You may recognize Sherrie-Mae as the host of our first ever Twitter Chat from earlier this month. We know her as a tech-savvy educator who’s really maximizing social media when it comes to professional learning practices. Not only is she a well-known blogger and high profile Tweeter, she is a vice-principal with the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.
We asked Sherrie-Mae to share a bit more about herself and why she believes in incorporating technology and social media in her daily life as an educator.
1. Tell us a bit about yourself and your background as an educator
I have been a teacher for 17 years in several boards across Ontario. I am very proud to call the Ottawa Carleton District School Board my professional home. I recently became a Vice-Principal.
2. In your time as an educator, how have you seen technology become a more integral part of the learning experience?
I began my career with only having a small number of computers in the school for teacher use only. In 2015, in the OCDSB I see technology embedded into daily classroom activities and students encouraged to BYOD.
3. How do you incorporate technology into your own day to day was an educator?
Encouraging students to use technology at appropriate times and to access the curriculum are key components of daily digital learning. By modelling appropriate use, my students see when screens are in use and when it is not an appropriate time.
4. What social media platforms do you find to be the most beneficial for educators? Why?
Educational blogs, Twitter and Pinterest are my top three media platforms. Blogs are rich in diversity and depth of knowledge. Twitter is a constant stream of educational trends, conferences and swarms, it is a vital component of my professional learning. Pinterest brings you everything you could ever want for your classroom in one simple yet highly complex platform. I have learned, very quickly, not everything is attainable on Pinterest, but the ideas are fantastic!
5. Do you have any tips for teachers and those in the education field who are looking to expand upon their knowledge of technology and social media?
One of the most important tips I can give is not to let laptops and tablets become 1,000 pencils. We have to move away from student using computers in a lab setting and move towards embedding technology into our short term, and long term goals. As an educator, creating digitally responsible students who understand the importance of digital stewardship is a key learning objective for my students.
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