I choose to see things and live life full of rich color, like a kaleidoscope.  My impression and perceptions of color is a reflection in everything I do.  Living life through the lens of a kaleidoscope enables me to have vision, passion and belief.  How do you see things?

My Impression and Perception

Reality

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Via Social Media in Education by James Hicks, The Tech Scoop

Frown…social media for educators is bad! 

Have you heard this time and time again?

Roll of the eyes…social media has no place in education! 

Have you heard this time and time again?

Annoyed look…social media is a waste of time and it will take up too much of my time! 

Have you heard this time and time again?

Disgusted look…I don’t understand how to use social media and can’t spend the time trying to learn. 

Have you heard this time and time again?

I have!

Via Online Universities  Blog

Via Socrato.com blog

Some educators, including myself, are trying to spread the word, teach and tell others on how positive and great social media is for educators and in the education setting.  I am one of the many avid educators who are trying to change the negative stigma social media has had in the education setting. 

Derek L. McCoy, part of my PLN on Twitter has caught my attention today with a Tweet I received from him.  He referenced one of my blog posts for his presentation, “Why Teachers Should Join Twitter…What I Have Learned as a Twitter Newbie.”  Here is the accompanying Glogster EDU presentation I created to go along with my blog post on “Why Teachers Should Join Twitter.”   It was not his reference of my blog post that struck my attention, but was his presentation material.  His presentation material is fabulous and shares the same vision and passion I have had for using social media for professional purposes.  I have written another blog post about this vision entitled, “Social Media the New Professional Development.”  Too often people don’t allow for social media for professional purposes in the education setting due to the bad stigma it has had. Derek, along with many other educators who see and understand the power and educational purpose social media has in the education field, is trying to change this old perception.  He has created a NCASCD Innovation Workpage – 2012 on his website with the material he used for his presentation.

Here is the first SlideShare from his presentation:

In the first SlideShare presentation he lists several social media websites and applications that are great tools for educators:

Twitter

Google+

diigo

LiveBinders

EverNote

I love these tools. As a social media enthusiast for education purposes; please, please check out these tools if you don’t know about them. They will change your life!

Here is the second SlideShare from his presentation:

Derek McCoy’s presentation material also shows a timeline development of social media through an engaging Prezi entitled, “Social Media Impact 2012“.  You’ll love this!  The timeline is informative.  He also raises good questions about social media.

I hope you enjoy his content as much as I have!  Thanks Derek McCoy for being an awesome PLN contributor and teacher!

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Recently, I received a message from Tim Handorf, a staff member of Bestcollegesonline.com who published a blog post called, “37 Ways Teachers Should Use Pinterest.”  He asked that I share this blog post with my blog readers, since the content is similar to two earlier blog posts I have written about Pinterest, “Pinterest- My New Love for Visual Bookmarking Education and Teaching Web Content,” and “How Do I Attach My Pinterest to My Blog?” Check out his blog post.  His post has links to many resources and information that is beneficial when using Pinterest as a teacher.  You will want to read his blog post and check out the links!   Be inspired with dreams and big ideas!  Enjoy Pinning!  Above all, enjoy inspiring!

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Update:  After writing this post on my Kindle Fire, I did have to go to WordPress.com on my laptop to recheck grammar and spelling.  I also used my laptop to upload pictures of the WordPress Application on my Kindle Fire.  All other content from this post I drafted on my Kindle Fire.

WordPress’ Kindle Fire application has just been just released.  I have decided to write a post on my Kindle Fire using the App to see how well it works while blogging. The Kindle Fire Android App is the same Android App as the new WordPress for Android 2.0 App. My roundup…here goes!

Using the Touchscreen Keypad
Blogging and typing on a computer whether it be desktop or laptop is easier than typing on the touch screen pad of the Kindle Fire.  The touch screen in the WordPress Application works just like the one in the Aneroid Smartphone system…they are basically one in the same.  Blogging from the Kindle Fire is easier than typing and blogging on an Android mobile smart phone since the keypad is bigger for the touch and response of fingers in action.  The autocorrect function when you are typing in the Android system is nice. Since the Kindle Fire is touchscreen, as is an Android phone, making typing errors is higher than with blogging from a computer with a keyboard.  Using the touchscreen slows down the speed of completing a blog post.  While typing this on my Kindle Fire I made many typing errors due to the touchscreen.  I was able to speed this up a little with the autocorrect feature and correction options. I’m a fast traditional typer and the slow response of a touch screen keypad is somewhat frustrating.  Although I might endure some frustrations with touchscreen keypads, I still love the technology.

