Collaboration

The Next Big Thing in Ed Tech Is Here

Online contractors help create video that highlights passion for education.

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A former teacher and instructional technologist, Eric works with curriculum and technology departments to ensure common goals are identified and pursued responsibly, cohesively and strategically. Eric is a Level 2 Google Certified Educator, has experience as a Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer and represented the US at the Microsoft Global forum in Barcelona as an MIE Expert Educator.

By 2020, 48 percent of corporations think contractors will be more in demand than full-time employees. Surprising? Not actually. Have you ever used Angie's List? It's an online network of contractors that allows you to post a job you need to have done around the house or yard, and within minutes, you're contacted by qualified and prescreened contractors willing to give you a quote on everything from cutting the grass to finishing the basement.

As it turns out, there's a similar online marketplace for people with creative talent and skill in using digital tools. It's called Fiverr, and it's the beginning of our trajectory to that 48 percent number. As a self-proclaimed creative person with four kids who travels 50 percent of the time for work, I have zero time to create some of the digital content that I have ideas for, let alone teach myself how to use something like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, or any of the other tools needed to make my ideas come to life. At Fiverr, you can find people from around the world who specialize in creating anything you could think of, and projects usually start at $5.

I couldn't get started soon enough. What an awesome opportunity to test my latest digital skills and push myself out of my comfort zone. During this project, I hired someone to create an intro video, an outro video, a script and an explainer video, all about educational technology. When all was said and done, I had worked with people from India, the U.K., Indonesia and Bulgaria. We exchanged files in the cloud and communicated only via the instant messaging functionality that's built into the Fiverr platform.

The opportunities for this program in educational technology seem endless. Teachers can create videos to use in classrooms, and students can get in on the fun too. Overall, it was a great experience, and I learned a lot about myself. Below is the final product — I would love to hear what you think! Take a minute to share your thoughts in the comments section or use the #ConnectIT hashtag on Twitter and tweet about it. Nothing would make me happier than for you to share this video if you feel so inclined. Thanks in advance, and I look forward to hearing from you.

This article is part of the "Connect IT: Bridging the Gap Between Education and Technology" series. Please join the discussion on Twitter by using the #ConnectIT hashtag.