Donna Murray's PD Resources: Exploring!

(Excerpt from a hybrid training titled "The Beginning.")

When I began working as an Instructional Technology Specialist, I came up with a phrase that embodied the message I wanted to share with educators:

Explore the Possibilities.

Using technology as a tool in the classroom has vast potential. But, I think there are many educators who struggle to see where it fits into the curriculum and who may have difficulty managing the ways technology can be used effectively to help students learn. From the beginning, I found myself structuring my website, my professional development trainings, and even my conversations with educators around the concept of exploring the possibilities. I have a passion for educational technology, and I wanted to whet the appetite of others by helping them investigate some of the opportunities technology tools provide. I wanted to share the excitement that I felt. I wanted to encourage teachers and administrators. I wanted to guide educators to help them discover how to integrate technology in every classroom.

I wanted to challenge educators to imagine what could be possible. To take time to consider what technology can do to transform our classrooms. To question what you believe teaching and learning should look like. To shift the paradigm of traditional teaching environments. To dive in.

As we work through part 1 of “The Beginning” training, we are simply going to explore the possibilities. This certainly won’t be an all-inclusive look at technology integration. But, I hope it will whet your appetite and get you thinking about how you can use technology tools to provide an engaging learning environment for your students.

Ready? Set! Go!

Read, watch, and explore the following technology integration resources.

Videos

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution
http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html

Douglas Thomas on digital media and learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L6--RGAvI0

Did You Know 4.0?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

Education in a Digital World Opening Remarks
http://bigthink.com/ideas/39447?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dangerouslyirrelevant+%28Dangerously+Irrelevant%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

The 21^st Century Learner
http://youtu.be/c0xa98cy-Rw

Route 21 Snapshots
http://www.p21.org/route21/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=92&Itemid=163 (see links in left-hand sidebar)

New Learning Institute: Film Series: a 21^st Century Education
http://newlearninginstitute.org/film-series/a-21st-century-education/technology-and-21st-century-learning

Common Craft Videos
http://www.commoncraft.com/#all-videos

Blogs!