Every year, educators all across the world prepare their applications to self-nominate themselves to become a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert! This year is no different! I literally JUST hit submit on my application this year and fingers crossed, I'll be a part of the 2020-2021 year of MIEEs!!! This (hopefully) will be my 5th year in a row being an MIEE!
Applications are due on July 15th, 2020 for the 2020-2021 school year so you still have time to get it done.
Why should you become an MIEE? Let me give you a few reasons that I recommend that you do:
When you are accepted as an MIEE, you become a part of a GLOBAL professional learning network like no other I've ever been a part of! You gain access to educators all across the world that have a plethora of knowledge to offer to any question or idea that you may have.
You'll take part in monthly meetings and learn all about the awesomeness that other MIEEs are doing in their schools and districts. You are also able to present at these monthly meetings if you do so desire to share what you're doing!
You'll gain confidence, knowledge and tools to break down the 4 walls of your classroom and bring worldwide learning opportunities to your students!
You'll become a risk taker by jumping in and learning!
You'll ALWAYS have a friendly face available at any conference you attend! Just look for the purple capes!
So.....how do you become a part of this AMAZING PLN?
Already an MIEE?
If you're ALREADY an MIEE, you are able to complete your self-nomination by clicking on the following link and completing your application: https://microsoftedu.eventcore.com/
Starting from the beginning?
There are a few things you'll need to do to get started. Follow the steps below to get the party started!
1. Make sure that you have signed up for your FREE Office 365 account. All educators and students can sign up for their account using their school email address. Sign up here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/education/products/office
2. Once you've signed up for your Office 365 account, go the the Microsoft Educator Center (MEC), sign in and complete your profile. You can access the MEC here: https://education.microsoft.com/en-us
3. Once your profile in the MEC is complete, start earning badges by completing "at your fingertips" professional learning through Courses, Learning Paths, or Webinars and Online Events ! The great thing about the MEC is that you can access these learning opportunities in your own space and at your own pace. There are TONS of courses there, waiting for you, with opportunities to learn all about the Microsoft in Education Suite and how to use these amazing tools in your classrooms with your students and your colleagues. The learning literally never stops! The team at Microsoft is constantly adding courses to the portal! There are even lesson plans there, too! I could do an entire separate post just on the MEC!
To self-nominate to become an MIEE, you'll need to complete a minimum of 2 hours of trainings! Easy peasy! You've got this! You'll earn your Microsoft in Education (MIE) badge in the process of completing these trainings! You'll be one step closer to earning that extra "E!"
4. Once you earned your MIE (this is the first step in becoming an MIEE), you'll need to create either a 2 minute video or a Microsoft Sway (https://sway.office.com/) that answers the following 4 questions:
Why do you consider yourself to be a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert?
Describe how you have incorporated Microsoft technologies in innovative ways into your classroom or your work with teachers. Include artifacts that demonstrate your innovation. Your examples should show that you have cultivated a strong modern teaching and learning environment.
How have you positively impacted the learning and growth of your colleagues? Have you reached beyond your classroom to coach/support other teachers in their growth? Please share examples.
If you become a MIEExpert, how do you hope it will impact your current role in the next 12 months?
Make sure that your video or Sway is set to "public viewing." Not doing so could affect your application being scored!
5. Now you're ready to complete your self-nomination form!!! Here's the link to submit your application: https://microsoftedu.eventcore.com/
As a reminder, your self-nomination is due on July 15, 2020!!!
The Microsoft Team will announce the 2020-2021 class of MIEExperts during the last week of August 2020!
If you have questions, let me know! I've got your back!
Annnnnd that's a wrap! #ISTE19 is over and all I can say is WOW!
I have attended ISTE every year since the last time it was in Atlanta (6 years....I think!) and I have to say that this was my FAVORITE ISTE yet! For soooo many reasons! Like several of my other edtech friends, Sarah Thomas and Mari Venturino, I created a schedule of all of the events that I COULD attend if I wasn't too tired, running myself too thin, or just had the time to do so. Looking at this schedule before landing in Philly was definitely overwhelming. I had a lot of events that overlapped or started as soon as another ended. The point is, is that I gave myself options and choices. In the past, I ran myself crazy trying to get to EVERYTHING to see EVERYONE! Not this year. I must admit that there are people that I am super sad that I didn't get to see and hug and will make it a point to connect with them next year. ISTE is just so HUGE that it's impossible to see and do everything. Sadly, I also missed what would have been my first Google Innovator Energizer. This event always happens the day before ISTE starts. That day also happened to be my youngest son's birthday so being a mom had to trump being an Innovator. I hope to be there next year!
