Creating my visual representation of my growing PLN was very eye opening and fun. It is hard to believe that over these past seven weeks my professional learning network has grown so much. I have been able to add three new tools to my professional development tool box and add countless resources to my existing programs. It has been insightful to spend time just looking back and reflecting on all the things I have learned.
I think I am most excited about of my Twitter growth. I went from having absolutely no experience in the Twitter department to tweeting more than 80 times, participating in two chats, following more than 40 people, and having 20 people follow me! I have been able to learn about new teaching strategies and new technology tools to take back to my classroom. Meeting other educators has also been a huge plus of joining the Twitter world. I look forward to continuing to learn from other Twitter educators and staying current on technology tools that are available to me.
Skype was also a new tool I was introduced to in last few weeks. It has allowed me to connect to other educators. It is always nice to have multiple ways to connect to other besides just through email. I have also been able to see ways that I can use this tool in my class! I am excited to explore Skype in my classroom soon.
Besides Twitter and Skype, I found a new use for Facebook. Looking outside of my friends list, I was able to find Pages that fit with my educational needs. I love the middle school sites! They have real teachers that are going through the same things I am, and it nice to know there are people I can connect with. I have also found another reason to search on Pinterest more often. I am in the process of creating School Boards that house ideas and activities I can use in my classroom. I have already created multiple activities that I found through Pinterest. It is a wonderful resource!
Diigo was a tool that I had already had experience with but over past several weeks, I have been able to a ton of new sites! It is great to have a place where I can save websites I found useful or helpful.
As I reflect over the past 7 weeks, I have realized how much my professional learning network has grown. I can't wait to see how much it can grow in another 7 weeks. The wonderful thing about these tools is that they can only grow. It is not just a weekend conference, but they are tools that allow me to have "dyi-professional development" plan.
(Be sure to follow some of the links in the Piktochart below to see some of my PLNs, just hover over some of the popular icons!)
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Chatting on Twitter
I feel like I have so much to say about my first two Twitter chats! Before getting into the chats, I want to try to explain how nervous I was about being in a Twitter chat. Just a few weeks ago, I was not even on Twitter, but I was getting ready to participate in chats with people I did not even know in a program that was still new to me. It took me several days to even decide which chat to first participate in. I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to keep up or even know that to do. I was afraid the other participants in the Twitter chat would think I was dumb or know that I did not know what I was doing! Would they talk with me? Would they care about what I had to say? Would I have any good ideas to share? Would I be able to follow along? Oh and I kept telling my self, do not forget the hashtag! These were all questions and concerns that were swimming around in my head.
After trying to push it off, I knew it time to choose a chat and jump in! After deciding on a project-based learning chat, I knew it was finally time to just join and chat. My first Twitter chat was through #Edtechbridge, and the topic was project-based learning. I was familiar with the idea of project-based learning, so that made me feel better. It was a quick-moving chat, but I was able to keep up. Everyone was extremely friendly and welcoming! I was able to learn more about what project-based learning was, technology's role in it, and which technology tools were helpful when planning those types of lessons/units. I took away so many great resources, and I felt as though I was favoriting everything so that I could explore the resources more. I really enjoyed seeing what other teachers were using to carry our their project based learning activities. I ended up following one or two people from this particular chat. While I enjoyed my first Twitter experience, there were a few challenges. It moved fast a first, and I think it seemed faster at first because this was my first time doing anything like this. I have participated in chats, but never with people I did not know. Remembering to put the hashtag for the chat was difficult for me at first. I was just focused on staying up with the conversation that I would move too quickly. One of the chat leaders saw that it was my first time, and he explained that they do archive their chats, so if I missed anything I could go back and look at our chat. This allowed me to really calm down and just enjoy the chat. After the introductions, I could feel the confidence building. It became just like a conversation between colleagues. It went from being stressful to being fun! I couldn't believe that an hour could by so quickly.
