Educator Starter Kit at https://dl.dropbox.com/u/38904447/starter-‐ kit-‐final.pdf to help facilitate a book study of your own. For other activities related to The Connected Educator activities see http://connectededucators.org/cem/ . There is a wealth of information at the Connected Educator website, including top 50 educators worth following on Twitter http://edudemic.com/2012/10/worldwide-‐ education-‐twitter/ , a resource I found very informative. Some I was already following – others I started to follow. But, back to The Connected Educator book. This is one of the most user-‐ friendly books I have seen recently for newcomers to social media and other online global learning tools to help us harness the power of professional learning online. Each chapter topic is easy to read and provides real-‐life relevant examples of how educators are using the tools. It also provides easy to follow, scaffolded directions for how to use the technology tools. Most of all it provides twitter hashtags and links that are easy to follow to help educators get started and connected to other educators. At the end of the book is a huge reference and resources section along with a glossary and other references including research to support the model. My own personal favorites in the book are the activities found at the end of the chapters that provide readers with the opportunity to explore different online learning tools. The Connected Educator is a wonderful resource for technology leaders to use with other educators in your school or district, especially those educators who maybe timid about using the computer for anything other than email, entering grades, word processing and/or watching YouTube videos. The Connected Educator will also be an invaluable resource for school leaders who are interested in learning how to create a professional learning community both locally and globally. Most of all this book will provide school leaders with tools to help build a connected learning community that actively engages administrators, faculty and staff in continuing their own professional learning as well as the potential for building the capacity and complexity of all school/district educators. Check it out – it is a MUST READ!
Book Review by Roxie Neiro (sl) Rosie O’Brien Vojtek (rl)
95