PennGSE & #Satchat: An Open Conversation About Educator and School Leader Preparation Programs

You might recall the events last year when the University of Pennsylvania's Mid-Career Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership (@MCDPEL) traveled to Finland to study the schools through the lenses of students, teachers, parents and leaders. The team's use of social media during that trip (including Edutopia's live Global Penn-Finn Edu Conversation) has made its way back to campus.

Since September, the innovative school leadership program has hosted a global conversation around various leadership topics using the #pennedchat hashtag. This weekend, the program at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education (@PennGSE) will partner with the largest ongoing weekend education conversation in existence -- #Satchat.

This Saturday, February 15, Penn GSE will host an open social media learning experience not only for the current students, faculty and alumni, but for anyone passionate about the future of the field of education. The topic is The Future of Educator and School Leader Preparation Programs.

The #Satchat experience will also include a Google Hangout video stream with influential educators, professors and school leaders joining physically and virtually from around the United States. #Satchat will take place 7:30AM-8:30AM EDT, and #Satchatwc 10:30AM-11:30AM EDT.

Live guests joining the 7:30AM and 10:30AM chats include:

• Tony Sinanis: Lead Learner at Cantiague ES, current @PennGSE doctoral student
• Mark Hoffman: Executive Director of Bucks County IU, @PennGSE doctoral student
• Mike Roth: Superintendent of Salisbury School District, @PennGSE doctoral student
• Khalilah Harris: WHIEEAA, @PennGSE doctoral student
• Tom Murray: Director of Technology & Cyber Education
• Amy Stornaiuolo: Faculty, @PennGSE
• Michael Johanek: Faculty, @PennGSE
• Eric Bernstein: Faculty, USC, @PennGSE alumnus
• Jason Glass: Superintendent of Eagle County Schools (Colorado), Former Iowa Director of Education
• Michael Curran: Faculty, Rider University
• Sharon LePage Plante: Director of Technology/Teacher, Eagle Hill, Southport, Connecticut

How to Participate

Find the conversation by logging into Twitter at either 7:30-8:30AM or 10:30-11:30AM and, in the search bar, enter #Satchat for the 7:30 AM chat or #Satchatwc for the 10:30 AM chat. To join the conversation, send a 140-character tweet and include the hashtag #Satchat or #Satchatwc, depending on the time you are in the chat, at the end of your message. For those not on Twitter wanting to experience the global conversation, you can use these Tweetchat links for the 7:30AM chat and the 10:30AM chat.

The live video feed link via Youtube will be shared Saturday morning prior to each chat. Following the event, look for the #Satchat Radio podcast over on the @BAMRadioNetwork, the home of #EdChat Radio, #PTchat Radio, BrandED Radio, #EdTechChat Radio and other weekly shows aimed at providing teachers, leaders and parents an opportunity reflect on professional conversations happening on Twitter during the 10-12 minute audio shows. This will be a great conversation starter for faculty meetings, leadership team meetings and parent forums.

History of #Satchat

Every Saturday morning, educators from around the world share their thoughts, resources and experiences as part of a progressive and positive educational conversation that uses the hashtag #Satchat. The hashtag and conversation were founded by Scott Rocco (@ScottRRocco) and Brad Currie (@bcurrie5) on April 14, 2012 and has grown in popularity from approximately 25 educators to over 500 participating weekly in one of the three conversations.

1. #Satchat occurs every Saturday morning at 7:30 AM EST and is moderated by the founders of the chat and Billy Krakower (@wkrakower).
2. #SatchatWC (for West Coast) occurs every Saturday morning at 7:30 AM PST and is moderated by Shelly Burgess (@burgess_shelley), David Culberhouse (@dculberhouse), and Darin Jolly (@drjolly).
3. #SatchatOC (for Oceana) occurs every Friday night at 6:00 PM EST (Saturday morning in Australia and Asia), and is moderated by Holly Fairbrother (@mrshollyenglish), Jay Graham (@jaygraham99) and Andrea Stringer (@stringer_andrea).

Recently (at the end of January 2014), #Satchat Radio made its debut on the BAM Radio Network, where it now has a weekly spot.

The @PennGSE program will partner with professional educational associations in the coming months including @NAESP, @NASSP, @AASAHQ, @NAISnetwork and others around applicable leadership challenges for today's school leaders.

For more information, contact @PennGSE Innovation Coach Joe Mazza (@Joe_Mazza).