Because the first Twitter chat went so well, I felt a little better going into the second Twitter chat. I wanted to choose a chat where I would be able to learn something completely new! I chose to participate in a #Edtechchat about the SAMR model. I had briefly heard of this, but I knew very little about it. This chat moved almost twice as fast as my first one, and there were almost twice as many people. While I liked there were more people, it was almost too overwhelming to have that many people communicating at once. It became difficult to keep up and process the questions. The one thing I did really enjoy about this particular chat was how helpful and encouraging people were. At first, I was very confused with the SAMR model, but after talking to a few others in the chat, my questions were cleared up, and I had a better direction at where I was going with this model. They did not make me feel dumb or put me down because I didn't know things, instead they encouraged and helped me understand it. I did end up following several people through this chat as well. I was able to take away some great tools and ideas to use in my classroom. I think my experience may have been a little better if I would have had a little more knowledge about the topic. Going in with little to no knowledge was difficult. I wasn't familiar with some of the language that went with this particular model, and I think it would have been beneficial. It would have cut down on some of the confusion and stress I had trying to follow along.
Over all, both Twitter chats went very well! I learned so much and took away so many useful ideas. I followed great people, and I was even followed by a few fellow chatters. Both chats had such useful and relevant content I could immediately use in my classroom. I already have several new ideas I plan on trying in the near future. The people in my chats were helpful and very nice. I felt so comfortable with people that I had never met.
I do need to mention how thankful I am that I had set up my TweetDeck account. I was able to follow the chat in one easy column. I loved it! I am looking forward to participating in more chats in the near future. It really is a wonderful to expand my PLN and participate in professional development.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Adding Social Media Networks To My PLN
Oh Pinterest! This social media tool can be used for so much more than DIY home projects and recipes. It is a great place to find ideas for the classroom. I have just recently begun to see how much potential Pinterest has and what a great professional learning network it can truly be. There are so many resources at the click of a search button. I can find resources for my literature/language class, my social studies class, and remedial and enrichment activities for a wide range of learners. One of the things I love about Pinterest is that you can find something that meets your search and when you click on the link, it takes you into another world. I have found some great resources from following my Pinterest path. It was much more than just a picture with information. I have started following blogs and found many helpful websites by clicking on a pin.
This week while I was exploring Pinterest, I searched ESOL/ELL activities. I found an English Language Arts activity that helped students whose language is not primarily English. It used pictures of different objects and asked students to find the main idea. The students then found the connection between the items. When I clicked on the pin, it took me to a wonderful teacher's website. The ESOL Odyssey is a great website designed and run by a ESOL specialist! There a wonderful, interactive ideas and strategies to work with students who may not be as comfortable with English as others. I could spend hours looking at the site because of all the information. I was able to add this blog to my Feedly account and get updates from this page. Through this site and other available sites, I am able to grow my professional learning network.
While I have students who struggle with language barriers in my ELA class, I also have students in my social studies class who exceed the material in our textbook. They quickly read and comprehend the material and finish the assigned activities in just minutes. I was feeling as though they were bored and needed to be challenged. Because this is my first year teaching social studies, I was not really sure how to spice up my material to enrich these students. When I searched on Pinterest, a great pin came up explaining the ABCs of Challenging Gifted and Talented Kids. This article was mainly for parents, but as I was reading, I was able to click on another link on the site. This lead me to an even better website. 50 Resources For The Parents and Teachers of Gifted and Talented Students has even more information to help me. This is one of the reasons I love Pinterest so much! You can click on one link and in minutes, you have two more resources to use.
The other thing I love about Pinterest is how easy it is to save my pins. Sometimes I do not have time to search for an hour, but I can pin it and come back to it later. Pinterest offers such a great way to connect to other teachers, learn about new activities, and get great, helpful resources. Because Pinterest allows you to see how pinned things, I can check out some of their other pins if they are visible. This leads me to even more professional learning possibilities!
In addition to exploring Pinterest, I also examined Google + a little bit. My school relies heavily on Google. We use many elements of Google, such as Google Docs, the shared drive, and email. Each of our students also has an account, so I was intrigued to see what Google Plus had offer.
