Preface
1. The Challenges That Schools Face
2. Culture Shock
3. Digital Learning Across the Curriculum
4. Makerspaces
5. Blended and Virtual Learning
6. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
7. Digital Badges and Micro-Credentials
8. Academies and Smaller Learning Communities
9. Connected Learning
10. Schools That Work For Students
Appendices A-D
References
Eric is a Senior Fellow and Thought Leader on Digital Leadership
with the International Center for Leadership in Education
(ICLE). Prior to this, he was the award-winning Principal at New
Milford High School. Under his leadership, his school became a
globally recognized model for innovative practices. Eric oversaw
the successful implementation of several sustainable change
initiatives that radically transformed the learning culture at his
school while increasing achievement. His work focuses on
leading and learning in the digital age as a model for moving
schools and districts forward. This has led to the formation of
the Pillars of Digital Leadership, a framework for all
educators to initiate sustainable change to transform school
cultures. As a result, Eric has emerged as an innovative leader,
best selling author, and sought after speaker. His main focus is
purposeful integration of technology to facilitate student
learning, improve communications with stakeholders, enhance public
relations, create a positive brand presence, discover opportunity,
transform learning spaces, and help educators grow
professionally. Eric has received numerous awards and
acknowledgments for his work. He is a CDE Top
30 award recipient, Bammy Award winner, NASSP
Digital Principal Award winner, PDK Emerging Leader Award
recipient, winner of Learning Forward’s Excellence in
Professional Practice Award, Google Certified
Innovator, Adobe Education Leader, and ASCD 2011
Conference Scholar. Eric has published several books on school
leadership, partnering with Corwin on Uncommon Learning, and the
1st and 2nd editions of Digital Leadership.
He has also contributed on education for the Huffington
Post, sits on the advisory board for many innovative
companies, and was named to the NSBA “20 to Watch” list
in 2010 for technology leadership. TIME Magazine also identified
Eric as having one of the 140 Best Twitter Feeds in
2014. He now presents and speaks nationally to assist other
school leaders to embrace and effectively utilize technology. His
blog, A Principal’s Reflections, was selected as Best School
Administrator Blog in 2013 and 2011 by Edublogs. It was also
recognized with an Editor’s Choice Content Award in
2014 by Smartbrief Education.Eric began his career in
education as a Science Teacher at Watchung Hills Regional High
School where he taught a variety of subjects (Biology, Chemistry,
Marine Biology, Ecology) and coached several sports (ice hockey,
football, lacrosse). He then transitioned into the field of
educational administration as an Athletic Director/Supervisor of
Physical Education & Health and Vice Principal in the New Milford
School District. During his administrative career, he has served as
District Affirmative Action Officer and was the president of the
New Milford Administrator’s Association. During his tenure as high
school principal he successfully implemented numerous
initiatives including a new teacher evaluation system (McREL),
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), oversaw Common Core implementation,
and initiated a new grading philosophy. Eric received his M.Ed. in
Educational Administration from East Stroudsburg University, B.S.
in Biology from Salisbury University, and his B.S. in
Marine/Environmental Science from the University of Maryland
Eastern Shore.
"UnCommon Learning is a great look at the six most important EdTech
trends in schools that work for kids: online
and blended learning, BYOD, badges, maker, professional
learning, and new learning environments. Eric lays out eight
key steps to creating UnCommon Learning environments. Don’t miss
it!"
*Tom Vander Ark, CEO*
"For the past several years, Eric′s mission has been to find
effective ways to use technology to improve student performance. In
′Uncommon Learning - Creating Schools That Work For Kids′ he
shares the most impactful practices he has found. These practices
provide a guide to move school reform, using technology, from a
concept to a reality."
*Dr. Bill Daggett, Chairman and Founder*
"Schools today are at a disadvantage when it comes to educating
today’s learner, which necessitates a corrective plan of action.
Eric provides not only ideas, but also practical strategies that
have been implemented to create the type of learning that students
crave and deserve. This book will change the way you think about
school structure and function in an increasingly digital
world."
*Todd Whitaker, Professor of Educational Leadership and author of
over 30 books, including What Great Teachers Do Differently*
"In this urgent and practical book, Eric Sheninger argues that
technology must become as central to students′ learning as it is in
the ‘real’ world. Uncommon Learning will teach educational
leaders how to integrate technology into the classroom in ways that
reflect today′s complex, feedback-rich digital environment."
*Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind*
"Sheninger, in UnCommon Learning, identifies key areas for growth
within our current school systems. Most importantly, he lays out a
simple and intentional path to addressing these areas with the goal
of improving learning and the overall school experience for
students. Educators, regardless of their role within a school, can
use this text as a guide to create optimal learning environments
for their students with the ultimate goal of creating schools that
provide current, relevant and engaging learning experiences."
