Check out the Ed Tech Website

Last year, our Ed Tech team set out with the mission to improve our department's web presence. Our goal was to provide a location where teachers could find the support and resources they need to successfully integrate technology into their daily lesson plan design.

Last spring, after several revisions, we launched our newest Ed Tech Website design!

On our website you will find the following:

• Team bios
• Our blog
• @JeffcoEdTech on Twitter
• Ed Tech Resources
• Professional development

The resources button might just be our favorite section of the Ed Tech website! It is here that you will find access to a variety of different resources to help you get started using technology in your classroom! 

The resources section is organized in two ways: 

• By Skill
• At the top of the resources page, you will see 4 buttons: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking. Hover over each of these buttons to get a description of how these strands connect technology and education. By clicking on the button, you will be directed to a webpage that provides inspiration and tools to help you embed these technology strands into your classroom instruction. 

• By Topic:
• Underneath the 4 buttons listed above, you will see a variety of dark blue buttons by topic. If you are searching for a tool or specific piece of information, this is the place to look. 

When you visit a page on a specific tool, you will receive a description of that tool, why you would use it, how you can get started, and additional resources (links, presentations, and videos) to help you get started using the tool in your instruction! 

We hope you find the new Ed Tech Website helpful in successfully integrating technology in the classroom. If you have an idea about something you'd like to see on our website, please leave us a comment! 

Welcome Back!

Welcome back to the 2016-2017 school year! We have had some changes in our Ed Tech office over the summer and we would like to dedicate our first blog post to getting you acquainted with those changes!

Linda Glynn, one of our Title 1 Ed Tech Specialists, has changed roles and is the new half-time Digital Teacher Librarian (DTL) at Belmar Elementary. We wish Linda the very best in her new role and we know she will be a wonderful asset to her school.

We would like to welcome two new additions to our team, as well:

Ming Scheid is our newest Educational Technology Specialist. Many of you might know her as Ming Vlasich ~ she got married this summer. Congratulations Ming! She taught for several years at Mount Carbon Elementary before spending the last school year in Littleton Public Schools. Ming is excited to rejoin Jeffco and support teachers and students in 21st century learning.

Heidi Floyd joins the team as a second Library Coordinator specifically supporting our elementary Digital Teacher Librarians and library programs. She has a variety of library and technology related experiences and comes to us most recently from Edgewater Elementary where she supported and led their 1:1 iPad program as the Digital Teacher Librarian.

Additionally, our Ed Tech Website has undergone several new changes over the past year. Visit our website for information on each team member, a link to this blog and our Twitter feed, tech-based professional development opportunities, and a wealth of technology-based resources: Google, iPads, Chromebooks, digital citizenship, planning with and for technology, and much, much more! 

Our team looks forward to providing you with new tips, updates and inspiring ideas this year on our blog each Tuesday. Don't forget to sign up for our blog via e-mail (right-hand margin) so that our blog posts get delivered straight to your inbox! 

Follow us on Twitter @JeffcoEdTech

Visit our website: Ed Tech Website 

10 Ways to Become a Connected Educator

Prevent Summer Slide! 

Check out these tips to help you stay digitally connected to learning, while expanding your personal learning network.

1. Attend a Conference

Innovate@BVSD, June 8th and 9th

Aurora Public Schools Digital Badge Summit June 24th

ISTE 2016 (Denver)

GAFE Summit July 19th and 20th, (Colorado Springs)

2. Join Google Plus

Find communities to share ideas and experiences around a common topic. Did you know there are Colorado GAFE communities?  Global Ed Tech communities you can join?  Ask a question - you will receive an answer!

3. Twitter

It's never too late to join the Twitter party. Twitter is an excellent tool for connected learning.
Twitter in 60 Seconds
Hashtags in 60 Seconds

4. Schoology

Check out a new Schoology group such as "Blended Learning" or "Flipped Classrooms".

5. Read Professional Literature

Check out these titles:

6. Curate the Internet

Curation is the art of collecting relevant resources. Use tools like Pocket, Evernote, Flipboard, or Pinterest as your digital filing cabinet. Try to use a uniform tagging system to tag resources to find later. Diigo 

7. Watch a Webinar or Hangout on Air

Check Google Plus, ISTE, or Simple K-12 for Ed Tech webinars to view.

8. Subscribe to Digital Newsletters

Make your learning come to you. Subscribe to news feeds or have newsletters Technology and Learning, Fractus Learning, Practical Ed Tech (Richard Byrne).
come directly to your inbox.  Some to try:

9. Follow a Blog

Following blogs is a way to get new ideas and look at different perspectives.  Check out Teach 100 , for some of the top rated blogs.

10. Start Your own Blog

Take time to reflect and learn.  Blogging can be a powerful tool for becoming a connected educator. Create and contribute rather than just consume.

No matter how you start, keep in mind that becoming a connected educator is a process.  It doesn't happen overnight. Try one new way to connect and it will open a pathway to self-directed learning, giving you what you need, when you need it, empowering you and your students.