The Digital Teacher: Managing the workload and
choosing effective tools
Kelli McGrawQueensland University of Technology
ETAQ Beginning Teachers’ Day 2012
DigitalTeaching
DigitalLearning
• BlogsHomework blogsClass publishing blogs‘Character’ blogs
• Wikis• Social media
Share bookmarksYouTube sharingTwitter/Facebook (?)
• Twitter@kmcg2375@ETAQld@englishteachers
#ozengchat(Tuesday nights)
• TED Talks• Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/ETAQLD
Making your class a
blog is easy…
Getting your class to use a blog is hard.
http://englishteachinginoz.wordpress.com/
http://englishandthecurriculum.yolasite.com/
TOP TIPS:• Be realistic about how long
students take to make a profile• Don’t ‘double up’ – REPLACE
written homework with blog tasks • Be a responsive moderator• edublogs.org a good alternative
to school-based services
Wikis, blogs & workflow:
Email folders and RSS feeds = new
best friends!
Use your email folders to sort student emails by year/class/project.
+ ‘Poetry Blog’folder for…
Using email or Google ‘Reader’:Blog posts and comments can
be monitored via RSS feed.
Teaching in digital spaces requires/allows students to develop their digital literacy.
You can scaffold this, or learn alongside them.
Digital and online tools allow teachers to monitor student
work, progress and engagement in new and different ways.
TOP TIPS:• Ask students to use their first
name only in online profiles• Get students to make an ‘avatar’
that isn’t a photo of them• Promote student use/knowledge of
school email addresses• Set boundaries for when you will
be responding online.
BONUS SLIDE!“How do I convince my HoD to let me use online sites when school policy discourages this?”
1. Find evidence that a teacher at another school has been allowed to do it.
2. Explain how your school’s public profile will benefit from demonstrating innovative pedagogy.
3. Create the blog/wiki before you ask them – it will be harder for them to refuse you if you’ve already put the work in ;)
4. Present a plan for sending information and/or permission notes home to parents.
Love your technology…and your Learning Networks• Embrace social media
Other English teachers are sharing; YOU are in control of how much time you spend online!
@ETAQld http://www.facebook.com/ETAQLD
• Be patient at schoolYour teaching colleagues may not be as enthusiastic as you…always try to see things from their point of view and lead by example.
• Your digital footprintDigital teaching = greater public visibility. Be aware, not alarmed.
Love your technology…and your sanity!• One class at a time
Trial new ideas e.g. homework blog with one class first.
• Talk to your familyDon’t underestimate how much ‘home time’ you might be surrendering.
• Ask for help!e.g. HoD, librarian, ETAQ You can contact me too!
kellimcgraw.com
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