DAVID HOPKINS 2 EMERGENCY RATIONS #EDTECHRATIONS Emergency Rations What’s so important we can’t leave it at home? Edited by David Hopkins 3 DAVID HOPKINS © David Hopkins, 2017 Some rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or photocopying, recording, or otherwise for commercial purposes without the prior permission of the publisher. This book is licensed under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 4.0 International License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Further details on how Creative Commons license works on copyrighted materials has been written by Andrés Guadamuz: Publishing a commercial book with creative Commons: http://www.technollama.co.uk/publishing-a-commercial-book-with-creative-commons Cover Design: David Hopkins Cover Iconography: Used under Creative Commons License. Designed by Photoroyalty and Vvstudio - Freepik.com 4 EMERGENCY RATIONS #EDTECHRATIONS For Sarah, Joel, and Silas. And Muppet (the cat). My loving family. Thank you. 5 DAVID HOPKINS 6 EMERGENCY RATIONS #EDTECHRATIONS Foreword by Joyce Seitzinger As is common these days, David Hopkins is one of those friends of mine that I've never talked to. I've never heard his voice and may even struggle to recognise him straightaway if I was meeting him at the pub for a beer. But I do know that if (no, when) we do meet for that beer we will have the best conversation and immediately be on the same wavelength. You see, we've been part of that rich, generous and sharing community that is the Twitter #EdTech community since 2008. That is 9 years. A long time to all hang out together. Actually, we do more than just hang out. We support each other. We answer each other's questions. We learn with and from each other every day. And David's writing on Twitter, on his blog and in his previous books - ‘What is a Learning Technologist?’ and ‘The Really Useful #EdTechBook’ - has been among the most open, helpful and generous. No wonder then that when David put out the call for this book, so many of us volunteered in kind. EdTechs (e-learning specialists, learning designers, learning advisors or whatever title we have) often come from very different backgrounds. Some have been teachers but not all. Most of us have developed our craft as the field has evolved and as it continues to grow. So, the opportunity to pick up tricks of the trade, sneaky shortcuts or a gadget which you've never heard of, but which becomes a non-negotiable must-have one second after hearing about it, is not to be sniffed at. David asked "What is the technology you find yourself turning around and going home for if you forget it? What can't you leave at home or work, what do you feel naked without? (in your bag, in your pocket, wearable, etc.)?" I'm not sure even he expected such a variety of answers. Jackie Carter loves her iPhone. Sarah Honeychurch has a serious handbag. Steve Wheeler, of course cannot, be without Blogger. Alec Couros is still digging his Digg Reader. Helen Blunden needs her glasses...so she can do VR properly. And Martin Hawksey demands a watch that is like him, smart. This book is a quintessential artefact of our #EdTech community - crowdsourced, international, humorous, full of character and oh so very, very helpful. So even though we are never far away online, now you can think of us as sitting in your office on your bookshelf or inside your eReader. Yep. You're picturing us there now, aren't you? Joyce Seitzinger Director and Lead Learning Designer, Academic Tribe Melbourne, 2017 7 DAVID HOPKINS Reviews for #EdTechRations Rachel Challen (@RKChallen). Head of the LTSU, School of Arts & Humanities, Nottingham Trent University, UK: “This is a fabulous book – full of fascinating stories and images of the technology that heroes of the Educational Technology world hold dear to their hearts. The chapters show why the authors use what they use and the obvious deep connection with their ‘self’. If you have ever suspected that technology has the power to add to a way of being, then this book well and truly confirms it. Technology for communication, to take and curate notes and even technology to help you not lose the technology can all be found here. I’ve certainly found synergies with my own ‘emergency rations’, some surprises, and definitely some items to go on my own shopping list! There is something for everyone in this book – enjoy.” Teresa MacKinnon(@WarwickLanguage). Principal Teaching Fellow (e-learning), School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Warwick, UK: “Reviewing this book was like listening to the personal voices of many friends, most of whom I have met through the #EdTech community. Of course, they cannot live without certain technologies, apps and websites - that much was to be expected. What delighted me was the variety of approaches to their contributions, reflecting the different individuals within this connected community. The pragmatists who admit to relying on