In March, I learned that I was selected as one of 36 educators from across the globe to be a 2017 Google Innovator. The Google Certified Innovator program is a 12-month professional development experience including mentorship, online learning activities, and an Innovation Academy. This week I will head abroad for the Innovation Academy which will be held April 19-21 in London, UK. During my time in London, I will collaborate with educators from 11 countries on how to solve some of the most pressing issues facing technology integration in education.

After being nominated as a Google Innovator, I had to go through the application process which included a proposal of an innovative idea in technology that I will work on with a mentor from Google to help it come to fruition over the course of the next year. In my proposal, entitled Promoting Digital Equity and Social Justice through the ‘Techsperts’: Every Student, Everywhere, I envision using the district’s Techspert and NHS Tech Support programs to assist in developing and facilitating empowering opportunities for all students to create, produce, use, and disseminate digital tools and resources in their lives.

Here is the article that was in the Hartford Courant.

Here is the article that was in the Record Journal.

Over the past four weeks, our cohort has been put to work doing a variety of activities including:

• Introducing ourselves with Google Slides (see bottom of page)
• Using Google Hangouts to communicate and collaborate
• Solving a BreakoutEDU
• Creating a BreakoutEDU
• Working with Les McBeth from the Future Design School on beginning the design process

It has been a tremendous experience so far, and here I will blog about my journey in order to share with you this opportunity of a lifetime.