Relection on PLN

I never dreamed that I would be able to connect with so many people when I started this course.  My Personal Learning Network has grown tremendously especially since I participated in Twitter chats.  I am also using Pinterest, Facebook, Blogger, Ning, Feedly, Skype, Diigo, Google +, LinkedIn, and Wiki to continue building my Personal Learning Network. 

Visual Reflection

Twitter Chat

My first Twitter chat I participated in was Web 2.0 Tools…#web20tools.  There were only four participants with three of us being from #MBU543.  We tweeted about the different Web 2.0 tools we have used, how we have used then in our classrooms and which ones are our favorites.  The other participants provided me with different Web 2.0 tools that I hadn’t used before.  I truly enjoyed being a part of this chat.  It was definitely a great experience for my first Twitter chat.   

 

Character Education…#characteredchat…was the other Twitter chat I participated in.  The topic was Common Core State Standards and how are educators implementing CCSS with character education.  Participation was poor; however I was provided with resources on CCSS and character education.  Character Counts has the model standards on their website charactercounts.org.

 

I glad I chose #web20tools and #characteredchat as my first two chats to participate in.  I would have been really overwhelmed to have been a part of a fast pace chat. 

METC14

I attended the METC14 for the first time as a facilitator.  Wow….It was a wonderful learning opportunity.  The keynote speaker, Kevin Honeycutt, was inspiring and motivating.  He captured the audiences’ attention from the start. 

 

During my facilitator role, I experienced some of the presenters were glad to have you and others were rude and made you feel like you were a distraction. 

 

The first session I facilitated was Distance Learning - Bringing the Outside World into the Classroom.  The speakers provided examples on how you can connect with other classrooms, speakers, etc all around the world.  They also discussed how Education Plus can help you find the resources you need and connect you with them.  One presenter explained Google Hangout.  It is a lot like Skype, but better.  You can connect with up to ten people at a time.  I felt sorry for the presenters because no one could get their sound to work.  You are at a technology conference and can’t get the technology to work….crazy!

 

Are You Ready To Have Your Students Blog? was the second session I facilitated.  The presenter walked the audience through how to set up a blog in your classroom.  His recommendation was to use Kidblog.  He provided the audience with what has worked and suggestions on things he might do differently.

 

My final facilitating session was Motivate Your School with a Morning Broadcast.  This session was awesome!  The presenter shared how she wrote a grant to purchase the equipment needed for broadcasting.  The segments are pre-recorded and she uses iMovie.  The cast made up of fourth grade students were present and each shared their role.  Each student writes their script and must share it with the teacher prior to taping.  The presenter shared a broadcast with the audience.  The students did a fantastic job with the morning broadcast.  This is definitely something I would like to bring to my school. 

 

 

 

 

Social Networking

“Social networking refers to the aspect of Web 2.0 that allows users to create links between their online presence such as a webpage or a collection of photos.  These links may be through joining online groups or by assigning direct links to other users through lists of “friends” or contacts” (Solomon & Schrum p 80).

 

Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are the social networking sites that I have been using for a while.  I can use all three sites for personal and professional.  I LOVE Pinterest! That is so far my favorite social networking site. 

 

Pinterest is an online pinboard, a visual take on the social networking site.  Unlike other social networking sites, such as Diigo, content shared on Pinterest is driven entirely by pictures.  Like every other social networking Pinterest has its own lingo.  Each bookmark is called a pin and when you share someone else’s pin it is called a repin.  You can group pins together by topic onto various boards in your profile.  Pinterest allows you to share images you find online or you can directly upload images onto Pinterest.  Using the Pin It button, you can share directly in your browser from any web page.  You can also share your pins on Twitter and Facebook.

 

I searched “Autism” on Pinterest and found several pins.  Here are a few of the links:

 

http://www.activitieschildren.net/2013/08/SocialSkillsActivitiesForKidsWithAutism.html

http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Free_Lesson_Plans_for_Autistic_Kids

http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Social_Skills_Activities_for_Kids_with_Autism

Below are resource links for diverse learners from Pinterest:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Printable-Lesson-Plan-Template-for-Teachers-Think-Diverse-Learners-1044359

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/MichelleMcFarland-McDaniels/differentiated-acid-rain-lesson-plan-and-reflection

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Design-a-Store-Just-Print-Differentiated-Math-Project-635603

https://www.teachervision.com/learning-disabilities/printable/6727.html

edWeb is another social networking site I joined.  edWeb.net is a professional social and learning network that makes is easy for anyone in the education community to connect with peers, share information and best practices, spread innovative ideas, and provide professional development.

edWeb offers blogs, discussion forms, resource library, photo albums, bloglinks, and weblinks.  I searched “Autism” on edWeb and there are a ton of resources available.  edWeb also has 37 Boards with 316 Pins on Pinterest! How cool is that!

