Nebraska Change Agent
' I am entirely certain that twenty years from now we will look back at education as it is practiced in most schools today and wonder how we could have tolerated anything so primitive.' John W Gardner
Aug
08
Looking for a Unique Gift for an Administrator? Give ‘em a PLN!
How exactly do you give a PLN to someone? Several suggestions have been made today, but the one you pick depends on your relationship with your administrator. Instead of signing up for a Twitter account for them I am going to offer to help them set up one up. I will have a profile picture of them ready to go and I will have some suggestions for their biography. I will also show them how to manage and share the information that they find valuable so they can become an asset to their PLN.
I have created this list of 50 educators with my two administrators in mind. I have chosen these educators based on how much I think my administrators will get out of following them. I have selected a mix of teachers, administrators, professors, educational technologists, and journalists. So here they are in no particular order:
- karlfisch
- kdumont
- shareski
- mwesch
- mguhlin
- chrislehmann
- hdiblasi
- isteconnects
- kjarrett
- LarryFerlazzo
- jwindsor
- budtheteacher
- teach42
- MikeGras
- oswego98
- Edu4U
- lkolb
- AngelaMaiers
- ddrapper
- bbarreda
- plnaugle
- jutecht
- dstall
- SuzanneWhistler
- ScottElia
- watcanz
- wfryer
- rmbyrne
- mcleod
- kellyhines
- timlauer
- woscholar
- pgeorge
- Astro_Mike
- principalspage
- canyonsdave
- garystager
- Web20Classroom
- tomwhitby
- paulrwood
- lthumann
- courosa
- rickweinberg
- HallDavidson
- edutopia
- bengrey
- dianafingal
- WendyDrexler
- teachakidd
- bethstill (You didn’t think I’d forget to add myself, did you?)
18 Responses to “Looking for a Unique Gift for an Administrator? Give ‘em a PLN!”
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August 8th, 2009 at 7:33 p
Beth ,
You are so kind to include me on the TOP 50 List.. everytime I hear about something you are doing to encourage, and get others involved in the “Revolution”, You do my heart “GOOD”
My new theme is “Fail Fast:Succeed Sooner”
Keep up the great work
August 8th, 2009 at 7:41 p
Thanks Howie! I have had a few good ideas, but I cannot take credit for this. Tom Whitby gets the credit for this one. I am just taking his suggestion and running with it.
August 8th, 2009 at 8:12 p
Nice list. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.
August 8th, 2009 at 8:54 p
Given that most Twitter accounts lie dormant, and that most admins struggle just to keep up with their e-mail, I don’t have a lot of faith that this strategy will work. Even so, hats off to Tom Whitby, Beth Still and everyone else who have highlighted the importance of bringing school administrators on-board.
At the school where I teach, almost all teachers have school-issued laptops, but many teachers have not moved beyond word processing and e-mail. There is a SmartBoard in almost every classroom, but many are used only as projection screens or digital whiteboards. Last year, less than two hours of PD time was devoted to classroom technology. Our evaluation system gives little more than lip service to teachers’ use of technology in the classroom.
A few days ago, I spent about two hours with our Assistant Head arguing the case for more PD time and especially for more support from top. He’s not particularly comfortable with computers himself, but he’s beginning to get it. This year, each department will devote a few meetings to classroom technology. Technology literacy standards will be published and integrated into our grade-level curricula.
I also told him about Twitter, and how my new PLN has become the most amazing PD experience of my entire career. I even showed him my own Twitter stream, with nothing but insightful remarks and incredibly useful links from fellow teachers and edtech enthusiasts. He didn’t buy it. I’m neither surprised nor disappointed.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:02 p
How disappointing to work in a district where you have so the means to integrate technology, but not the desire on the part of most of the staff. Two hours of tech training in insane, but I cannot say that we did much better. Thanks for your comment.
August 8th, 2009 at 8:57 p
Beth,
I am honored to be placed in such company. Thank you.
Kelly
August 8th, 2009 at 11:45 p
Thanks for compiling this list! I can only imagine how long it would have taken me to gather together these resources. As an administrator who is truly excited to keep learning about the ever-expanding opportunities that technology can bring us, I appreciate this. Now I’m off to find these names and look up what PLN actually is. I’m just treading water in the technology sea, but I’ll learn to swim before I come close to drowning!
