Customer Reviews

What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media

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Chris and Scott did an excellent job of bringing together some of the great minds in technology integration and using social media tools. It was a pleasure to hear their passion for each of the topics discussed. School leaders are woefully behind as a group in these areas of learning, and it is clear from the book that the editors that they are ready to help lead the system in this area. All school leaders and teachers can glean resources from this text as well as continue to grow their professional learning network by contacting the many authors of this book. The audience for this book certainly isn't the school administrator who has spent time learning and thinking about these topics at great length, but there is something for everyone. If you are looking for a present for your school leader, you couldn't go wrong with this selection.

A great read for teachers and educational leaders re. The learning needs of today's students. Presents an insightful and practical look at the broad range of digital technologies that schools should be looking to embrace.

As an educational leader and prolific user of digital technology and social networking to expand my influence and learn from others around the world, I greatly appreciate the content and layout of this book. In What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media, Chris and Scott have created a concise guide that takes the excuses away from other school leaders who up until now, simply buried their heads in the sand. I've been working hard to influence others in my region to begin using social media of all types to tell the story of their schools and take action on issues that are affecting all of us, but it's been a slow process. This valuable book gives me a new tool to work with in bringing more school leaders into the digital age.

I would easily place this book on my list of "Best Books for Administrators" list for 2011. It provides a general, not-too-technical over digital technology and social media's place in our 21st century schools. This book is an extensive odyssey through all of the hot topics in instructional technology right now. Readers are provided with a complete overview of the field, in short-easy-to-read chapters. Various authors, most of them techno-gurus in their fields, write chapters that provide concise descriptions of digital tools like blogs, wikis, social media, RSS Feeds, online courseware, and many others. In each of these chapters are practical take-back-to-your-school tips, guidelines, and ideas for integration and implementation. There are also links to many of the most well-known digital and social media tools. At the end of every chapter, are lists of resources for those who would like to explore further. There are other books available that provide a survey similar to what is offered in What Every School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media, but none of them are written just for administrators and focus specifically on the technology as this one does. It is a small book that provides big answers to both administrators and teacher leaders wanting to see what possibilities digital technologies and social media offers the educator and school leader of the 21st century.

If any school leader wants a quick and straightforward read on the various digital technologies and Social Media schools can (and should) be embracing, this book is an excellent choice. It would be an ideal book for all admin teams to read and discuss together if they have goals for introducing or more effectively using digital technologies in their districts/schools. Each chapter presents very clear, specific information on a different tool or application with the appropriate mix of 'technical' language and jargon-free explanations to paint a good picture of the tool/application, how they can be used, and things to keep in mind or be wary of if putting in place. The variety of 'experts' who authored the chapters is another aspect of this book that makes it a powerful read; classroom teachers, technology directors/coaches, school & district administrators, and university level professors all contributed in creating a book that can provide needed guidance for all school leaders striving to move their schools/districts forward. Well done!

I have embraced most digital technologies and social media including Twitter, blogs, podcasting, RSS, social bookmarking, mobile technology, educational gaming, and much more. I work with people in a district office setting who fear the use of social media and have such a limited view of how these technologies play out in education. This book is for those readers who are learning along the way.

Most of the authors in What School Leaders Need to Know I follow their work through blogs and twitter feeds. This book is a brilliant piece to help those reluctant and who need more answers to the questions they have. This is book is a great starting point for those who have heard about different digital technologies and social media in school settings. Each chapter takes a digital technology or a social media tool explains is use in simple terms and leave you lots think about.

Each author is approachable and would be willing to share more with you. They can be easily found in a Google search. They like me belong to a huge network of educators who are making a difference by sharing and learning in a network of educators around the world.

I invite those who are exploring digital technologies and social media to read this book as a starting point. But don't stop with the book! Go further! Ask Questions!
What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media