*Josh Stumpenhorst (@stumpteacher), Award Winning Teacher and
author of The New Teacher Revolution*
"Get rid of excuses. Stop having conversations. Start taking
action. Uncommon Learning is the guidebook that will get schools
from apathy to action, from ignorance to influence, from the status
quo to supercharged with excitement. Eric Sheninger has written
another winner."
*Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher Author - Reinventing Writing Host -
The Every Classroom Matters Show*
"For students to succeed in today’s fast changing world, schools
must join technology and teaching to prepare students with relevant
knowledge and skills. Bringing passionate commitment and vast
practical experience, Sheninger lays out concrete ideas and
strategies for every school to transform learning to provide
meaningful learning experiences for all students. This is a
must-read for practitioners and policymakers."
*Bob Wise, President*
"There is a growing movement in this country and others to use what
we have learned over the decades about effective teaching and
learning to design the next generation of classrooms and schools.
Eric Sheninger’s new book is a welcome addition that movement. He
adeptly walks the line between practical strategies and motivating
visions of the near and distant future."
*Robert J. Marzano, CEO*
"This is one of the very few, really good books about digital
learning – not just because of its clear and informative examples
and rich cache of tools, but because its experienced and
multi-award winning author, Eric Sheninger, explains how to
develop and implement digital learning, indeed all learning, in a
balanced, sustainable and self-critical way. Unlike most
pro-technology books, this passionate yet practical book is more
about the zen of changing than about the zealotry of what must be
changed. Teachers, leaders and change agents in education
everywhere should put this book right at the top of their reading
lists."
*Andy Hargreaves, Winner of Boston College Excellence in Teaching
with Technology Award, 2015*
"Too often, school improvement initiatives layer activities upon
cultures and systems that are not ready to receive them. Uncommon
Learning rejects the notion that something must be done in
addition, and instead begins with changing the foundational culture
of a school—consistent with NASSP’s Breaking Ranks Framework for
School Improvement. Countless schools—and more important,
countless students—will no doubt benefit from the guidance Eric
shares."
*JoAnn Bartoletti, Executive Director*
"In Digital Leadership, Eric Sheninger trail blazed the path many
educational leaders followed to become digitally connected and now,
in Uncommon Learning, he gets right to the heart of exactly what we
need to do to create schools designed to empower today’s students.
Eric doesn’t just talk about change; he has actually led change in
his system and his story is both inspirational and filled with
practical tips for implementation."
*Dave Burgess*
"Educational transformation can happen and this book tells how. In
UnCommon Learning, former teacher and school principal Eric
Sheninger shares practical strategies and processes to create
sustainable positive changes to better serve our children."
*Yong Zhao, Author of World Class Learners and Never Send a Human
to Do a Machine’s Job*
"Every educator who truly wants to maximize the learning
opportunity for every student will benefit from the thought
provoking questions, challenges and solutions Eric provides in
UnCommon Learning. He artfully provides a roadmap for creating
a bold new vision for learning for both educators and students
through empowerment, mindset change, blended learning, re-designing
instructional practices through a true integration of digital
strategies to enable students to be creative, problem solvers and
owners of their learning. His lessons learned and those of
teachers will provide schools with the foundation for
transforming their schools for uncommon learning."
*Susan Gendron, President*
"Eric′s vision and collection of resources to create a
student-centred learning experience for schools is something that
all educators should read. Although he shares great ideas on what
opportunities could look like, he challenges us to push our own
thinking of what school could really look like and move forward to
become the innovative educators our students need."
*George Couros*
"With a strikingly fresh and practical perspective, Eric
Sheninger takes contemporary learning to a new level of possibility
with UnCommon Learning: Creating Schools That Work for
Kids. Educators throughout the world agree that we need to
support "right-now" learners, but the big question is HOW to
transform the schools in our own communities. Eric has created a
modern leading-manual which promises to be a must have classic for
principals, headmasters, administrators, parents, and
teachers. If our students read the book they will find an
advocate. Sheninger′s thinking on learning communities, curriculum,
digital tools, networking, and makerspaces is genuinely designed to
work for kids of all ages."
*Heidi Hayes Jacobs*
"UnCommon Learning is a book that is long overdue! In this most
important book for educators at all levels, Eric Sheninger has put
into writing what he has "preached’ all over the country for years
– that in order to effectively maximize student learning, the
technology that is all around us cannot be ignored but instead must
be incorporated into the classroom learning process. UnCommon
Learning will prove to be a game-changer for how we educate
children!"
*Baruti Kafele Principal, Education Consultant, Speaker,
Author*
"Unlike so many experts offering prescriptions for our beleaguered
schools, Eric Sheninger has walked the walk, running an actual
school and striving each day to make it better. In UnCommon
Learning, his ideas, born out of real experience, not wishful
thinking, will resonate with smart educators who have seen the Next
Big Thing come and go with little to show. Our kids deserve to be
surrounded by educators like Sheninger who are willing to examine
their own prejudices and practices, then think long and hard about
what needs to change."
*Greg Toppo,National Education writer and author of The Game
Believes in You: How Digital Play Can Make Our Kids Smarter*
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