Secretary of Education Duncan Declares August "Connected Educator" Month

In a video address at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced that August will be "Connected Educator Month," and called upon teachers and other educational leaders to innovate through online collaboration and learning environments.

"Now more than ever we need strong leaders…to guide the country in transforming education and vastly improving the opportunity to learn for every American," Duncan said. "Every educator needs to be connected with the best digital content, tools, and resources in order to enliven the learning environment for students, and to fully connect with peers and experts."

The Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology (OET) will convene Connected Educator Month in conjunction with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that conducts research in behavioral and social science and delivers technical assistance in the areas of health, education, and workforce productivity. The event is part of OET's Connected Educators initiative, which is supporting informal, online, social and professional learning for educators by conducting research, hosting communities, and working with the education sector.

More than 50 organizations--from the American School Counselor Association and Cisco to the National Association of Elementary School Principals--will participate in the online event. Throughout August, educators will have opportunities to participate in dozens of online activities, including forums, webinars and contests, intended to develop skills and enhance learning. The Connected Educators website also will offer tools and resources to help educators become more connected.

About the Author

Andrew Barbour is the former executive editor of Campus Technology.

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