Google Plus offers a place to grow you PLN. I was able to join communities that fit my professional interests. I could then see post from other educators and people that had the same interests and questions as I did. It reminded me show much of Twitter. I could follow, respond, comment, and chat with the other professionals in these communities. Through some of my explorations, I was able to find some very helpful communities to join. Some of the communities I found were very helpful in helping me find information on working with diverse learners. The communities included links blog posts, articles, and web resources. In a quick search, I was able to find a great communities and people by searching differenitating instruction. The list of resources available for my search seemed endless. I was even able to find an article "Differentiating with Technology". This combined my need to help diverse learners and my desire to use technology to help. I had no idea that Google Plus has so many followers or resources. For people that like Twitter, Google Plus is a great resource to use to build your PLN.
Finally thoughts.....I loved when our text from this week said, "Humans are social creatures, and educators as well as students want to communicate with others" (p. 81). I thought the line was so accurate! Students are not the only ones who find social media useful. Teachers want to communicate and learn from each other! These two social media platforms are just a few ways we can do that. I look forward to discovering more!
Thursday, January 29, 2015
"Thin Walls"
This week's blog got its name because I absolutely loved Clarence Fisher's description of his classroom. He fittingly described his networked classroom as having "thin walls." His students are not confined to the walls of his room but can collaborate, communicate, and learn with people all over the world. I would love to have "thin walls" in my classroom just as Fisher does. While I understand that I am long way from the type of "thin walls" Fisher has, chapter 3 of Personal Learning Networks allowed me to see there are small steps I can start taking to begin my journey in having my own networked class.
When I first saw this chapter, I was afraid a networked classroom would be so out of my reach because of the limited technology access I have. I only have one computer in my classroom and limited time in two computers when they are available. I did not think I would be able to manage or work toward a connected classroom with such limited network availability. Through this chapter, I learned that if I use the resources I have available to me, there are still many ways to work toward a networked classroom. I felt encouraged when the text said, "These teachers were where most of you are now." If they were able to build a successful networked classroom so could I! I am already on the right path with learning, creating and building my learning networks. If I can understand, share, and utilize the web tools I have learned about, I can work toward my goal of a "thin walled" classroom. The transition to a networked classroom would be very slow, but it is one that is within reach. As I said before, I am already on my long journey of the networked classroom because I started with me. I am taking time to develop and expand my learning networks. I can then slowly take those tools into my classroom and include my students in the process. If they see how comfortable and knowledgeable I am about the social networking tools out there, such as Skype, Twitter, and blogs, it will be an easy introduction for them. The text also described a great way to start out small. The process of integrating the social media networks would start out small with maybe a classroom blog. Then, I would open it up for students to have their own blogs to share. Then we can progressively move on from there. It would be one step at a time to allow the students to get familiar with the tools and technology available to them.
There are so many advantages to a network classroom. My students can contact and communicate with people they would have never been able to communicate with. Authors of their favorite books, writers of popular newspapers, and students from all over the world are at our students finger tips with networked classrooms. They can share their own works and allow others to see what they have created. In addition, students can collaborate with more than just the students in the classroom. They can learn from and work with other students around the world because of all the social media tools available. Networked classrooms also allow students to investigate and search information to real world problems. They are not just limited to the information in their textbooks or the dreaded worksheets. This type of classroom is also great for all type of learners. We have such diverse students in our class. Some students are auditory learners while other students are visual learners. The tools that can be offered through a networked classroom can fit the needs of all different types of learners because there are so many options available online.
