Having a personal learning network benefits you as a teacher in that you can get wonderful ideas from teachers all over the world. You can also tell other teachers about things that you have done in your classroom that are successful. Your network is also for support. If you are the only one in your school who is teaching with technology how can you get help? This is when you turn to your personal learning network.
After reading about PLN and watching videos it's time to start creating a PLN. Since I am a student I will have students in my PLN, but that will grow to educators as well once I get started. To create my PLN I will use twitter, my blog, and gmail in order to communicate. The first people I will add to my PLN will be the people who are in my group for EDM310. Then next step will be to add the lab assistance and then educators. In doing this I will be able to get feedback and help with any questions that I have, and I do the same to them.
Heather, it is great to hear that you are into Project Based Learning as something you are growing more comfortable with. It is always hard to throw off the old ways and bring in the new ways of doing things, but PBL is one that is worth getting to know well enough to make it a habit. Their discussions made me excited too about PBL, and how it was always there, but not as tech savvy as it is now. You will be able to use your creativity in many innovative ways that will make your kids’ projects a work of art that they can share with others. Like you, I am looking forward to making PBL a staple in my classroom, because it really creates a lot of opportunities for our kids to be creative as well. Maybe we’ll end up watching each other’s class projects and thinking, “Wow! That EDM310 class sure did pay off.”
ReplyDeleteYou were very analytical when it came to what Anthony and Dr. Strange discussed about using technology in the classroom and not teaching it. Realizing that you don’t need to teach tech skills but use them equates to you understanding how readily kids are willing to learn technology, such as when Dr. Strange brought up the idea that a kid gets a cell phone, but it doesn’t come with a manual. They are eager to learn and will learn even without our help if it is something that engages their inquisitive minds. I really enjoyed learning about iCurio and all it had to offer, too, because it is student friendly and safe. Its many features are noteworthy for use in any classroom environ and it seems you will use it to enhance your students’ projects. Unlike you, they scared the daylights out of me when it came to all the hard work and what could possibly happen to a new teacher, but I was comforted knowing that it is a learning experience and that my passion for teaching will help me overcome any fears. So, stay creative and use all the knowledge you learned about in an innovative way when you get your classroom.
Kevin, thank you for your comment and encouragement!
DeleteYes, time to start!
ReplyDelete