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The Educator's Guide to Creating Connections
- Grade Level: PreK-12
- ISBN: 9781483392882
- Published By: Corwin
- Series: Corwin Connected Educators Series
- Year: 2015
- Page Count: 88
- Publication date: August 27, 2015
Price: $12.95
Description
Blogging, social media, and PLN’s made easy!
Collectively, we’re all smarter than we are individually. In this expert guide, EdTech leaders help you harness the power of connected collaboration using the Internet and social media. You’ll easily leverage Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and beyond for profound professional growth. Use real-world tips and tools to:
- Master and adapt to 21st Century teaching methodologies
- Build ongoing technology literacy for you and your students
- Connect and collaborate with education leaders across the globe
Get connected. Get engaged. Use this inspiring, step-by-step manual to expand your personal and professional network today!
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. To explore the other books in this series, visit the Corwin Connected Educators website.
Check out the Connected Educator Series matrix to find out which book is right for you.
"The successful educator is a connected educator. Quite simply, this book is a manual to stay relevant and energized in a rapidly changing profession. I highly recommend this as the definitive guidebook on building connections for the modern educator."
Vicki Davis, Author "Reinventing Writing"
Tom Whitby has brought together a who's who list any educator would want to be connected with and learn from! His latest book shares great ideas on how teachers can use online strategies as one way to look and learn beyond our all-too-often isolated classrooms.
Larry Ferlazzo, Award-Winning Teacher, Blogger, and Author
Helping Students Motivate Themselves
Key features
- Learn how Connected Education impacts every aspect of education from policy to professional learning to student voice
- Gain insights from some of the most impactful Connected Educators
- Provides the perfect starting point for someone not sure how to get connected
- Introduces readers to some of the themes of connected education: Personalized Learning, Authentic Learning, Digital Leadership, Student Voice
Author(s)

Thomas D. Whitby
Tom Whitby has presented at many national, statewide, and local education conferences as well as Edcamps. He has contributed to the WISE Conference in Doha, Qatar, an International Education Conference, for the last two years. He served as a social media consultant for SmartBrief and a contributing Editor for SmartBlog on Education for SmartBrief.
Tom is a retired Adjunct Professor of Education at St Joseph’s College in New York, having taught for 6 years. He came to that position after 34 years as a secondary English teacher in the Public School system. He was also a leader in the New York State United Teacher Locals for 30 years. He has founded a number of Educational Groups on Linkedin including Technology Using Professors Group. He has been recognized with an Edublog Award for the most Influential Educational Twitter Series, Edchat, which he founded.
Additionally, Tom hosts The Edchat Radio Show for the BAM Network, which is available as free podcasts from K-12 education at the Apple iStore. He blogs at My Island View and has contributed articles to several education journals and has been a guest blogger with contributions to The Royal Treatment and Teacher’s Reboot Camp. He created the Ning site, The Educator’s PLN: http://edupln.ning.com/. Follow him on Twitter @tomwhitby.
Table of Contents
Personalized Learning
Digitally Enhanced Leadership
Empowered Professional Learning
Authentic Learning
Blogging
Giving Our Students A Voice Through Global Connections
Student Personal Learning Networks
Digital Learning Tools
Putting the Horse Before the Cart: Contemporary Learning and Practice as Policy Drivers
Reviews
"The successful educator is a connected educator. Quite simply, this book is a manual to stay relevant and energized in a rapidly changing profession. I highly recommend the Educator’s Guide to Connections as the definitive guidebook on building connections for the modern educator."Vicki Davis, Author "Reinventing Writing"
"Tom Whitby, who is just about THE most connected educator out there, has brought together a who's who list any educator would want to be connected with and learn from! His latest book shares great ideas on how teachers can use online strategies as one way to look and learn beyond our all-too-often isolated classrooms."
Larry Ferlazzo, Award-Winning Teacher, Blogger, and Author"Tom Whitby, who is just about THE most connected educator out there, has brought together a who's who list any educator would want to be connected with and learn from! His latest book shares great ideas on how teachers can use online strategies as one way to look and learn beyond our all-too-often isolated classrooms."
Helping Students Motivate Themselves
"Change is accelerating exponentially. What this means for educators is that to be effective, it’s critical they be able to make connections for learning, both for themselves and for their students. “The Educator’s Guide to Creating Connections” assembles perspectives from today’s top thought leaders and change agents. Tom and his contributors “drill down” and give specific rational, strategies, and techniques for leveraging technology to connect learners. Their beliefs of giving students voice, empowers kids and enhances learning. Through connections, creativity, and imagination, educators and learners are no longer isolated in siloed classrooms. “The Educator’s Guide to Creating Connections” is a valuable read for shaping thinking and taking action."John Carver
johnccarver
- Flipped leadership
- Tools for connecting educators, parents, and communities
- Blogging for educators
- Best practices for establishing a makerspace
- Tools to connect and empower teachers
Finally, all of the authors are active on social media, and they regularly present at local conferences, which helps in bringing to life the contents of these books."
Ross Cooper, Supervisor of Instructional Practice K-12"As of now there are about 20 books in the Corwin Connected Educator Series, a seemingly ever-growing set of titles masterminded by Peter DeWitt and Corwin Press. Each book is short enough to be read in one sitting, which makes the collection ideal for book studies and professional development, both during the summer and throughout the school year. Also, each paperback is authored by one or two educators who speak (and blog, tweet, etc.) with a credible voice in the world of connected education. Some of the topics include:
- Flipped leadership
- Tools for connecting educators, parents, and communities
- Blogging for educators
- Best practices for establishing a makerspace
- Tools to connect and empower teachers
Finally, all of the authors are active on social media, and they regularly present at local conferences, which helps in bringing to life the contents of these books."
Salisbury Township School District, Edutopia
For Instructors
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Related Resources
- Access to companion resources is available with the purchase of this book.