I’m big on cliches around the new year. Life gets so busy, and for me, the new year forces me to reflect. So as I read over my Top 10 in 2015 post from last December, I wanted to do a little reflecting on this past year.
Last year I wrote about a lot of big changes, including my acceptance into Google’s Certified Innovator program, I made a big career move to Forward Edge, joined ISTE’s ETC leadership team, and became a co-leader for GEG Ohio. I’m happy to say that I am coming up on almost completing my first year in the Innovator program (I’ve written a lot about my journey and my project Classroom Bridges), I’m serving as my second and last year as ISTE’s ETC President (although I will still remain on the leadership team), and another GEG-Ohio co-leader and I hosted the first South West Ohio Meetup. So I’m happy to see that all those things have remained consistent.
Last December I also shared that I had gotten engaged in 2015. I’m happy to say that also stayed on course, and I am now happily married! As a result, my name changed from Ritter to Siemer (pronounced see-mer). Below are a few pictures from the absolute most perfect day… because what new bride doesn’t want to share her wedding pictures?!
Side-note: I never thought I would struggle with changing my name, but wow is it strange. There is one thing technology has not made easier- with having an account for literally everything from work to banking to ordering pizza, I don’t know if I’ll ever really be finished changing it everywhere.
With a wedding and all those new ventures last year, I didn’t pick up a whole lot of new things this year. I focused a lot on developing new programs at work like our monthly webinar series and 4-day edtech Bootcamp. I’ve gotten back in a blogging groove, which I’m happy about. I’m looking forward to presenting at OETC (Ohio’s Educational Technology Conference) this year for the first (and second!) time. So much happens in a year; I can’t wait to see what 2017 will bring.
So without further a due, these were the 10 most popular posts and pages on Talk Tech With Me in 2016:
- New Ways to Log Into Chromebooks- No More Wasted Class Time! (game changer for Chromebooks in elementary classrooms)
- Google Certified Innovator Academy Days 2 & 3 (I shared about my experience at the Innovator Academy)
- The Google Drive Integration Schoology Was Missing: Drive Companion (Drive Companion is an absolute must for districts using both Schoology and Google Apps)
- Plickers: an Awesome Assessment Tool Requiring Only One Device (Plickers is a great tool for those with limited access to devies- this one also made the list last year)
- E-waste Recycling Poster Contest for #Digcit Day (this was part of the Digital Citizenship Day I planned a few years ago. It surprised me by how popular this post was this year)
- 20 Ways to Use ThingLink in Education (this one also made the list last year
- Selecting the Right EdTech Tool (this is a more interactive version of my backward EdTech flow chart that has been pretty popular over the years and also made the list last year)
- 4 Reasons to Use Google Chrome Over Other Internet Browsers (an oldie but a goodie, as they say)
- Classroom Bridges: Making Classroom Connections More Accessible (announcing my Innovator project)
- Google Certified Innovator Application (I shared about my process for applying to the Innovator program)
So thanks for sticking with me through this journey. What are you reflecting on from the past year and looking forward to in the next? I hope you enjoy some time off with your families and friends over the holidays, and most importantly- HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Tech To You Later (in 2017)!
-Katie