooms in under 140 characters, so some of the collaboration has spilled over into video-conferencing and direct messaging.  (Twitter has been invaluable to my own professional development and getting connected was one of the best moves of my career as a leader/learner.)  

I recently had the opportunity to visit with two game-changing educators, Drew Minock and Brad Waid, from Bloomfield Hills Schools in Michigan.  We met on a popular podcast they host called the “2 Guys Show.”  They also have a website www.twoguysandsomeipads.com 

Click on the photo above to view a recording of the live show.  We had a blast discussing meaningful technology integration, Augmented Reality (AR) and making a difference for kids!  A memorable moment from the show for me was the “AR Ambush” that occurred.  You won’t believe how cool Brad Waid was under pressure and how he reacted to the Augmented Reality surprise!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank the entire team at Greenwood Elementary for the passion they bring to our shared journey together, as well as the countless others that enrich my Professional Learning Network (PLN).

You can follow Brad and Drew on Twitter at:

@TechMinock

@TechBradWaid