Create a connected learning community through social media and rediscover the power of being a learner first. After uncovering the theories and research behind the significance of learning through collaboration with other educators, the authors show you how to take advantage of technology to improve your own learning and ultimately the learning of your students.

Todd Whitaker, Jeffrey Zoul, and Jimmy Casas are widely acclaimed experts on teaching and leading and are pioneers in the education twitterverse, and now they are sharing their best practices! In What Connected Educators Do Differently, they show how being a connected educator—by using social media to connect with peers across the country and even across the globe—will greatly enhance your own learning and your success in a school or classroom. You’ll find out how to create a personal and professional learning network to share resources and ideas, gain support, and make an impact on others. By customizing your professional development in this way, you’ll be able to learn what you want, how you want, when you want. Best of all, you’ll become energized and inspired by all the great ideas out there and how you can contribute, benefiting both you and your students. Whether you are a teacher or school leader, you will come away from this book with step-by-step advice and fresh ideas to try immediately. Being a connected educator has never been easier or more important than it is right now!

Professional growth and social media savvy at your fingertips! This information-packed resource from digital experts Anderson and Whitby makes it easy to build a thriving professional network using social media. Easy-to-implement ideas, essential tools, and real-life vignettes help teachers learn to: Find and choose the best social media tools, products, and communities Start and grow a collaborative, high-quality PLN using Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, and more Use social media to enhance 21st Century education Engage in authentic personal and professional learning Includes invaluable resources and an in-depth analysis of the social media landscape. Collaboration has never been easier with this must-have guide!

Professional growth and social media savvy at your fingertips! This information-packed resource from digital experts Anderson and Whitby makes it easy to build a thriving professional network using social media. Easy-to-implement ideas, essential tools, and real-life vignettes help teachers learn to: Find and choose the best social media tools, products, and communities Start and grow a collaborative, high-quality PLN using Twitter, blogging, LinkedIn, and more Use social media to enhance 21st Century education Engage in authentic personal and professional learning Includes invaluable resources and an in-depth analysis of the social media landscape. Collaboration has never been easier with this must-have guide! The Corwin Connected Educators series is your key to unlocking the greatest resource available to all educators: other educators. Being a Connected Educator is more than a set of actions: it’s a belief in the potential of technology to fuel lifelong learning. "It is incumbent upon all educators to connect with other educators who can reignite their passion for teaching. The authors generously share their wisdom for those who want to accelerate the development of a personal learning network. " Angela Maiers, Founder and President Choose2Matter, Inc. and Maiers Education Services, Inc. "Learn how and why educators must connect in order to truly be at the top of their game. This book gives practical advice on how to connect, engage, and grow as a learner." Adam Bellow, Corwin Author Untangling the Web

At a time when many aspects of the faculty role are in question, Harriet Schwartz, the author of Connected Teaching, argues that the role of teachers is as important as ever and is evolving profoundly. She believes the relationships faculty have with individual students and with classes and cohorts are the essential driver of teaching and learning.This book explores teaching as a relational practice – a practice wherein connection and disconnection with students, power, identity, and emotion shape the teaching and learning endeavor. The author describes moments of energetic deep learning and what makes these powerful moments happen. She calls on readers to be open to and seek relationship, understand their own socio-cultural identity (and how this shapes internal experience and the ways in which they are met in the world), and vigilantly explore and recognize emotion in the teaching endeavor. Connected Teaching is informed and inspired by Relational Cultural Theory (RCT). The premise of RCT is that the experience of engaging in growth-fostering interactions and relationships is essential to human development. RCT’s founding scholars believed the theory would be relevant in many different settings, but this is the first book to apply them to teaching and learning in higher education. In this book, the author shows that RCT has much to offer those devoted to student learning and development, providing a foundation from which to understand the transformative potential of teaching as a relational practice.

Is it possible to bring university research and student education into a more connected, more symbiotic relationship? If so, can we develop programmes of study that enable faculty, students and ‘real world’ communities to connect in new ways? In this accessible book, Dilly Fung argues that it is not only possible but also potentially transformational to develop new forms of research-based education. Presenting the Connected Curriculum framework already adopted by UCL, she opens windows onto new initiatives related to, for example, research-based education, internationalisation, the global classroom, interdisciplinarity and public engagement. A Connected Curriculum for Higher Education is, however, not just about developing engaging programmes of study. Drawing on the field of philosophical hermeneutics, Fung argues how the Connected Curriculum framework can help to create spaces for critical dialogue about educational values, both within and across existing research groups, teaching departments and learning communities. Drawing on vignettes of practice from around the world, she argues that developing the synergies between research and education can empower faculty members and students from all backgrounds to contribute to the global common good.

Bring communities together for involvement that makes a difference! Impact your students in a positive way and join the leagues of educators who are learning to engage with students, parents, and communities using social media and Web 2.0 technologies. Featuring practical strategies that you’ll want to put to use right away, plus a dedicated series website for additional resources, this short and easy-to-follow book will show you: How smartphones and tablets can work for your goals The secret to getting—and keeping—parents involved How to inform, engage, and empower stakeholders How tools like Skype can connect the community at large The Corwin Connected Educators series is your key to unlocking the greatest resource available to all educators: other educators. Being a Connected Educator is more than a set of actions: it’s a belief in the potential of technology to fuel lifelong learning. "Currie harnesses the key element in today’s social media-infused school environment—‘Knowledge is Power!’ He illustrates just how we need to use this knowledge to support our schools, students, and communities." Daisy Dyer Duerr, Principal St. Paul Public Schools "This book provides educators with a diversified look at the connections schools can make with technology. It will inspire all of us, on a global scale, to stay active in ways once thought unimaginable." Salome Thomas-EL, Award-winning principal and author

You’re at the top—but never alone! Take the leap and connect with other educators and leaders through social media. Educators learn to transform relationships with their students, staff, parents, and with the overall community in this simple guide to social media. With real-life examples from K12 educators who’ve integrated social media technology and education, this guide helps educators to harness the power of connectedness and change the way you lead. Jump in and you’ll learn how to: Develop a personal learning network Tell your school’s story through blogging Use connections to transform your leadership

A bold, brain-based teaching approach to culturally responsive instruction To close the achievement gap, diverse classrooms need a proven framework for optimizing student engagement. Culturally responsive instruction has shown promise, but many teachers have struggled with its implementation—until now. In this book, Zaretta Hammond draws on cutting-edge neuroscience research to offer an innovative approach for designing and implementing brain-compatible culturally responsive instruction. The book includes: Information on how one’s culture programs the brain to process data and affects learning relationships Ten “key moves” to build students’ learner operating systems and prepare them to become independent learners Prompts for action and valuable self-reflection

Leverage technology to engage students with learning disabilities! Harness the power of today’s technology to improve learning and engagement for students with learning disabilities. By engaging students with learning disabilities using the technology already at your fingertips, you’ll see your students begin to thrive and grow in exciting new ways. In this volume in the Connected Educators Series, you’ll discover: New ideas for using assistive technology to teach core subjects and study skills How to build positive opportunities for students to show what they know Tools to provide better content accessibility How to help students connect and share through technology tools