23 THINGS

Program background

Look at the project

Our experience

Replicating the project

Similar projects in MI

Q&A

BACKGROUND

Need for innovative PD format

Need for teachers to understand Web 2.0

“15 Minutes a Day” article

The original program

Creative Commons licensing

Encouraging participation

OUR PROGRAM

23 activities to be done sequentially

Self-discovery and fun

10 main topic areas

Each Thingintroductionhands-on activitiesreflection

resa-23things.blogspot.com

PARTICIPATION

Overwhelming response

459 registered – 287 participated

Offer every semester

INITIAL CONCERNS

Schools are not ready

A huge concern is privacy, especially for students

I’m not comfortable writing on the net

I see the benefits, but the pitfalls are outweighing them

These sites are blocked in my school

INITIAL CONCERNS

I don’t have time for all that is out there

I don’t see the value in reading other’s blogs

I’m freaking out about all these passwords

I must be tired because I’m frustrated

I’m overwhelmed

LIKING THE TOOLS

This was easier than I expected

RSS, an immediate addiction

Wikis are great!

Flickr is a cool tool!

Google docs is the best thing since sliced bread!

Ooooh, liking Slideshare

Is this supposed to be this much fun????

CONNECTIONS

Delicious would be an interesting tool to use to share resources with the kids.

That's a pretty good idea and definitely one that I will use in the classroom.

I hope that I get a chance to try this with my students in the near future.

CONNECTIONS

I think this had potential of being helpful - from a UDL perspective, it is another way for a student to learn and process information.

I know that it may well pop-up in my lesson plans next year.

How do we get administration to realize that teachers and students are missing out on these opportunities? We need to be able to access these sites from school!

AND IN THE END

Wow, what a journey!

AND IN THE END

As you can see from my time-stamp on this posting, I've almost pulled an all-nighter! It's been a few years since that has happened -- but THAT is how 23Things has pulled me in.

AND IN THE END

I've advanced light years in a matter of hours and I'm so anxious to use this stuff, to share it with others, to go further.

AND IN THE END

The internet used to be a place to go to access information. Now the internet is more like a productivity tool and the local coffee shop rolled into one.

AND IN THE END

My biggest take-away from this program includes an overwhelming appreciation of the potential for students to use technology in a meaningful, creative and collaborative manner.

AND IN THE END

I am going to bring this project up at our next staff meeting and share the contents.

AND IN THE END

I have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow with my high school principal. I will be showing her the many resources presented from the 23 Things lessons. It will be my hope that by getting her enthused about the possibilities for staff development and growth that we'll be able to persuade the district IT person to loosen the reigns on the internet sites available to the school staff.

AND IN THE END

I judge staff development activities as successful if I can walk away with one good, usable idea. Well, I am walking away with more than one useful tool and idea. I have found this whole experience to be extremely valuable. I love the fact I could work at my own pace and explore each concept to a level of my own personal interest. I hope you will offer it again so I can encourage my staff to participate in it.

AND IN THE END

When my little second grade student, while posting on our new Wiki page, said, “Oh, I get it, it’s more fun to see what others are writing about, and if Collin likes something that I like, maybe we can work together on it,” I knew I was on the right journey.

AND IN THE END

It can't be finished already.

REPLICATING

Requirements to register

Program email account – 23things@resa.net

Select project space – most use blogs, some wikis

Settings of blog posts so site makes sense

Participants email blog address when created

RSS blogroll to monitor blogs

Spreadsheet to keep track of progress

Keeping up with comments takes time!

OTHER MI PROJECTS

Muskegon ISD - Diane Zoellmer

blogs.muskegonisd.org/23things

Monroe ISD - Jim Dornberg

moodle.misd.k12.mi.us/moodle/

Kent ISD - Ron Houtman

kisd-23things.blogspot.com/

WHAT’S NEXT

Another 23 Things – Web 2.0

Similar model, different content