I have waited to create this blog post as I have really had to process what happened! LOL! I think the best way for me to recap this amazing experience is to outline it by each day. Here's my #ISTE18 blog! Sunday
Chilling in first class!
ISTE started off on a high for me! My flight going to Philadelphia was overbooked and I was going to have to give up my seat. At the last minute, they got me on the flight but moved me to FIRST CLASS! This was my first time riding in first class and I loved every minute of it! And of course I had to document it with a picture! LOL
Our Voice Academy
Meet Up!
We dropped our bags off at the hotel and walked to the convention center to get checked in and get a lay of the land. The convention center was HUGE! There was a ton of walking that occurred over the week! As a matter of fact, over the course of the conference, I walked the equivalent to a marathon! After getting situated, I attended the Our Voice Academy (OVA) meetup. It was refreshing to be around so many edtech educators of color that are working to share their voices in the edtech space. The third cohort of OVA members (I am in the first cohort) was just announced and I got to meet so many of them! I am excited to see how they take advantage of the opportunity as they begin to share their voices!
Quin (my Google
Innovator
Mentor) and I.
While waiting on the shuttle to go back to the hotel to get ready for all of the edtech meetups, I saw my Google Innovator mentor walking past the shuttle! This was a HUGE highlight for me as this was our first time meeting in person! I hopped off the shuttle and yelled, "QUIN!" It was him! We hugged and caught up for a few minutes! Quin is JUST as awesome in person as he is over email and Google Hangouts and it was a pleasure to meet him in person and hug his neck!
After leaving the OVA meet up, I headed to the Microsoft in Education Expert (MIEE) meetup. So many of my edtech friends were honored with some pretty darn amazing accolades! At the end of the awards portion, they played a video of images and clips of all of the Microsoft and Minecraft trainings that have taken place over the course of the year and it was exciting to see how many educators and students that the MIEE community has touched! We are a strong and mighty group!
Monday
Working at the
Microsoft Booth.
I got the opportunity to work at the zSpace booth and the Microsoft in Education booth and share the goodness of both with the tons of educators that walked by to check them out! I LOVED sharing how we use these resources with our students and teachers in Atlanta Public Schools. It was cool to learn from the educators that I interacted with and hear how they use these resources as well.
That's the cool thing about all of the technology that's out there. All it is is a tool! I always scream from the rooftop that it's simply a vehicle to deliver the content! That's it! You could have 100 different educators using the same technology resource and they could all be using it 100 different ways! That's why it's absolutely critical that educators engage in and have a meaningful PLN (professional learning network)! There's sooooo much to learn from one another!
My colleagues and I with the team at
@PlayCraftLearn!
My colleagues and I got to meet with the team at MinecraftEDU to talk about all things Minecraft! We got to hear about some updates and we also got to share with them all of the awesome things we do with Minecraft in Atlanta! Again, we were asked what support we needed and what we'd like to see. I love that they listen! If you think Minecraft is just a block building game, you are HIGHLY mistaken! There are TONS of educational resources, lessons, etc for ALL content areas built right into Minecraft!
I had about 30 minutes to run over to the Google Certified Trainer/Innovator meet up before heading to the next event! And although I told myself I didn't want to drive myself crazy getting to everything, it was important to me to attend this event as it was not only my first attending as an Innovator, but it was a chance for me to see and hug a lot of people that I hadn't had a chance to see yet! There are a ton of updates coming from Google for Education! One of the updates that I'm most excited about is the NEW Google Student Certification that is coming! Students will now be able to take an exam (similar to the Level 1 and Level 2 exams that we take to show our mastery of the Google tools) and earn a certification that they can then place on their resumes!
Delivering my "mic drop" at
Flilpgrid LIVE!