Some Typing Features
Underlining content in a post such as here is easier than underlining using a desktop or laptop computer.  All I did to underline here was the quick press of my finger on the underline Icon.  To turn off the underlining feature I just pressed the button quickly with my finger.  The method of using this typing feature is much quicker and easier than blogging in WordPress from a traditional computer, which requires the use of the mouse or Alt key.  Using bold text, striking through text and using italics uses this same principle of being easier to do blogging on the Kindle Fire touchscreen.

The WordPress Kindle Fire App has a More Icon to press and use.  I am going to press it here to see what it does.

I’m not sure what that did!  I’ll figure it out later!

Adding Links
wordpress- This link to wordpress.com is added to see how linking on the Kindle Fire App works.  Adding a link on the Kindle Fire’s WordPress App is just as easy as  adding one from the WordPress Android phone application.  Adding a link on the Kindle Fire Application is easier than adding one from a desktop or laptop using WordPress.  Using WordPress on a computer and adding a link requires typing the text in the HTML setting and then highlighting on the text and clicking on the link Icon.  On the Kindle Fire App all I did was click my finger on the link Icon.  I then typed in the link website address and the name I would like the link called, as is always done no matter which device you are blogging from.  Here is a quick easy link to my blog adaptivelearnin.

Adding a video and photo just takes the press of the finger.  This is easier than the tedious process of uploading multimedia, or  linking to content on WordPress using a traditional computer.

This picture was a Doodle done by my 1-year-old from the Picasso Kindle Fire application that I saved on my Kindle Fire.  I just pressed the photo Icon, visual options appeared, I quickly scrolled through them, and  clicked on this picture which uploaded it. Very Easy!

This is a quick overview of blogging from WordPress’ Kindle Fire App.  Overall blogging from a desktop or laptop computer is quicker with typing.  The WordPress Kindle Fire App works like the Android phone App but is easier to use.  In comparison of blogging from the Kindle Fire WordPress Application to blogging from these other methods, using typing features, correcting misspelled words, and adding links and multimedia is easier and faster.  I still enjoy blogging best from my laptop, but my laptop is bulky and not always with me on the go.  Blogging from a Kindle Fire has the upper hand when blogging on the go in a place that has wi-fi, from bed or other place that is easier than using a laptop. Or, writing a blog where you plan to use many links, video or pictures since attaching those using the Kindle Fire is much easier.

That’s the roundup of my first attempt with blogging from the new WordPress Kindle Fire App.  If you own a Kindle Fire, what do you think?

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Transparency in education is vital.  With integration of new technologies in the classroom: SmartBoards, iPads, mobile devices and so forth, the old transparencies and overhead projectors are becoming obsolete.  While embracing new technologies and innovation of new learning platforms, extinction of these adaptive learning resources seems to forecast the demise of skills and art forms that were once rampant throughout the education system.  What resources that you know of, are becoming obsolete?  What skills or art forms do you see fading into the shadows of 21st Century skills?  What does this mean for the skills that are becoming extinct and for those people who are masters of those skills?  Is there an ability you have that is vanishing and what does that mean to you? What does the demise of transparencies and overhead projectors mean?   (Please share your thoughts in the comments section)

Cascading through time, a recent realization captivated my attention and my thoughts.  The pondering of my mind reflected on an art in the educational setting that facilitates imagination, teaches creativity, and  enamored the audience.  Through generations this art has enraged teachers and entertained them.  Knowing too well that their students should not catch on to their hysteria and amusement to this art form, with a quiet laugh and strict flat-toned expression on their faces, teachers have hushed and brushed away their keen excitement and sheer entertainment for this work. We all have done this as teachers.  It is part of being a professional in our fields.

