Educational Leadership in the Digital Age
Administrators are charged with leading their schools in a time of rapid change and ever-evolving digital technologies. How can school leaders embrace innovative shifts in teaching and learning by incorporating emerging technologies and social media to enhance their own professional practice, as well as strengthen communications, collaborative efforts, and student learning outcomes for their organization? Content and activities align with the ISTE Standards for Administrators.
Innovative Professional Development
Professional development in its traditional form can neglect to honor the strengths, needs, passions, and goals of today’s educators. Building upon tenets of adult learning theory and the strategies that help social learners be successful, schools can design, organize, and implement innovative professional learning opportunities for teachers and staff. No longer do teachers have to be subjected to "sit and get" faculty meetings or one-size-fits-all professional development. By harnessing the power of social media and other digital tools, administrators can plan anytime, anywhere access to information, tutorials, collaboration sessions, and practical applications that teachers can use to grow professionally. Let’s rethink traditional development structures and examine how unconference models, flipped faculty meetings, the inclusion of digital tools, and teacher-led learning can support educators’ professional growth.
Google Workspace for Educational Leaders
How can school administrators harness Google Workspace apps to streamline communications, enhance content creation, and maximize collaboration within the organization? Participants in this workshop will explore the many ways Google Workspace can add value to daily administrative tasks. Topics include: Google Chrome web extensions & apps to take control of your browser; Google Workspace productivity apps for communication & collaboration; maximizing your use of Drive, Calendar, and Gmail; automate feedback workflow with Google Forms/Sheets & add-ons.
The Power of Professional Learning Networks
What's a PLN, and why do I need one? This session will explore the power of networked learning for educators, and how, through the use of digital technologies, there are numerous opportunities for educators to engage in professional learning with colleagues from around the world. Teachers and administrators congregate in powerful learning communities using tools such as Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and more to share resources, support and inspire, and challenge thinking to help us move forward as professionals. This session will explore the power of connected learning, how to begin establishing practices that will help you connect, and the ways in which connected educators transform teaching and learning for themselves and their students.
Meetings that Matter: Collaboration Tools for Administrators (K-12, Admin)
In our never-ending quest to honor teachers' time, we can utilize a number of tools to collaborate and communicate among stakeholders, thus maximizing our use of face-to-face learning opportunities. This workshop will explore various tools and strategies to help today's school leader take command of digital communication and collaboration to enhance information-sharing, relationships, and learning throughout the organization.
Copyright and Creation: Your Rights & Responsibilities
Digital technologies have helped unleash and promote the creative works of students and teachers alike. When we create, we rely on sources of inspiration to guide our work. This workshop helps educators explore the often misunderstood realm of copyright in the digital age. We will review copyright essentials for students and educators, including fair use guidelines. Many digital tools and techniques integral to finding and attributing copyright-friendly media will be shared. We will also explore effective research methods and the Google Search features that support research practices. Participants will get hands-on with various tools to support project development and lessons that enhance student research and creation.