Then it was time for FLIPGRID LIVE! What an AMAZING experience! (Side note....how many times can I say amazing in this blog post? LOL) I was selected, along with 8 other educators to deliver a 1 minute "mic drop" about my "why" to 1,000 educators! This was definitely the highlight of ISTE this year! See the video below for my "mic drop." My coworkers and I decided to wear tutus and our "Techies in Tutus" shirts! It was too cute! During Flipgrid LIVE, there were TONS of updates announced! My favorite was the AR component! This is going to be a game changer when students return back to school! To be able to bring the hard work of students to life in a special way....I can't wait! I can't believe how many other edtech tools are now integrated with Flipgrid! It was like there was update after update after update announced! I don't know how they're going to top it next year! Read all about the evening on the FLIPGRID blog!
Tuesday
Tuesday morning consisted of a few meetings with different vendors. We were able to share how we use their resources in Atlanta and also make some suggestions for what we'd like to see in the future. I love that edtech companies are so willing to listen to their end users and actually incorporate the feedback they receive to make their products better!
Sharing how to use Google
Drawings to assess students
at the Google Playground.
I had the opportunity to share my love for Google Drawings and how to use them to assess students at the Google Playground that afternoon! I shared how I use them and provided a ton of resources with them. I also got to listen to the educators that stopped by my table and learn a few tips and tricks from them as well! Click here to access the resources that all of the presenters shared during their playground sessions! I love that educators are so willing to share what they do with others!
Mike Tholfsen (One Note
Avenger!) and I being
photobombed by Toney
Jackson
(@herhymeswithme)
My friends at Microsoft EDU hosted another awesome Hack the Classroom Event! We go to hear about a few updates and then heard from 5 different educators about their experiences incorporating the Microsoft Learning Tools (which compare to no other) into their teaching practices! The lives of students are literally being changed because of these learning tools! Students are learning how to speak English as a second language. I was inspired (as always) by Toney Jackson who shared the following message with us, "Your students are filled with potential they may never know about. Love your students. Dig into the core FIRST! If we don't care, what's the purpose? The imprint you leave on your students is a fossil and not a footprint." I love the family that Microsoft EDU creates with their team along with the educators that decide to apply to be Microsoft in Education Experts. They listed to the suggestions of educators and make updates to their amazing products based on those suggestions. Being able to attend Hack the Classroom in person is always a treat!
Wednesday
On Wednesday morning, I headed back to the convention center to make a few more connections and network with a few more people! It was my goal this year to find some great things that we might be able to use in Atlanta and I think I found some goodies! I will share all of those in another post! Once the conference was over, my colleagues and I decided to take a bus tour of historic Philadelphia. I am NOT a social studies person at all but the architecture and the stories behind the buildings were so intriguing! Here are a few pics from the tour!
It was so refreshing to NOT have to be anywhere in particular! I made it a point to spend a lot of time in the exhibition hall checking out new vendors and learning all about what they had to offer along with visiting vendors that I'm already familiar with to find out about all of the updates they were making to their tools!
As busy as I was, there was a lot that I missed. And I'm okay with that. There was definitely a joy in missing out. Not forcing myself to be at events that would cause me to run from one to another. I had an enjoyable time and learned a lot! I am rejuvenated to begin the 2019-2020 school year! Being around passionate educators that just want the best for their teachers and students has a way of energizing you. Listening to others has a way of showing you the possibilities. There is so much to learn. There are so many amazing people out there. I can't wait for #ISTE20!
Regardless if you were there or not, be sure to follow the hashtags #ISTE #ISTE19 #ISTE2019 #notatiste #notatiste19 #notatiste2019 to see what happened!
So there you have it! What were your ISTE takeaways this year?
Remember when you were a kid and your teacher handed you back a spelling test or a math test with a sticker on it? Do you remember how awesome that was? I know I loved it even more if it was a scratch and sniff sticker! Well, in the world of instructional technology, we don't receive stickers for doing things, we receive badges...they're like virtual stickers! Annnndddd....I may be a bit obsessed with earning them! There are numerous #edtech badges out there to be earned in different ways. Usually you earn them for completing a course or earning certification in that #edtech tool. In other words, you have demonstrated mastery in the tool and are able to utilize it, model it and teach it. I love earning them, as I'm definitely a life long learner. I love being able to grown and learn and then be rewarded at the end with a "sticker!"