August 8th, 2009 at 11:50 p
Leslie,
Click on PLN in the post now. I forgot to link it to my blog post called “What the Heck is a PLN?” The post will explain it!
August 9th, 2009 at 12:05 p
Boy was I surprised when I got a tweet that sent me to your post. I have been gathering my thoughts (and resources) on how best to get my principal’s “gift” together since I read Tom Whitby’s tweets about this unique idea. I wanted to share the list with my principal, and then saw my name included and did a double take. I am so honored and humbled to be on this list you created. Thanks for believing in me.
You know how fast I have built an amazing PLN (personal learning network). My professional development has sky-rocketed this summer thanks to many great people like you. I want to shout from the rooftop the incredible opportunities that Twitter has afforded me. I am formulating a plan to get some of my co-workers onboard and will start with my principal.
Again thanks for including me in your list.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:57 p
Paula,
You have been one of the most motivated people in my PLN. You were an important part of my PLN prior to NECC, but after I met you I realized just how amazing you are. EVERYONE should be following you! You share everything and your enthusiasm is so genuine. (Not to mention the fact you take great pics if you know what I mean!)
I know exactly what you mean about being so excited you want to shout it from the rooftops. A year ago my friend and mentor, Cory Plough, kept encouraging me to stick with Twitter. It took my about 3 months to get it, but once I did it completely changed me as a professional. It provided me with opportunities 24 hours a day and I wanted everyone I knew to benefit from it. I still have lots of people to convince, but I have made some progress. Thanks again for being not only part of my PLN, but also a friend.
August 10th, 2009 at 12:44 p
Good list, seems like many of the same people I might of recommended to you a year ago. Wonder how come things aren’t changing that much?
August 10th, 2009 at 7:39 p
They aren’t changing because most of the people on this list are pretty well established on Twitter. While some of the people were added to this list because they play a special and unique role in my PLN, many of them are “must follows” for any educator on Twitter. I am still amazed that the first 15-20 people that you recommended are still the most influential people in my PLN. Some things never change!
August 11th, 2009 at 9:51 p
Thanks for creating a PLN for me! While I’m only a lowly assistant principal, I’m only a heartbeat away. I was turned on to Twitter as a PLN when a friend of mine told me about how he uses it for his ad business. Stumbling across your post gave me the info I needed to start my own Twitter account and make it happen.
I just got done following each member of the list, added the widget to my netvibes and am ready to learn!
August 11th, 2009 at 9:56 p
You just made my day! I can promise you that this list of people will not disappoint you. They are ALL amazing educators and contribute to my learning in some way every day. Can you do me a favor? Come back in a week or so and let me know how these people have impacted you. I would love for you to share that here on my blog. I am so glad I could play a role in getting you started on Twitter. I can promise you that your world is about to change in a very good way!
August 11th, 2009 at 10:01 p
BTW—-
This list was made by a “lowly” classroom teacher! The one thing you will quickly learn about Twitter is that whether you are a classroom teacher, administrator, educational technologist, “rock star” blogger, or private educational consultant we are all in this together. Twitter is a level playing field as long as you are willing to participate and play nicely with others.
If you want to read a great story about the power of a PLN please check out the “Newbie” tab at the top of the page. I am very, very proud of this project because my PLN has made it possible.
August 13th, 2009 at 4:45 p
Thanks for writing this post. I just recommended it to 2 teachers at my son’s high school. I think it will help them get off to a great start on Twitter!
August 17th, 2009 at 9:03 p
Beth:
Great list. Believe it or not, there were about 8 people on that list that I wasn’t following a few minutes ago… As comfortable as I feel on Twitter, I’m still relatively new to using it as a PLN tool. My account sat dormant for probably a year because I didn’t know how to get started – and this post would’ve been awesome to have back then. I’m surely going to share with others.
September 16th, 2009 at 6:47 p
Beth,
I just stumbled on this post due to a recent tweet. I’m honored to be listed in such noble company. Thanks for thinking of me.