While it was easy to come up with advantages, it was a more difficult to identify disadvantages to networked classrooms. There are a few downsides, though, I do not know if you can even call them that. The "downsides" just seemed like the pressures of trying something new in the classroom. I found that because the Internet plays such a crucial role in networked classrooms, safety and ethical use must also play a role in this process. The text mentioned that you cannot just have a lesson here or there, but that safety and ethical online practices were lessons that would be need in place throughout the school year and on a consistent basis. This is an added stress to an already jam packed curriculum. The other difficulty I saw was getting the parents and administrations on board and supportive of a social media based classroom. They may not fully understand the tools or the great things it can bring. In some cases, I think technology can be a scary tool for parents and administrators. This could be a major road block. You have to convince administrators, parents and other staff members that having a networked classroom with social media tools is truly a great thing for the students and can be made safe.
So while I did mention a few downsides of the networked classroom, I truly believe that this is the direction that teachers should be working toward. If we are to get our students ready for the real world, we must use real world tools. They have to know that they are not confined to the four walls of a classroom. There is a whole big world out there, and they have the capability and the networks to access it.
Here is a helpful link that listed great tools to use in the start up of a networked classroom. I also posted this link on Twitter, but I thought I would also add it here!
When I first saw this chapter, I was afraid a networked classroom would be so out of my reach because of the limited technology access I have. I only have one computer in my classroom and limited time in two computers when they are available. I did not think I would be able to manage or work toward a connected classroom with such limited network availability. Through this chapter, I learned that if I use the resources I have available to me, there are still many ways to work toward a networked classroom. I felt encouraged when the text said, "These teachers were where most of you are now." If they were able to build a successful networked classroom so could I! I am already on the right path with learning, creating and building my learning networks. If I can understand, share, and utilize the web tools I have learned about, I can work toward my goal of a "thin walled" classroom. The transition to a networked classroom would be very slow, but it is one that is within reach. As I said before, I am already on my long journey of the networked classroom because I started with me. I am taking time to develop and expand my learning networks. I can then slowly take those tools into my classroom and include my students in the process. If they see how comfortable and knowledgeable I am about the social networking tools out there, such as Skype, Twitter, and blogs, it will be an easy introduction for them. The text also described a great way to start out small. The process of integrating the social media networks would start out small with maybe a classroom blog. Then, I would open it up for students to have their own blogs to share. Then we can progressively move on from there. It would be one step at a time to allow the students to get familiar with the tools and technology available to them.
There are so many advantages to a network classroom. My students can contact and communicate with people they would have never been able to communicate with. Authors of their favorite books, writers of popular newspapers, and students from all over the world are at our students finger tips with networked classrooms. They can share their own works and allow others to see what they have created. In addition, students can collaborate with more than just the students in the classroom. They can learn from and work with other students around the world because of all the social media tools available. Networked classrooms also allow students to investigate and search information to real world problems. They are not just limited to the information in their textbooks or the dreaded worksheets. This type of classroom is also great for all type of learners. We have such diverse students in our class. Some students are auditory learners while other students are visual learners. The tools that can be offered through a networked classroom can fit the needs of all different types of learners because there are so many options available online.
While it was easy to come up with advantages, it was a more difficult to identify disadvantages to networked classrooms. There are a few downsides, though, I do not know if you can even call them that. The "downsides" just seemed like the pressures of trying something new in the classroom. I found that because the Internet plays such a crucial role in networked classrooms, safety and ethical use must also play a role in this process. The text mentioned that you cannot just have a lesson here or there, but that safety and ethical online practices were lessons that would be need in place throughout the school year and on a consistent basis. This is an added stress to an already jam packed curriculum. The other difficulty I saw was getting the parents and administrations on board and supportive of a social media based classroom. They may not fully understand the tools or the great things it can bring. In some cases, I think technology can be a scary tool for parents and administrators. This could be a major road block. You have to convince administrators, parents and other staff members that having a networked classroom with social media tools is truly a great thing for the students and can be made safe.
So while I did mention a few downsides of the networked classroom, I truly believe that this is the direction that teachers should be working toward. If we are to get our students ready for the real world, we must use real world tools. They have to know that they are not confined to the four walls of a classroom. There is a whole big world out there, and they have the capability and the networks to access it.