sensible shoes and stationery, the competitive types with their heart monitors and cycling accessories, the fashion victims, the style gurus, the lovers, the makers, the artists and poets…all have one thing in common. They thrive in the connections that come with the open web. This collection reveals that if you have a PLN you are unlikely to struggle in an emergency!” Debbie Baff (@debbaff). Senior Academic Developer, Swansea University, UK: "What a great idea for a book. Packed full of hidden gems and sneaky peeks into people's purses, bags and pockets. Not only does this highlight some brilliant uses for technology, each chapter also gives a really good flavour of the person behind the technology. I found that I related to the various reasoning and logic for inclusion of stuff in people's #EdTech ration lists. I was familiar with a lot of the gadgets and bits of tech but was also inspired to try some new stuff out. Maybe some of these new things (new to me at least) will be going on my list of #EdTechRations! What I really liked as well was that you don't lose sight of the human element amongst all of this technology and that for me is really important. 8 EMERGENCY RATIONS #EDTECHRATIONS Packed with fab information and helpful tips about the devices, software and various bits of technological kit (both digital and analogue) that people love to take with them, this book is an absolute pleasure to read. It's funny, inspiring and informative and is definitely going to be added to my #EdTEchRations of books that I can't live without (see what I did there?). “ Derek Moore (@weblearning), Educational Technology Consultant, Weblearning, South Africa: “It’s been 10 years since my first Tweet. Since then I've met and followed dedicated and talented Ed Techies from all over the world. I’ve read musings on Blogger or WordPress, appreciated stunning Flickr and Instagram pics, subscribed to podcasts, laughed at their humour… but strangely never given a thought to the gear required by these prolific peeps as they #workaloud. The #EdTechRations book rectifies this production gap. David [Hopkins] has compiled an interesting backstory to all the kit and gear required to share their online activities. Some have reflected philosophically on how their gear both empowers & enslaves or explored how digital technologies contribute to their capacity. Others have illustrated what rations they have stuffed into their backpacks. Many are surprisingly cautious about new and shiny tech toys. Most have an IOS device. For those who've found and followed members of this tribe and retweeted, liked and shared their social publications and profiles, #EdTechRations gives a fascinating insight to the essential tech behind these Ed Techies.” 9 DAVID HOPKINS #EdTechRations Contributors @stephenheppell Stephen Heppell 15 @Bali_Maha Maha Bali 18 @timbuckteeth Steve Wheeler 20 @kevin_corbett Kevin Corbett 23 @hopkinsdavid David Hopkins 25 @jamesclay James Clay 29 @iLearningUK Joel Mills 30 @iwilsonysj Ian Wilson 33 @neilwithnell Neil Withnell 35 @amyburvall Amy Burvall 37 @MarenDeepwell Maren Deepwell 42 @suebecks Sue Beckingham 44 @JackieCarter Jackie Carter 48 @Chri5Rowell Chris Rowell 50 @ActivateLearn Helen Blunden 52 @courosa Alec Couros 55 @samillingworth Sam Illingworth 57 @NomadWarMachine Sarah Honeychurch 60 @josepicardoSHS José Picardo 62 @CosmicCork Cormac Cahill 64 @catspyjamasnz Joyce Seitzinger 66 @HeyWayne Wayne Barry 70 10 EMERGENCY RATIONS #EDTECHRATIONS @jsecker Jane Secker 73 @emmsking Emma King 76 @nickotdV Nick Overton 78 @julianstodd Julian Stodd 80 @S_J_Lancaster Simon Lancaster 84 @EricStoller Eric Stoller 86 @BryanMMathers Bryan M Mathers 89 @milenabobeva Milena Bobeva 90 @alexspiers Alex Spiers 94 @steve_collis Steve Collis 98 @jennifermjones Jennifer M Jones 100 @nrparmar Nitin Parmar 103 @Darcy1968 Darcy Moore 106 @mhawksey Martin Hawksey 108 @mattlingard Matt Lingard 111 @ryantracey Ryan Tracey 113 @JaneBozarth Jane Bozarth 115 @sarahknight Sarah Knight 117 @lindacq Linda Castañeda 121 @RealGeoffBarton Geoff Barton 125 @stipton Shannon Tipton 128 Thank you 131 11 DAVID HOPKINS What Are your ‘Emergency Rations’? Consider this ... have you ever walked out the door to go to work, the shops, the gym, etc. and realised you’d forgotten to pick up your smartphone? And then turned around and gone right back for it. Have you ever made yourself late for work, for an appointment, for a friend? Ever got half-way to work and panicked about how you’d survive the day without this piece of plastic or metal you rely on so heavily (your smartphone, tablet, USB stick, Moleskine notebook, powerbar charger, etc.)? Do you have a device you don’t mind being without, for a short time, but others you just can’t bear to be apart from? This is what I mean by ‘emergency rations’ - the stuff you have with you in your life (personal and/or professional) that you would make the effort to go back and get if you’d forgotten it.