Mini bio:
Doug Johnson is the Director of Technology for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage (MN) Public Schools. His teaching experience has included work in grades K-12. He is the author of nine books, columns in Educational Leadership and Library Media Connection, the Blue Skunk Blog, and articles published in over forty books and periodicals. Doug has worked with over 200 organizations around the world and has held leadership positions in state and national organizations, including ISTE and AASL. (75 words)

Bio:

Doug Johnson is the Director of Technology for the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage (MN) Public Schools and has served as an adjunct faculty member of Minnesota State University. His teaching experience has included work in grades K-12 both here and in Saudi Arabia. He is the author of nine books including Developing the Creativity in Every Learner, Learning Right from Wrong in the Digital Age; Machines are the Easy Part; People are the Hard Part; The Classroom Teachers Survival Guide to Technology, and The Indispensable Librarian. His columns have appeared in ASCD’s Educational Leadership and in Library Media Connection. Doug’s Blue Skunk Blog averages over 50,000 visits a month, and his articles have appeared in over forty books and periodicals. Doug has conducted workshops and given presentations for over 200 organizations throughout the United States and internationally and has held a variety of leadership positions in state and national organizations, including ISTE and AASL. (150 words)

My resume

Less brief bio:
Formal education includes:

  • BA in English Ed. from the University of Northern Colorado, 1976
  • MA in Library Science from the University of Iowa, 1979
  • Certification in Media Supervision from Mankato State University (MN), 1991.
  • Bush Leadership Program, 1996-98.

Teaching experiences include: 2 years high school English teacher

  • 5 years 1/2 junior high English teacher and 1/2 media specialist
  • 5 years K-8 media specialist
  • 2 years high school media specialist
  • 27 years district technology director and media supervisor
  • 16 years state university adjunct in Library Media Education (adolescent materials, materials for children, information and society, school library leadership (administration), Internet and advanced Internet for educators, and technology in education)

Writings: My articles have appeared in Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Leadership, MultiMedia Schools, School Library Journal, The Book Report, Teacher Librarian, Leading and Learning with Technology, Internet Research, Creative Classroom, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer-Press, the NASSP Bulletin, and Cricket. I write a regular column for Library Media Connection and ASCD’s Educational Leadership. My books The Indispensable Librarian (1997, 2013) and The Indispensable Teacher’s Guide to Computer Skills 2nd edition (2002), Teaching Right from Wrong in the Digital Age (2003), and School Libraries Head for the Edge are published by Linworth Publishing. A small book, Machines Are the Easy Part; People Are the Hard Part: Observations About Making Technology Work in Schools was published in 2004 and is now a free download. The Classroom Teachers Survival Guide to Technology was pubished by Jossey-Bass March 2012, and my latest book, Teaching Outside the Lines: Developing the Creativity in Every Learner is scheduled for publication by Corwin May 2015.

Speaking: I have presented and given keynotes for over 200 local, state and national conferences including NECC, AASL, FETC, MACUL, GaETC, and TIES; conducted workshops for the Malaysian Ministry of Education and the United States Information Service and in Germany for the Department of Defense Schools of Heidelberg; and presented at NE/SA conferences in Bangkok, Nairobi, Istanbul, Amman, Cairo, and Dubai, at the ECIS conference in Berlin and at EARCOS conferences in Bangkok. I have also given workshops and done consulting for school districts throughout the country. A more complete list of schools and organizations with whom I have worked is here.

Leadership: My leadership experience includes working on a variety of state and national library committees and task forces, serving in a variety of official positions including president in my state media/technology organization (MEMO, an AASL/ISTE Affiliate), and working on a variety of committees and work groups for the state of Minnesota’s Department of Education. I have testified on technology issues for state legislative committees, helped write state standards and technology plans; and chaired state-wide media/technology conferences. I am a “charter” member of the ISTE SIGMS, served on a NETS writing/review committee, chaired the AASL SPVS division, and served from 2003-2008 on the ISTE board.

Professional Recogniton

  • Emerging Leader, 1991, Minnesota Educational Media Organization
  • Participant in the Mankato State University Cooperative Leadership Program, 1992-94
  • Participant in the Bush Leadership Program, 1996-1998
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Emergency Librarian, 1995-2017
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Linworth Publications, 1996-2017
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Capstone Press, 1998-2001
  • Midwestern Higher Education Commission Telecommunications Committee, 1996-98
  • Minnesota Library Development Services Advisory Board, 1993 –1999
  • Minnesota State Technology Plan Steering Committee – 2001-2004
  • Minnesota Online and Digital Learning Advisory Council, 2013-2016
  • ISTE Making IT Happen Award, 2015
  • Minnesota Association of School Administrators, Outstanding Central Office Leader Award, 2018