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Thank you Josh – another bang-up manner to hash out the SAMR model.  Where are we when it comes to file management and SAMR?

If you don't already take 1, you need a mode to manage your files then y'all can recall them apace.  I don't really call up information technology matters which ones you use, but yous can consider Diigo, Pearltrees, Dropbox, Google Drive Livebinders or something that allows you to keep things organized.

Right now, I store all articles I desire to go on on Livebinders.  I similar this system – it is uncomplicated – all y'all need to exercise is set upwards categories and then each new article becomes a tab under the selected category.

Diigo is as well neat – you lot can set it up  so that every tweet you send out is automatically stored in Diigo.  Like Livebinders, you can gear up categories.  You can also gear up groups and share your manufactures with your group.  Both services allow you to tweet out the article you merely stored.

I tin can't imagine working without Google Drive.  All my files were moved on to Drive last year – I continue nothing on my hard drive.  Drive allows me to collaborate with staff and other administrators. Just to be conscientious, I take backed up my files to Dropbox likewise.

Nosotros ready all meeting agendas on Drive and share editing privileges with all staff members.  People can so get in and add items that demand to exist discussed past the group.  Drive is particularly great for meetings – you can start keeping a live record of the proceedings as the meeting progresses.

So, where do I find myself on the SAMR model?

Substitution

  • Attach a document to an email.
  • Save a document to a flash drive.
  • Save a document to a schoolhouse computer.

Augmentation

  • Upload to Dropbox.
  • Upload to Google Drive.

Modification

  • Share folders and files on Google Drive.
  • Share folders and files on Dropbox.
  • Upload data and utilize Google Analytics to clarify school information.

Redefined

  • Using Google Drive, allow others to edit, comment on, and share your documents.
  • Administrators share data and antipodal digitally for articulation meetings.

I have no idea what an articulation meeting is so I will offset there.  Big hint – always look at the redefined category in Josh's articles.  I checked out Nearpod after 1 of his posts and ended up having a great teleconference with the Nearpod people.  I would love to get this service in my school!

Terminal point – Josh is bang on when he says that administrators need to pb by example.  One of the reasons i do this is to encourage staff to endeavor some of these tools and techniques out.  This is certainly i of our jobs as administrators!

So, lots of challenges here – where volition you put yourself on SAMR when it comes to file direction?

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I am continuing to comment on this actually interesting series past Josh Piece of work on Edutopia.  The posts read similar a social media 101 for administrators!  We all should be able to measure our progress in social media using the SAMR model.  Josh is looking at specific areas that we accept responsibleness for and he relates each expanse to the SAMR model.

How practise y'all measure up in key areas like staff presentations, community interaction, file management, classroom evaluations and staff input (Technology SAMR Model for Administrators).

The 2d mail focuses on community interaction which to me is a key responsibility for all administrators.

Information technology is no longer acceptable to have the notion that parents volition just naturally show up at your schoolhouse.  Parents are much more discerning at present, they bank check out your web page, your Facebook Page (exercise you lot have one?) and any other social media tools you lot are using.  It may a while, but your schoolhouse will constitute an online presence that will attract parents to your schoolhouse.  I actually believe that this is a cardinal gene at present that parents consider when choosing a school.

I have read lots of posts from administrators who work hard to brand the learning visible to all parents in the community.  My model is Eric Sheninger, the writer of Digital Leadership: Irresolute Paradigms for Changing Times.  There is so much to recommend in this volume – I think all administrators need to read this volume if they want to stay relevant in a time of rapid modify.  One affair I have learned from Sheninger and other authors is that we need to brand learning visible to our parent customs.  We need to use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr and whatever other tool that allows parents to run across what is happening daily in the schoolhouse.

Using these tools has an interesting affect on students, teachers and parents.  Everyone talks most the learning that goes on in the schoolhouse.  Parents in our customs actually similar Remind 101 and Facebook, the kids love Instagram.  Our office as administrators is to publish using a diversity of tools so that our community tin can admission more information on what is happening every day.

I similar how Josh Piece of work has applied the SAMR model to community outreach.  I really think we all need to exist way past the substitution stage at this point.  Writing a conventional newsletter and then due east-mailing it out is only non skilful enough.  In Canada, with the Federal CASL legislation, it is now actually illegal to send out unsolicited e-mails.

I love his idea about using QR Codes and especially Aurasma to highlight student piece of work.  These are ii communication tools that I will take to try in September!

My September plan at my new school will likewise include setting up a new Edublog for the parent community along with another for staff.  I volition continue to use Facebook and Twitter along with a brand new Google Site as our schoolhouse web site – thanks to our school board – Astonishing!  I will besides continue to use Flickr to store all our school photos and of course Instagram to transport daily photos to the school community.  I will not produce a monthly newsletter – this is merely not worth the time when in that location are so many but in time communication tools available.

As an administrator, what communication tools will you exist using this year?  Where would yous put yourself on the SAMR model?  Where practice you desire to be past the end of the year?

Looking forwards to Part III.

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Google (Photograph credit: warrantedarrest)

I have started reading a actually interesting series by Josh Work – a guest blogger on Edutopia.  The series is focused on what tools administrators can use to keep up with their teachers and the use of engineering science.  I think this will be a terrific serial.  In my experience, teachers are far alee of administrators in their use of technology.  If we are going to be good office models to the teachers on staff, we demand to get much better at using technology.

My promise is that the move to modification and redefinition (SAMR) will also influence how information is delivered to us at the commune level.  That is a major topic in itself!

Josh Work is using the SAMR model every bit the basis for all of his work.  I think information technology is a reasonable expectation that administrators move through the SAMR continuum from substitution to redefinition.

In his first postal service, Work writes nearly staff presentations and how administrators can improve their advice with staff.

