A Guest Blogger: Future Ready Schools and Google

I am very excited to have Mineral Point High School’s Instructional Technology and Information Specialist, Kris McCoy, as my guest blogger. Kris is very smart, tech savvy, and always eager to learn and use “the next big thing” in technology. Today she’s giving us some insight on Future Ready Schools and Google:

 

First of all I must say how cool it is to be asked to be a “guest blogger” on one of my favorite former student’s education/technology blog!  I must admit that I have struggled with narrowing down what I want to write about.  There are so many exciting things going on in education and technology that it’s hard to know where to start…

Two things I think all teachers should know about are Future Ready Schools and Google.

Paula wrote an earlier post on SAMR, and I am thrilled to know that future teachers are learning about this.  People who understand SAMR understand that it not about the technology, it is about transforming the learning and making things possible for students that could not have been done before.  Future Ready Schools understand the importance of personalized, digital learning and the need to “work collaboratively to transform teaching and learning using the power of technology to help drive continuous improvement…. to teach students to become responsible, engaged, and contributing digital citizens.”   More info about this can be found at http://tech.ed.gov/futureready/ and President Obama Future Ready

Moving on to Google… Know your Google and the many opportunities it provides for collaboration, learning, efficiency, communication, and more in education!  I highly recommend participating in the online Google for Education Training.  Not only will this look amazing on a resume, it will transform your teaching and possibly your life.  I know that sounds dramatic, but you will find that what you learn about using Google tools in education carries over into your personal life making you more efficient and connected.  This will be greatly needed as you try to balance teaching and everything else.

In closing, be brave when it comes to integrating technology in your teaching and learning.  You do not have to be an expert before trying something new; you just have to be willing to try.  Things may not work exactly as you planned the first time out of the box, but you will learn so much more as you try to figure it out, make mistakes, and try again.  Each time you push yourself to do this, it will get easier and easier and what you learn from one new thing will transfer over to the next new thing you try.  To get started, follow the technology leaders in education through blogs, Pinterest, Twitter, etc. and then take the leap to pushing your learning and that of your students through the integration of technology and digital tools.  You will be glad you did!