About Learning in Hand and Tony Vincent

Learning in Hand is an educator's resources for mobile learning. It was started in 2002 as part of Tony Vincent's classroom website. At first focusing on Palm handhelds, Learning in Hand now covers podcasting, iPods, iPod touch, iPhone, iPad, and netbooks.

Tony Vincent started teaching fifth grade in Omaha, Nebraska thirteen years ago when it wasn’t so easy to publish online. Knowing that students were motivated to see their work on the Web, Tony first had students write their book reviews on Amazon.com.  Later his students spent each school year adding to their classroom site, Planet 5th. They published writing, photos, journals, art, videos, and more. Planet 5th became so popular that it received thousands of hits from around the world. In 2004 Tony became Willowdale Elementary’s technology specialist. He worked with students in grades kindergarten through five and their teachers to integrate technology. He developed Radio WillowWeb in 2005, making it the first podcast from an American elementary school. Tony left regular teaching at Willowdale to become an independent consultant in 2006. While he misses his former school, he’s had an amazing few years. Currently based in Phoenix, Arizona, Tony has worked with teachers and students from around the world. Tony co-wrote Handhelds for Teachers & Administrators, a book about handheld computers, iPods, and podcasting. He presents at educational conferences and travels to schools to deliver workshops to teachers and students, focusing on free and inexpensive learning and communication tools. His websites include Learning in Hand, TonyVincent.net, Our City Podcast, and the Arizona K12 Center Technology Blog.

Tony Vincent is available to speak at events, conduct workshops, and host webinars. 
Tony Vincent used to teach kids everyday. He enjoys teaching and is good at it. He’s even won awards and has been recognized internationally. He has traveled to work with educators in 30 states, the U.K., and the Caribbean. You should consider hiring or recommending Tony Vincent to present a webinar, keynote, workshop or speech because:

The fee is affordable. It’s a lot cheaper to bring Tony to your school, organization, or event than sending a group of educators to a conference.

The content is practical. Tony shows mainly free tools, open web resources, and sensible strategies that participants can put to use immediately.

The content is customizable. The presentation or workshop is planned based on the group, topic, and available resources. Tony works with the event’s organizers to ensure it’s everything participants are expecting (and more).

Tony is approachable. Participants feel comfortable asking questions and offering suggestions because Tony makes educators feel at ease. There’s no stupid questions. Also, Tony welcomes email communication after the event.

Visuals are enjoyable. You won’t find bullet points in Tony’s slides. He uses images and graphics as visual aids. Instead of telling you about the topic, he shows you.

Online resources are provided. Digital handouts, links, and notes are created for each event. Participants can share the online resources with other and refer to them years after the event

AAAA. Tony is a member of the Anti-Acronym Association of America. He makes every effort to reduce the use of confusing acronyms and senseless technology and education jargon.

Cutting-edge, not bleeding edge. Educators care more about what works more than about what’s new. Tony strikes a balance with mixing tried-and-true technologies with what’s been newly released.

Interactivity. Tony knows he isn’t the only one with knowledge in the room. Using discussion and online interaction, the group learns from one another and hear different points of view.

Shareability. Tony’s work is shared with a Creative Commons license. That means anyone can use and redistribute his handouts and they don’t even need to ask permission. It also means you’re free to record Tony’s presentations.

Freshness. Tony is continuously updating his presentations and workshops with better tools and improved resources. What participants receive is up-to-date.

Contagious. Tony’s excitement for teaching and learning has inspired thousands of teachers.

A list of some of Tony's workshops and presentations can be found here. Contact him for booking information.