So, what is the object that so delights us with playful fascination, yet enrages our disposition.  It is…shadow puppets.  You know, the shadow puppets children love to make with their hands with the light of the overhead projector shining on the classroom movie screen.  The same shadow puppets that have amused all of us, yet as teachers we don’t let students become aware of our amusement, so we keep straight-faced to keep classroom control.  We hide any sign of entertainment of such acts by our students.

Here are some shadow puppets.  You will find this video delightful and amusing, as I have!

YouTube video “Greatest Shadow Puppets Ever” by screen name BigmouthAussie

With implementation of innovative technologies, SmartBoards, iPad, etc. overhead projectors are becoming less needed and are quickly fading away from the classroom environment.  Adoption of new instructional devices and platforms is transforming the learning environment and setting.  This means wonderful new interactive learning experiences for our students, which I love and fully embrace.  However, with this change comes the loss of old adaptive learning devices such as overhead projector.  There are many other tools that are fading into the shadows as well.

Shadow puppets are a child’s playful art form.  They involve imagination, creativity, focus, skill, integration, collaboration, dexterity, and a playful spirit.   Although shadow puppets have been a focus of negativity by many educators, reality is, it is an art that children can learn from.  With the loss of overhead projectors, this means the loss of students’ ability to learn from shadow puppets.  It means the loss of their silly actions…trying to put their hands up high into the screen’s light pathway to make shadow puppets on the classroom movie screen to entertain the other students.  Indeed, this may make many teachers feel relieved to not have to worry about student’s actions and trying to gain classroom control as a result of such actions.  Being transparent though, with the loss of overhead projectors, means the loss of a teachable, interactive and playful art form.

Check out this imaginative video.  This will leave your head spinning with ideas on how you could blend shadow puppets into lessons.  Incorporating 21st Century skills, while creating shadow puppet lessons would be fabulous.  Skills such as video, editing, sound, lighting, graphics, etc. could be integrated while facilitating lessons that teach shadow puppetry.

YouTube video”Hand Shadows” by screen name roselouisewood

I can imagine shadow puppets being around for centuries; children creating shadow puppets in the faint candlelight of school houses or in their homes.  Or, I can imagine children doing it through the light of the sun gleaming through the windows.   I can also imagine, once overhead projectors became adopted into the educational setting, children beginning to make shadow puppets in the light of the overhead projector.

As SmartBoards have become the wave of the 21st Century, the loss of shadow puppets is occurring.  I never stopped to think about this until my husband recently had shone a flashlight on the wall of our home and used his hand to make a shadow puppet to entertain our child.  This moment caught my attention and caused me to think.  It was the realization that lead me to write this blog post.

Will shadow puppets be lost forever in the educational setting?  What does this mean to you?  What can we do to integrate shadow puppets into our lessons using flashlights to foster the imagination and skills that this art form teaches?  How can we integrate and teach shadow puppets into our lessons so that it is not lost?  Please share your stories and thoughts…

Here are some resources I found on learning how to integrate and do shadow puppetry.  We could use these in our classrooms to create shadow puppetry puppet plays.

• Puppets: A series of novel and amusing figures formed by the hand- This is a great website for reading about history of shadow puppets and explaining almost all you want to know about shadow puppets.
• Here is a fantastic image with close-up views of how to create different shadow puppets:

By screen name Jdesign1′s, retrieved from photobucket.com “shadow puppets“

• Here’s a video and article “How to Make Shadow Puppets” by Mouzhan Yousefi on About.com on how to make shadow puppets.

Has this too left you with a sense of nostalgia?  Has it too left you thinking of the wonders and the possibilities?

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Virtual Choir 3 will begin mid-December 2011. It will be announced on Virtual Choir’s Twitter feed.  If you want to take part in Virtual Choir 3, follow Virtual Choir on Twitter @VirtualChoir and follow Eric Whitacre on Twitter @EricWhitacre.  You can find the music selection and details on how to take part by following Virtual Choir on Twitter.  I hope you participate.  Enjoy!