The Educator’s PLN Ning is a social networking site offers several different resources for educators.  The offer tutorials for Web 2.0 Apps such as Insta Grok, Pinterest, Prezi, Evernote, EasyBib SmartBrief, and Dropbox to name a few.  I found this very convenient because all the tutorials are all in one place.  The site also offers student created videos and podcasts.  Under the Resource tap, I can across “The Differentiator.” The Differentiator is based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, Sandra Kaplan’s Flip Book and Flip Book, Too, and David Chung’s product menu.  Below is the link to The Differentiator:

http://byrdseed.com/differentiator/#

I also searched “diverse learners” on The Educator’s PLN Ning and 334 results popped up ranging from students with autism to best math apps to test your students skills with examination online skill testing software. 

iPad in Education Ning is a great social networking site.  The site offers iPad apps for K-6, Educators Essentials iPad Toolkit, and Parents Guide to Educational iPad Games.  Loved all the suggestions!

The site also offers weekly discussions.  This week’s topic is “Your most effective media project.” These discussions will be a great resource to any educator. The site also has blog posts and forums.

You can follow iPads in Education Ning on Twitter - # iPadEd.

 

Review of Chapter 3

In Chapter 3, Personal Learning Network by Richardson and Mancabelli, they highlight Clarence Fisher's networked classroom.  His students use the web to connect and collaborate with students all over the world.  "Learning is only as powerful as the network it occurs in" (Richardson and Mancabelli p 59).  Remote Access is the name of fisher's blog which displays all the opportunities his students have in their network classroom.

"The change starts with us" (Richardson and Mancabelli p 60).  That statement is so true for teachers and administrators.  The authors talk about the changes a teacher must make in order to create a networked classroom.  They also talk about the benefits of a networked classroom.  Network classrooms are transparent, collaborative, learning centered, accessible, communication based, supportive or problem - or inquiry based learning, and driven by authentic assessment.

Richardson and Mancabelli talk about safety and ethical use when you have a networked classroom.  "The safety of every student is paramount as we begin to help kids fashion and connect to their own learning networks online" (Richardson and Mancabelli p 75).  Everyday, whether online or offline, there are dangers in our interactions; however, the learning and collaboration the students experience from networked classrooms outweigh the risks.

Regular classroom environments must transform in order for our students to be successful 21st century learners.

Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal learning networks: using the power of connections to transform education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

Twitter

About a year ago, I signed up for my Twitter account.  This was the “new” thing with all my students and I thought I should know about it and how to use it.  I created my account and a page for the school and started following people.  “The easiest way to start contributing on Twitter is to “retweet” (Richardson & Mancabelli p 43).  That’s exactly what I did for a while! I was tweeting more on the school page than I was on my personal page. 

 

I own my own skincare business so my tweets revolved mainly around Rodan + Fields.  However, this week I set up TweetDeck and have started to tweet more.  I have connected with educators, authors, motivational speakers, etc.  I am posting tweets about skincare, education, educational technology, and positive thoughts. 

 

I have learned so much about Twitter this week and I am super excited to start building my PLN to share and learn from other educators.

Follow me on Twitter ~ @TamiBobbitt

 

 
Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal learning networks: using the power of connections to transform education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.

EDET 543: Review of Chapters 1 & 2

The introduction and chapters one and two in the book, Personal Learning Network by Will Richardson and Rob Mancabelli, discusses the changes taking place in education and how school districts, staff and students can transform those changes successfully.

 

The introduction highlights the need to transform the education system to create a new approach altogether.  Students are being “dummy downed” when they work into most schools because of the no cell phone policy that still exists.

 

Richardson and Mancabelli give an overview of the WHY of Personal Learning Networks and how the system has not changed much from the Industrial Revolution model, and if we do not change as a profession, then the customers will go around us.  The authors also encourage educators to take a more active role in their professional development by creating our own personal learning networks.  Richardson and Mancabelli (2011) describe learning networks as “The rich set of connections each of us can make to people in both our online and offline worlds who can help us with our learning pursuits.”  By the end of the first chapter, the authors made a compelling argument that the education industry must make the shift to PLN’s.

 

Chapter two provides strategies and the responsibilities for becoming a personal learning network educator.  Richardson and Mancabelli tell you how to create, navigate, and grow your own personal learning network using Twitter, Diigo, Google Reader, Blogger, and Facebook.  “Nothing that you post online can ever by assumed to be 100 percent private” and “once you hit the “publish” button with any tool you can’t take it back” are two excellent reminders that educators and students need to always remember. (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011, p38).

Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal learning networks: using the power of connections to transform education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.