Here is a helpful link that listed great tools to use in the start up of a networked classroom. I also posted this link on Twitter, but I thought I would also add it here!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
The Terrifying World Of Twitter
This week's assignment was difficult for me. I have never really been a huge fan of Twitter. It was not a social media format that I was interested in. I gravitated more toward Facebook and Instagram. This week's activities have definitely pushed my comfort level and made me branch out. I did not have a problem following others or reading tweets. Sending out my own tweets is what makes me nervous. I do not know why it is so nerve racking for me, but I feel very shy about tweeting. Maybe I am worried people will think what I am saying is stupid or irrelevant. I am not quite sure what it is.
But I took it step by step, and slowly started setting up my account. I was surprised at how easy it was to set up an account and get started. I am still not completely comfortable with all the lingo, but I am slowing learning. I had to watch a couple of other videos to help me better understand the in's and out's of Twitter and Tweetdeck. The Twitter video was awesome because it was created by a teacher, and she is explaining it in a way that was informational yet encouraging. She made a great comparison in her video when she said, "Facebook is for people you know, and Twitter is for people you wish you knew." When I sat back and really thought about it, her statement was very true. You can follow people from all different places, professions and walks of life. You can follow people who you wish were your friends and share in their knowledge. Maybe this is where my nerves kick in. Because these people aren't my close friends, I feel a certain vulnerability to judgement. None the less, the video's information and encouragement helped me begin my Twitter journey.
Once I finally set up my account, I started exploring Twitter and what it had to offer. It really is amazing to see how much information is on Twitter. You can find such great educational topics to follow, and the people have such a great wealth of knowledge. Once I was fully immersed in my Twitter space, I could clearly see why people enjoy Twitter. From this week's text, I remembered reading about the Laura Walkers "Nine Reasons to Twitter." Reading about the reasons was nothing compared to being able to see them in action. I could actually sense the virtual staffroom and see the professional reflecting and sound boarding happening that she wrote about. It really was a cool experience to see it first hand.
I am looking forward to becoming more comfortable with my Twitter account, and I might finally send out my first tweet tonight! I am still trying to build up the courage. I am also still exploring the Tweetdeck tool. I definitely think it helps organize and see the new tweets coming in. It is a great tool for a first time Twitter person.
Here is my Twitter Username for those that what to follow me. :)
My username is MrsConrad1019
https://twitter.com/MrsConrad1019
But I took it step by step, and slowly started setting up my account. I was surprised at how easy it was to set up an account and get started. I am still not completely comfortable with all the lingo, but I am slowing learning. I had to watch a couple of other videos to help me better understand the in's and out's of Twitter and Tweetdeck. The Twitter video was awesome because it was created by a teacher, and she is explaining it in a way that was informational yet encouraging. She made a great comparison in her video when she said, "Facebook is for people you know, and Twitter is for people you wish you knew." When I sat back and really thought about it, her statement was very true. You can follow people from all different places, professions and walks of life. You can follow people who you wish were your friends and share in their knowledge. Maybe this is where my nerves kick in. Because these people aren't my close friends, I feel a certain vulnerability to judgement. None the less, the video's information and encouragement helped me begin my Twitter journey.
Once I finally set up my account, I started exploring Twitter and what it had to offer. It really is amazing to see how much information is on Twitter. You can find such great educational topics to follow, and the people have such a great wealth of knowledge. Once I was fully immersed in my Twitter space, I could clearly see why people enjoy Twitter. From this week's text, I remembered reading about the Laura Walkers "Nine Reasons to Twitter." Reading about the reasons was nothing compared to being able to see them in action. I could actually sense the virtual staffroom and see the professional reflecting and sound boarding happening that she wrote about. It really was a cool experience to see it first hand.
I am looking forward to becoming more comfortable with my Twitter account, and I might finally send out my first tweet tonight! I am still trying to build up the courage. I am also still exploring the Tweetdeck tool. I definitely think it helps organize and see the new tweets coming in. It is a great tool for a first time Twitter person.