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Image via Wikipedia

I have learned more by using social media for professional purposes, professional development, than I have learned from most of my professional development trainings from the past years combined. Why? Should this be a concern?  Should this make us rethink how we offer professional development, and drive our attention and awareness of old-fashioned and out of date professional development techniques and offerings to more modern practices? Are employers out of touch with the 21st Century worker’s needs and modes of learning? What does this mean? What should professional development in the 21st Century look like? Is time at work on Twitter or other social media sites seen as waste or seen as professional development…if the employee is using social media for professional purposes?

Employees know what will help them best with life-long learning and with tweaking their skills. The employer doesn’t always know what’s best for the professional development of the employee. Sorry to burst your bubble with this comment. I’m not saying all employers are out of touch with their employees, however many are.

So, why have I learned more in just a few months of doing social media for professional purposes than in five years or so of taking traditional professional development trainings and offerings? Below I have listed the reasons why I think the professional development system is out of touch with the times. I will also address why I think social media is the new professional development and what that could mean.

Why are employers out of touch?

1. Professional development offerings are offered in brick and mortar locations.
2. Professional development offerings are designed for employees of brick and mortar employment.
3. Although brick and mortar employment locations are dominant, these locations have tweaked their operations for the 21st Century.  Professional development offerings however have often not been tweaked to teach employees how to embrace new technologies and ideals.
4. Many employers have not fully understood how to market and design professional development offerings to embrace new technologies and ideas.
5. Social media is viewed as bad, and a disruption to the employees work.  The employee is assumed to be using social media for personal purposes on “work” equipment and therefore unproductive.  Social media is the evil that has no place in the “workplace”.
6. Employees who use their personal Smartphones are viewed as doing personal business at work.

Why have I learned more from social media for professional purposes than I have from traditional professional development offerings?

1. Twitter has been key to my professional development growth.  I can’t emphasize this enough…if you are not on Twitter for professional purposes, you need to join Twitter.  Take it step by step, learn how to use it and grow.  I have learned enormously from professional connections on Twitter.
2. I have learned and networked with people who I otherwise would not learn from and network with.  Essentially I have learned enormously from these people and have learned skills and knowledge I otherwise would not have the opportunity to learn. I have networked with people in other fields and occupations.  How often would I network with people in other departments or other fields, other than music or ESL?  The likelihood is small.
3. Even greater, I have learned from valuable people from all over the world.  I would not have these opportunities for professional development and learning without social media.  Different cultures and experiences bring renewed and refreshed insights to learn from.
4. I was fairly good with technology before using social media, however by using it for professional reasons I have learned much more about technology.  I have learned more from social media than I ever did from the two computers for teachers courses and other professional development technology offerings I have taken.  Interesting huh?  The reasons I have learned more about technology using social media is because while using social media I am practicing technology skills, and most people who I connect with for learning on social media are technology savvy people.
5. Social media has allowed me to tweak my professional development towards areas I think are most useful for my career and profession.  I have learned what I think is best for my professional growth and skills, not what someone else has thought is best for me.
6. Social media has allowed me to learn anywhere and at anytime that is convenient for me.  This is huge, as I am basically able to learn professional development at times and locations I otherwise would not have the opportunity to do so.  I have been able to learn even when sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for appointments using my Smartphone.
7. Smartphones are not just a phone that I carry with myself to do personal business for my personal life.  Smartphones are essentially portable learning devices just like a laptop, or iPad is.  I use my Smartphone for social media for professional purposes to network and learn “on the go.”  With my Smartphone I have access to a wealth of information that is key and vital to my professional performance and abilities.
8. By learning and using social media skills, I am able to understand and relate to youth who are just entering the workforce. Keeping up with new skills and trends is important as more and more tech savvy youth enter the workforce.

Employers really need to wake up and change their outdated professional development systems. Course offerings should entail offerings that embrace social media:

• teaching the skill
• using the skill
• teaching the options for social networking sites
• teaching how to network using the skill
• teaching how to tweak learning outcomes toward professional goals and interests
•  teaching how it can be used during the workday
• teaching new employer policies that actively embrace the technology recognizing its value
• counting the professional learning an employee does on their own time using social media towards re-certification points, etc.
• empowering the use of it in multifaceted avenues

(All opinions are my own and are not those of my employer or previous employers.)

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