These are the badges that I am most proud of! I created this graphic on a Google Slide and took a screen shot so I could Tweet it out. I then pinned it to my Twitter feed. Pinning it keeps it at the top of my Twitter feed. When I earn a new badge, I add it to the Google Slide, take a new screen shot, Tweet it, and pin it again! Easy peasy! I like keeping this pinned at the top of my Twitter feed so when people open my Twitter feed, they are able to see it and know what's in my professional toolbox! Hey, if you don't show off your own skills, who will? Right? 😀
Let's go over each of the badges that I've earned, row by row from left to right.
Instructional Technology-This badge represents the AMAZING department that I work in. I keep this one first because it reminds me of the awesome people that I work with every day. I have learned so much from them and continue to do so each and every day! @apsinstructtech
21st Century Classroom-Educators in my district are able to earn this badge once they've shown mastery of the touch screen LED panel in their classroom. Since my department trains on these panels, it was required that we earn the badge as well. After all, how can we train on it, if we don't know it!
Alpha Squirrels-I am proud to say that I am an inaugural member of the Alpha Squirrels! This badge is earned by going through the application process and demonstrating usage of the Reflector App. This app allows you to wireless reflect and stream your device. It's a great solution to be able to your screen from anywhere in the classroom and prevents you from having to be wired in at the front of the class, connected to the board. Reflector has recently launched ClassHub in the past year that gives complete control of student devices, the ability to push content to student devices, lock student devices, and sends the teachers screen to students. @reflectorapp @squirrels #alphasquirrels http://alpha.airsquirrels.com/
Brainpop Certified Educator-This badge is earned after demonstrating knowledge in all things Brainpop. There is so much more to this tool than just watching the videos and answering the quiz questions that follow. There are mapping features, graphic organizers, and you can even make your own movies! Once you've gone through Brainpop training and demonstrated mastery, you apply to become a certified educator and earn your badge! @brainpop https://educators.brainpop.com/certified-brainpop-educator-program/
Plickers Ambassador-Plickers is a quick, easy and innovative way to formatively assess your students in real time without the need of devices. You can either print (free: https://plickers.com/PlickersCards_2up.pdf) or order ($20 on Amazon). Plickers cards are each unique and engage students to think critically. Once you pose a question to the class (ie. verbally, through a presentation, etc) students will hold their Plickers cards up in the direction of their answer (A, B, C, D). You (the teacher) would then scan the class with your phone and it magically records the students answers. It takes seconds! This badge is earned through requesting an invite (https://plickers.com/ambassadors) and being accepted. Benefits include swag, sets of Plickers cards, a badge, presentation materials, etc). See See Plickers in action: https://youtu.be/mI-eBHhEqzs
Surface Expert-A perk of becoming a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (see below) is that you can apply to become a Surface Expert. Through this program, you receive a Surface Book device and all of the materials that you need to share the Surface love with those that you interact with! If the chance arises, you able to test out different Microsoft products/software before they are released to the public! This is an amazing opportunity that you are able to reapply to every year and learn, interact, and engage first hand with Windows 10 and the latest and greatest that Microsoft has to offer.
Certified MIE-This badge was the beginning of my LOVE of the Microsoft Educator Community and gave me the desire to keep on learning about all things Microsoft! I haven't looked back! I guess you could say this is the gateway drug to Microsoft in Education! Once you have earned 1,000 points in the Microsoft Educator Community, you will get a SURPRISE badge pop up stating that you have earned the distinction of becoming a Certified Microsoft Innovative Educator! This is the first step to becoming an MIE Expert or a Surface Expert. This shows that you are active in the community and that you've not only engaged with the Community, but that you've also takes some courses, watched some webinars, or some quick tip videos. This is the beginning of getting addicted to earning badges! You've been warned! education.microsoft.com
MIE Expert-After you become a Certified MIE (above), the next step is to apply to become an MIE Expert! This a HUGE honor! Through becoming a part of the MIE Expert family, you are demonstrating that you have a love of the Microsoft in Education tools, that you have a deep understanding of the tools and how to integrate them into classrooms. The knowledge of these tools should be enough that you feel comfortable to train on them (leading to Trainer badges) and share their goodness with other educators. MIEEs are able to attend local, regional and national meet-ups as they occur. In addition, you are able to apply to present at conferences and possibly have your conference fees taken care of by Microsoft! There are so many perks to earning this honor and I would DEFINITELY say that the hard work is worth it!
