Let’s Talk About The Wonders Of Technology #sol15 #jerdchat

With so many wonderful session choices yesterday at EdCampOKC, I struggled a bit to figure out which ones I wanted to attend in the morning. Finally, one caught my eye: Video in the Classroom: Filming, Editing, and Presenting facilitated by Brandon Wilmarth, the Technology Integration Specialist for Moore Public Schools. I teach a Mixed Media Journalism class at my middle school, where we are creating videos, practicing public speaking, and starting a monthly newspaper. I knew I'd gain some very useful tips and insights into the video production process.

I was right. But this session ended up being even better than that.

Naturally, those of us in the session all took a few seconds to introduce ourselves. One lady caught my attention because she is a newspaper adviser. My ears always perk up when I meet other people in student journalism. I need all the insight, advice, and perspective I can gather.

She was sitting on the other side of the room, so I couldn't talk to her. I pulled out my phone and checked my Twitter to see if I could find her there. Sure enough, she was on Twitter, and I was already following her.

So I tweeted her:

@snidesky I am starting a school newspaper this year. Would love to pick your brain! #EdCampOKC

— Mrs. Waters (@watersenglish) March 7, 2015

It's really not creepy to tweet someone you've never met, who is sitting in the same room with you. Right?! She tweeted me back a couple of hours later:

@watersenglish Love to help! A lot of my brain pickings are here on my blog: https://t.co/18GlFPZrrn #EdCampOKC #jerdchat DM me for more. — Lisa Snider (@snidesky) March 7, 2015

Needless to day, I am over the moon! Later, she invited me to an upcoming conference for journalism advisers:

@watersenglish What school are you starting the paper at? Consider coming to @OSM_OIPA Media Monday, April 6.

— Lisa Snider (@snidesky) March 8, 2015

It's April 6, and I'd already planned to attend the OCTE Spring Conference on April 1. I have a substitute and the day off already. Here's hoping my principal will be able to let me go to the OSM conference, as well. If not, I may have to pick one…