George Couros page: Google me, aha moments by students, connections with college and career
As stated in my Leroy Finkel Fellowship Finalist presentation, the Cardinal Innovation Center is like an onion on steroids. It has many layers. It is still in beta mode, but will be in full effect next school year. At present, it is exciting to see the early, developmental stages of each layer. This week alone, the Sketchnotes Galleries have grown mightily. El Monte Middle School teachers are clamoring for a sketchnotes demo and word has spread like wild fire a quarter mile south to Orosi High School.
The quality of the initial sketchnotes has been a pleasant surprise. Students are engaged in the work, and by design, they are beginning to really take ownership and be motivated intrinsically. I see students in the hall and they stop me to ask if I posted their sketchnotes on the Sketchnotes Gallery page on the Cardinal Innovation Center website.
To get sketchnotes on the the site, students create their sketchnotes in class as part of an assigned activity. Upon completion, the teacher and I review them and scan the 5-6 best to put on the site. Students can then refer to the site for review or assistance with future assignments. One part of the vision for this is that students next year will visit the site and see the sketchnotes left behind this year. This way, students get a sneak preview of lessons and content in addition to having an opportunity to learn from peers.
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| 6th Grade sample |
It's been gratifying to see an increase in teacher buy-in. Teachers that wouldn't touch tech or any new idea with a 10 foot pole are now knocking at my door asking about sketchnotes and any new idea I glean from my PLN. I smell an opportunity to preach about the power of Twitter and PLN (#justsayin). The biggest #eduwin in this regard is how a teacher who is a mere 6 weeks from retirement is jumping in headfirst with my sketchnotes/Google Sites/Quizizz appsmash. Who knows? Maybe this teacher will stick around.
Social media is another layer of the Cardinal Innovation Center. George Couros, in his keynote speeches, talks about how colleges and employers will "Google" you. This week I had the pleasure of teaching Orosi High School freshmen how to clean up their social media profiles and online presence to help their digital footprint work for rather than against them. Students were surprisingly receptive to taking down controversial posts, changing handles and putting new profile pictures.
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| This freshman signed up for Twitter to connect with industry professionals and colleges in which he interested |
Orosi High School freshmen were excited to learn Twitter and how to connect with professionals from industries in which they are interested and with colleges they would like to attend. They asked great questions about whether or not their profiles and posts could one day be part of a denial of admission or employment. I have to admit, getting these freshman on Twitter did require a bit of bribery. I told them if they followed me and tweeted me a message stating the college and career they are interested in, then I would bring them a donut after spring break. I will reply to their tweets with suggested Twitter accounts for them to follow to pursue the college and career of their dreams. It looks like Kimbo's Donuts in Orosi is gonna get some serious business from me in a few weeks as I will need to get 4 dozen donuts.
Can I CIC It?
Yes you can!
#CanICICIt
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