Here is my Twitter Username for those that what to follow me. :)
My username is MrsConrad1019
https://twitter.com/MrsConrad1019
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Personal Learning Networks = DIYPD
I am very excited about my very first blog! I tried to start one a few months ago, but I never got it up and running. I was able to customize my page the way I like it and add a background. There is still a little more I would like to do with my blog, but it's a work in progress! I was just excited about my first post.
The name for my first blog post came from a part of the text I thought was very interesting. The text mentioned people sometimes refer to personal learning networks as "do-it-yourself-professional-development." While I have some knowledge of personal learning networks and experience with a few of my own networks, I never really thought about it being do it your self professional development. When I used to think of professional development, I thought of sitting in a seminar for a several hours trying to absorb all the information the speaker is saying. Our technologically advancing world and the world wide web has completely changed that. Through these personal learning networks, I can communicate, collaborate, and learn from other people all over the world while sitting in my own living room or classroom. I can chose what I want to learn about and find several tools that will show me how to use it. Personal learning networks allow me to customize my professional development and build upon it when I want to.
PLNs offer more than just a one time learning experience. Richardson and Mancabelli (2011) explained, "Learning networks substitute free resources from around the world and then embed a support system for implementing the work" (p. 33). You are not just given tools. You are given the tools plus the help to implement them into your classroom. You can ask questions or get clarification about the tools with the click of a button. You have people on the other side of the screen who can give you examples, advice, and their own experience with subjects and tools that are available to you.
One of the things I loved about the text from this week was the honesty of the how complex and difficult learning networks can be. While they are such a wonderful source of information, they can also be overwhelming. There is such an abundance of information online! You can find information on just about anything online. With such large amount of information, comes a little bit of trouble. You have to be able to sift through the learning networks that are helpful to you but that are also reliable and authentic.
I like the idea of using a variety of online learning network tools, and it was nice to read about the different tools that are available. I already use a few of the tools the text mentioned such as Diigo, Facebook, and now Blogger! I am not as familiar with Twitter, but I look forward to learning more about it. I also found this awesome article called "The Teacher's Guide on Creating Personal Learning Networks". The site offers the importance of PLNs, tips of how to use them, and other helpful resources.
The name for my first blog post came from a part of the text I thought was very interesting. The text mentioned people sometimes refer to personal learning networks as "do-it-yourself-professional-development." While I have some knowledge of personal learning networks and experience with a few of my own networks, I never really thought about it being do it your self professional development. When I used to think of professional development, I thought of sitting in a seminar for a several hours trying to absorb all the information the speaker is saying. Our technologically advancing world and the world wide web has completely changed that. Through these personal learning networks, I can communicate, collaborate, and learn from other people all over the world while sitting in my own living room or classroom. I can chose what I want to learn about and find several tools that will show me how to use it. Personal learning networks allow me to customize my professional development and build upon it when I want to.
PLNs offer more than just a one time learning experience. Richardson and Mancabelli (2011) explained, "Learning networks substitute free resources from around the world and then embed a support system for implementing the work" (p. 33). You are not just given tools. You are given the tools plus the help to implement them into your classroom. You can ask questions or get clarification about the tools with the click of a button. You have people on the other side of the screen who can give you examples, advice, and their own experience with subjects and tools that are available to you.
One of the things I loved about the text from this week was the honesty of the how complex and difficult learning networks can be. While they are such a wonderful source of information, they can also be overwhelming. There is such an abundance of information online! You can find information on just about anything online. With such large amount of information, comes a little bit of trouble. You have to be able to sift through the learning networks that are helpful to you but that are also reliable and authentic.
I like the idea of using a variety of online learning network tools, and it was nice to read about the different tools that are available. I already use a few of the tools the text mentioned such as Diigo, Facebook, and now Blogger! I am not as familiar with Twitter, but I look forward to learning more about it. I also found this awesome article called "The Teacher's Guide on Creating Personal Learning Networks". The site offers the importance of PLNs, tips of how to use them, and other helpful resources.
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