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August has been declared Connected Educator Month by the US Department of Education, and we’ve been actively following the conversation through the first part of the month on Twitter (#CE12).

According to the DOE, the idea behind Connected Educator Month is:
“Online communities and learning networks already help hundreds of thousands of educators by providing ‘just in time’ access to knowledge and opportunities for collaboration, and by reducing isolation. Expanding participation will allow more people to realize the full benefits of this arena for professional learning and collaboration,” (read the full press release).

To commemorate, we thought we’d share five easy ways for you to observe:

1)  Thank a fellow teacher leading the transition.
Not every educator is ready to jump on board with new technology or has that tech-savvy know-how. Thank an educator who has gone out of their way to connect their active learners and is embracing the future.

2)  Take one step towards a more digital-friendly classroom.
As an educator, making the leap from chalkboard to message board isn’t always a requirement, but those who do are setting up their students for a better learning experience. A digital-friendly classroom is an important step in laying the foundation for their future.  Here are some tips you can use to get started!

3)  Ask a student what they love about being connected.
Every student has something they love about using technology. It may be a computer game, it may be social networking, or it may be discovering the world by surfing the web. You never know what ideas their digital experiences may inspire!

4)  Talk to your administrators and principals about the use of new technology.
Not every administrator has embraced the idea of staying connected and using technology to drive the classroom experience, so when one does, they deserve an extra gold-star. Administrators need to hear from you about how technology can improve the education experience.  Here are some tips to start the conversation!

5)  Reflect on what it was like when you were a student in the classroom, and look how far we’ve come.
Take a minute to stop and look back on what your educational experience was like in school. Chalkboards, #2 pencils and binders ruled the classrooms. Now, laptops, mobile devices and online message boards are how connected teachers and their students learn. How will education be different in 15 years? 10? 5?