My position includes finding and recommending apps for the teachers I assist. I’ve learned that many of the app makers/designers look for feedback on how to improve.
Nearpod has a community section on their site where anyone can contact them with suggestions or problems. (Take a look at their app here) When I started using Nearpod I took to Twitter to tweet their praises. I went to conferences to present how it changed my teaching. And the cool thing was they noticed. They reached out to me with giveaway memberships to raffle off at the conferences.
Another app I was looking at, T-Charts (Pros and Cons), was very simple. Create a chart on any topic listing the Pros and Cons. Very applicable in school. I wished it could go a little further by allowing the user to change the words Pro and Con to allow for more t-chart making. I reached out to them with this suggestion and their latest update allowed that process to take place.
So as these two examples suggest, a connected educator is one who reaches out to those that create/provide tools for instruction. You become an active participant in the development/improvement process of educational apps, in this case. Don’t be afraid of your ideas or suggestions. There are people out there that want to hear them. E-mail, tweet, post, whatever you do to get your thoughts out there do it. You never know what might happen.
Have you ever reached out? Tell your story in the comments below.