#EduVoxer Tutorial - UPenn MCDPEL

This is a really great resource put together by Joe Mazza and his team over at UPenn's MCDPEL - be sure to check it out if you have any questions regarding Voxer or it's uses!

http://midcareer.gse.upenn.edu/eduvoxers

#EmpowerED Institute

I will be presenting at the Corwin Press EmpowerEd Institute in Boston on August 6-7, 2015. Spike Cook and I will be presenting on Overcoming Isolation in Leadership and I will be presenting on Leading Your School from Your Mobile Device. It will be held at Grafton High School in Grafton, MA and should be an amazing event. I am looking forward to this as my first Corwin Institute! Corwin describes the event in this way:

"Cultivate empowered, adaptable, and self-directed learners through best practices in the use of educational technology and 21st Century pedagogy. Sessions at this two-day institute will focus on emerging trends and research-based strategies in leadership, implementation, professional development, and instruction."

Be sure to visit the registration page to sign up - you will not want to miss this event! Follow the hashtag #empower15 for up-to-date information and discussion.

#B@CKCH@NNELedu

Joe Mazza has done it again. He has created yet another amazing and educational resource for @MCDPEL as well as sharing it with the masses. #B@CKCH@NNELedu can be found on iTunes or on the website.

#B@CKCH@NNELedu is a "scenario-based" podcast running about 25 minutes an episode, and it uses real scenarios from real principals. It is based on the idea of Serial, the insanely popular podcast from WBEZ Chicago. After listening to the episode, follow the backchannel on Twitter at #backchanneledu. At the beginning of each subsequent podcast, the principal of the previous scenario comes back, discusses what happened in the actual scenario, things that were discussed on Twitter and other backchannels, and then the new episode begins. It is really quite interesting, very fun to hear familiar names and voices, and especially to know that we aren't alone in this.

Be sure to check it out - you will not be disappointed.

Image Credit: http://midcareer.gse.upenn.edu/backchanneledu

#MACUL15

One of my absolute favorite things about conferences (besides the knowledge and new ideas of course!) is meeting up with my Tweeps (Twitter friends) in person. It sounds crazy, I know ;)

This past week, I was able to meet up with Brad Gustafson, Ben Gilpin, Bob Dillon, Tom Murray, Erin Klein, George Couros and a whole bunch of others for a great few days of learning and sharing. Kudos to the #MACUL team for all of their hard work and effort. It really is an amazingly well-run conference and we thank you for all that you do!

One of the best parts of the conference was the Makerspace set up in Cobo Hall. This Makerspace included circuits, a giant scrabble board, playing cards, a 3D printer, and a life-sized Jenga game (which of course we had to play!). Brad and I had a great time in the Makerspace and it was one of my favorite things I brought home with me.














My Kindergarten teacher was collecting objects one day for her students to create with. I thought this was the perfect time to introduce a Makerspace! It was not as technological as most, but they had a great time! Check out some of their awesome projects!

If you aren't signed up for a conference anytime soon, you really must find one. It is so worth the time and cost.