Back in April of 2014, we had an idea. An idea for a project exploring edtech across the United States, and giving a voice to innovative teachers, administrators, and district leaders as they shared stories and experiences of embarking on edtech adventures. And that project was entitled “the Fifty States Project.”
It’s been four months since then, and after taking virtual tours across the country to Washington, Hawaii, North Carolina and beyond, we’re happy to report that we’ve nearly reached the halfway point with our contributors. That’s right--we’ve had 24 contributors (25, if you count our most recent posting from Nevada!) that have covered topics from the best edtech writing tools to district change management to “going Google” with Chromebooks.
But, here’s the thing. EdSurge wants to publish articles from educators from all 50 states and several U.S. territories (including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia) by the end of 2014 about how they are implementing or integrating technology that personalizes learning for students directly, assists teacher productivity, and/or addresses student needs.
We’ve got a whole number of states still waiting to be represented--and we invite to let us know if you'd like to represent one! Curious to see if your state is a member of that group? Take a look at the list above, or just check out the video below:
Interested in contributing?
Submit your interest here. Yes, we’re picky: Stories should have rich details about what you’ve done, lessons learned and an insight or teachable moment that you’d like to share. Ask yourself: Is it a strong enough story to share with your colleagues? If so, then we’ll probably like it, too.
Why are we doing this? We want to showcase the inspirational work that you and teachers in every corner of America are doing. How else will we learn?
Someone from my state has written a piece—can I still submit a piece? Yes, you absolutely can. We want to make sure every state and territory is represented. But more voices are great!
What will happen to my story? We will edit it with pizzazz and put it on the EdSurge site.
And one note: at the end of 2014, we aim to publish a one-of-a-kind book that showcases edtech experiences across the country. And if you'd like to share your experiences on a more social media level, Tweet about your stories with #Edsurge50. We'll periodically share them on the site!
We look forward to seeing more in our collection of great teaching voices. And the next time you hear from us, we hopefully will have reached that full 50+ mark--with your help!