Nocking the Arrow

After three failed attempts at using Twitter for professional learning, I finally got the gist of it. Rather, I found a tweeting system that worked for me while supporting a growing professional learning network. Nearly five years ago, I was approached by a colleague who appreciated my growth in the microblogging realm of Twitter. He suggested that I try blogging to deepen my learning through writing, there are times when 140 characters just aren't enough. Two hundred posts later, me and " Nocking the Arrow " are still here! I have long believed in the heutagogical  powers of learning portfolios. I was helping students develop digital portfolios before the cloud became an ideal option as a repository of learning artifacts. Students created a file structure containing artifacts representing their learning journey, they burned their summative projects to compact disc. While colleagues were building their digital presence and professional portfolios using Google Sites...

Thanks to the holiday generosity of my sons, I have entered the world of wearable technology. Each of the past four days has been marked by at least eight thousand steps, at least thirty minutes of vigorous exercise, and at least seven hours of restful sleep. With the accompanying mobile app, my Fitbit Charge HR monitors my daily steps, heart rate, calories burned, and length and quality of sleep. I can increase the breadth and depth of my wellness program by logging food and water consumption, body weight, and types of exercise. The Fitbit dashboard provides detailed, real-time feedback that is personalized to my wellness targets. What does wearable technology have to do with putting students in a position to win in the classroom? Drive - ( Daniel Pink ) The general well-wishes for winter break include rest and relaxation; it's easy to become unmotivated with more free time on hand. Daniel Pink's research shines a light on factors that feed our motivation; auto...

Design and build a school from scratch. This was the challenge presented by educators belonging to a group called OSSEMOOC  ( Ontario School and System Leaders EdTech MOOC ). The inspiration for this challenge stems from a book talk revolving around George Couros's  recent publication, " The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity ".   "We rarely create something different until we experience something different." - George Couros Before we break out the Lego boxes or log into our Minecraft accounts, we need to consider the experiences offered to learners associated with "our" school. This will require input and conversations among community members. Once the vision, mission, and cultural expectations are established, the fun of research, planning, and designing the learning places can begin. Here are several themes I would bring to the " school from scratch " discussions. First,...

"If Google sees that you're searching for specific programming terms, they'll ask you to apply for a job. It's wild."   - Max Rosett, theHustle Modern learners need to understand the permanence of a digital footprint, & this footprint can be advantageous or detrimental. #edslowchat — Robert Schuetz (@robert_schuetz) January 17, 2016 The common dialogue is to tell learners, young and old, to tread lightly into the digital fray. Digital footprints are permanent, thus, there is danger afoot. Certainly, there is potential for long-term damage to one's reputation by sharing material, or information that paints us in a negative light. Conversely, our online activities can be very advantageous to our personal and professional growth. Like many folks, I enjoy listening to music while driving. Additionally, I frequently use time behind the wheel to get caught up on current events. Yesterday, while riding in the car with my teenage sons, we listened ...

Winter break is typically a time when I allow myself to go into what George Couros calls, " airplane mode ". I unplug and pull back the reigns on my social media interactions so I can read a few books, spend a few extra hours at the gym, and enjoy some recreational time with friends and family. My wife, Natalie, and I were sitting poolside in Jamaica reading on our iPads when a Twitter notification flashed on my screen; we weren't completely off the grid. My friend, Joe Young , was inviting me into a slow chat conversation. The prompt, in recognition of the New Year, " What is your #OneWord for 2016? " #OneWord2016 I momentarily swiped away Walt Longmire and Vic Moretti, characters in the newest  Craig Johnson novel I was reading and took a few moments to ponder Joe's question. How can I boil down what's important to me in one word? I looked down and noticed a small tattoo near my shoulder. It's the Chinese symbol for learning, and it's the f...

“Practice isn't the thing you do once you're good. It's the thing you do that makes you good.”   ―  Malcolm Gladwell ,  Outliers: The Story of Success Yesterday, I sent a tweet to my friend Aaron Davis to congratulate him on his excellent blog, Read Write Respond , being recognized as a finalist for an Edublog Award ( #Eddies15 ). He graciously responded with this... @robert_schuetz @debsnet congrats to you too Bob. You got a gig as well — Aaron Davis (@mrkrndvs) December 11, 2015 My first thought was, " whaaaa? ". My second thought was, Aaron's in Melbourne and I'm near Chicago, must be something lost in translation. After checking out the Edublog site , sure enough, my blog is listed as a finalist in the Teacher Blog category. Honor and pride began percolating for two reasons.  First, my blog was listed along with others that I read, and comment on, nearly every day. Blogs from people I hold in high regard as friends, as thought-change ...

"I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn." - Albert Einstein What do you get when you mix one part Carol Dweck , with one part Will Richardson , with another part George Couros ? You get a concept I call the learner's mindset . What is a learner's mindset? Not only is it an inner narrative describing personal growth and fulfillment, I believe possessing a learner's mindset is a crucial element in the true transformation of schools and education. "I am convinced that the best learning takes place when the learner takes charge."   -  Seymour Papert “Innovation is not reserved for the few; it is something we will all need to embrace if we are to move forward.” - George Couros ,   The Innovator's Mindset: Empower Learning, Unleash Talent, and Lead a Culture of Creativity “learning a passion for learning is more important for your practical success than learning any particular facts ...

The setting, suburban Chicago during a couple of crisp, clear, autumn days. Trinity International University was the picturesque gathering place for a few hundred passionate educators eager to connect, and learn with our thought-change leaders. It was the first, and judging from the immediate feedback, won't be the last What Great Educators Do Differently Conference . Why did I attend? First, several of the biggest names in my personal learning network were featured presenters . Second, my friend, Jeff Zoul, contacted me earlier in the summer saying, "Mark your calendar. This is going to be something special, and we would love for you to be a part of it." Jeff's got the best smile in the business. How could I say no? Photo credit; Maggie Bolado - October, 2015 Todd Whitaker - Opening Keynote / Session One - According to Todd, great leaders take responsibility for their school's climate and culture by removing monkeys from the backs of great teachers, an...