What a great topic to beginning with!

In that location are then many bully tools we can now use to communicate more effectively with staff.  Are you all the same stuck using eastward-mail as your simply communication tool?  Information technology is really time to motility on.

Before moving to any particular tool, Work makes a great betoken – fourth dimension is a precious commodity for whatsoever schoolhouse staff and we need to really examine if in that location are other means to convey data beyond the traditional (yawn) staff meeting.

Piece of work concentrates on Google Apps for Teaching (GAFE) which, in my opinion, is certainly the fashion to go.

So, what can administrators use to communicate more finer?  Agendas tin can be circulated before the meeting using Google Drive.  Work also mentions that administrators can get good feedback from staff by using Google Forms or past hosting a Google Hangout to enrich communication with staff.

I agree, all these tools tin can actually help go on the flow of information moving.  I utilise Google Bulldoze to post a working copy of our calendar a calendar week earlier the staff meeting.  All staff have access to the certificate and anyone can add an agenda particular to the certificate right up to meeting fourth dimension.  The rule is, if you tin mail service on Bulldoze then your item will exist office of the agenda.  I and then try to go abroad from newspaper copies of the last agenda.  We can then edit the agenda as the coming together goes on so that nosotros have an annotated agenda recorded in Drive by the end of the coming together.

We also use Google Forms on a regular footing to survey staff on a number of issues – some of the best information I take received from staff members has come up from these surveys.

We utilise Google Groups as our staff e-mail conference.  It is a expert interactive tool that allows staff to communicate finer.  The membership is controlled by an ambassador and information technology is a airtight, secure system.  It is very easy to use, I am moving to a new schoolhouse in September and most of the staff in my new school are already using this tool to communicate with other staff members!

Google + is an amazing collaboration tool that we take used in the past.  We are using the Communities feature to connect special collaborative teams between schools.  This tool took a scrap of time to catch on, only it a terrific way for educators to keep in touch, particularly when sharing data between schools.

Every bit administrators, we need to take a pb role by trying out these tools.  Information technology is no longer excusable for an administrator to say they are not 'comfortable' with the use of engineering science.  It is part of our chore to be risk-takers and try out new forms of communication.  If nosotros endeavor these tools, staff members will be encouraged to practice the aforementioned.

My next challenge is to try out Nearpod.  This tool is suggested by Piece of work – I don't know anything near it, but I feel obliged to give it a try.  It may or may not exist useful, but I need to at least check it out.

I hope all administrators read this series and so make a serious endeavor to adopt new communication tools in accelerate of the adjacent school year.

And then we tin can beginning work on the district!

Next – Customs Interaction

It is very exciting to meet what is happening on our staff.  With a good representation of the SAMR model (below) information technology is possible to get a good thought on how our staff is progressing.  There is even so a good deal of work to be washed, but the survey gives a good idea of what my role as principal and what our staff need to keep to work on.

Think dorsum to September, where would you have put yourself according to the SAMR model

Substitution333%

Modification333%

Augmentation333%

Redefinition00%

Now that you are half way through the yr where would yous put yourself on the scale?

Substitution 4 twoscore%
Modification 4 40%
Augmentation 2 20%
Redefinition 0 0%

Where do you lot plan to be by the end of the schoolhouse year?

Commutation ane 13%
Modification 4 l%
Augmenataion 0 0%
Redefinition iii 38%

Is there anything that I could practise to help you movement to the next level

I am using some technology that is listed in all of the SAMR categories but considering I merely utilize them some of the time I probably was (in Sept) and still am at the S level. I notwithstanding have a long fashion to go and would really benefit from some in-service. We take spent a lot of money on the technology and none on teacher grooming in the utilise of it. I am not tapping in to the full potential of the iPads (or even the SMARTBoard for that matter even though I use information technology all the time). ? More than fourth dimension to explore and train with devices and programs. Also – not much for you to do on your end but – tech support is not e'er bachelor to u.s. when we really need information technology ASAP. ( understandably, INFO TECH is ever busy, but why are they not adding more "It" staff to reflect the increase in number of devices and tech items were are using compared to a few years agone? We still just accept one very decorated service IT for so many schools. Yous have done an outstanding job of putting technology into the hands of teachers and students. Cheers.

To motility to the next level, a couple of half mean solar day in-school workshops from Lisa Langsford or Marcie Martel (or similar) to Evidence us how to utilise some apps and bear witness us some real student samples of how to use them would assist a lot. And allowing some hands-on to explore what they are educational activity us. (Or after school if funding is not available). Nosotros must be able to tap into some board funding??? I get the feeling we are but scratching the surface of how we tin can be using the ipads.

If there was a prepare (minimum 4) Chrome books in my class all the fourth dimension I could reasonably contain them into constant utilize, therefore making them a total time tech choice. Continue educating us on shortcuts or new apps at staff coming together I need concrete suggestions for primary activities where tech tin can be substituted on a more regular basis. What aps are all-time for primary level which students tin can use on their ain to produce work? Personally, I notice my tech goals are pushed back by lack of time merely I would make an effort to take the fourth dimension if I had to present my activity to others or had a deadline to send student piece of work to you lot. My goal is to use it on a more regular footing though… Not just for one projection to demo. Provide some in-school PD time to learn a new tool.

WiFi – are at that place any areas of the school where the wifi signal is not stiff. ie you can't selection up a indicate

library and the hallway outside of information technology, staff room No problems! ? Staffroom hall, and please share comment above with them too all OK as far equally I know x in and well-nigh library Staff room and library

Cheers for all your comments – we are up to seven!!

I promise some activeness will come out of this survey and i volition amke sure the Lath knows at that place are no weak wifi zones

Click here to download the PDF – will really help you figure out where you are and where you are going!!

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