Google Certified Educator Level 1-This badge is awarded to you once you show proficiency in the Google for Education tools and how to use them effectively in the classroom. These tools were originally called Google Apps for Education (GAFE) and are now make up what we call the G-Suite. Once you have gone through the Level 1 training course and taken the Google Level 1 exam, you are awarded this badge. Google provides all the the training to earn this badge on their website: https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com/certification_level1
Google Certified Educator Level 2-Level 2 takes it up a notch! Where level 1 shows proficiency, Level 2 shows your expertise in utilizing G-Suite in the classroom. This is definitely a harder badge to earn but well worth it if you are seeking to either gain more G-Suite knowledge or work your way up to becoming a Google Certified Trainer. https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com/certification_level2
Google Certified Trainer-Becoming a Google Trainer has opened my eyes up to all things Google for Education! Google is so much bigger that Gmail. Earning this badge indicates that you have mastered all of the information included in the G-Suite and that you are comfortable to train other educators on their usage. In order to earn this badge, you must pass Level 1, Level 2, the Skills Assessment and create a video showing mastery of an innovative way to utilize a G-Suite feature in the classroom. If you go on YouTube and search "Google Trainer Application" you will find a ton of these videos there! https://edutrainingcenter.withgoogle.com/certification_trainer
Certified Flipgrid Educator-I spoke about Flipgrid in a previous post. I've known about this tool for years but just got re-ignited about it and the many ways it can be incorporated into education, not only for students, but for teachers, administrators, and even central office staff. To earn this badge, you must create a Flipgrid and receive at least 10 responses it. You will then submit the link to that Flipgrid along with a passing score of 100% on the Flipgrid Assessment (you get to take it as many times as needed until you pass) for consideration of approval to become a Flipgrid Certified Educator!
Promethean Master Educator-I earned this badge by going through a 3 day training provided by Promethean. It consisted of several modules that allowed me to go through different instructional design activities, integration techniques, ActivInspire features and benefits, presentation skills, etc. It was extremely hands on and each day was full of content. This may very well be the first badge that I earned. Our district has moved towards touch screen LED panels so sadly we don't have very many Promethean Boards around anymore.
Certified Educator Digital Citizenship-Common Sense Media is the go to for Digital Citizenship in Education. Their website contains a scope and sequence that you can actually teach right from! In order to earn this badge, there were a set of tasks that you needed to accomplish that included things like reteaching lessons, creating a profile, etc. The requirements have since changed and are refreshed for the 2017-2018 school year. Take a look at the new requirements to earn this badge at the following link: https://www.commonsense.org/education/certification
Star Discovery Educator-This badge is earned through the Discovery Educator Network. You need to create a profile and then it will walk you through how to earn become a DEN Star. You should have a strong desire to work within the Discovery Educator Network and share the goodness on social media. You would create a profile, complete the application and host an event in which tips and tricks are shared. Some of the benefits are that you have access to DEN events, have a blog through the DEN and you even receive a bunch of swag!
I've also earned a TON of badges through the Microsoft Educator Community...53 to be exact, and I'm still going! Currently, Microsoft has 123 badges that are able to be earned within the Community by completing a course. You can also earn badges by attending their Hack the Classroom event, for Tweeting, for being active on other social media platforms, and for building and creating lesson plans and posting them in the community. I'm almost 1/2 way there! I love taking these courses because there's so much to learn! I've even gone back and re-taken courses to revisit the information there! I love that Microsoft makes is so easy to get free professional development any time, any place, and in any space!
Sooooo, what are you waiting for?? Get on out there and earn some badges! There are way more out there than just these! I'd love to hear about the badges you earn!
