Level up

This page and its subpages are for those educators who don’t consider themselves “techie.”

Why “Level up?”

In the world of video and computer games, game designers write their games with the assumption that players have no experience with that particular game but they also write the games with the understanding that players will want to learn. So, they design games to support the players to get the skills necessary to be successful and then they reward the players by acknowledging when players “level up.” When a player levels up, it is a sign that they have accomplished what they needed to at the current level and also acquired the skills necessary for the challenges they will  face at the next level of game play.

It is important to note that the game designers don’t just design for success; they expect their players to be successful. They have confidence that their players will ultimately acquire those necessary skills and level up again. And again. And they do. Even if they “fail” at a level, they learn from what happened, they come back and they try again. And, yes, again.

That’s what I hope to nurture with this blog. I know you might not have been an “early adopter.” I get that you may not even be a tech enthusiast. I recognize that technology might make you feel lost, and as a professional educator, feeling lost is very uncomfortable.

But, like the game designer, I know that you can make progress with technology, if you are provide the time, space, and resources to do this on a timeline that is comfortable for you. You can level up and feel good about your growing ability to harness technology for teaching and learning–at your own pace. 

My goal is to keep the posts as short as possible and focused on helping you level up when it comes to how you and your learners harness the power of technology to access and evaluate information, create original content, connect with others, and ultimately, transform learning. 

Is this blog for you?

Yes if…

• … you feel a pit in your stomach whenever your school or district announces you will be using a new Website, app, or other technological tool in order to do your job. You’re not alone!
• … the thought of teaching, learning, creating, collaborating or sharing with technology seems to sap the passion for education right out of you… or just makes you tense. You’re not alone here either!
• … you feel like technology “knows you’re here and breaks on purpose.” You’re still not alone!
• … you support teachers who might be feeling what is described above.

So check out the subpages for tips to help you navigate the constantly changing world of educational technology more smoothly and confidently.