I think there are many ways I am connected, but I would love to become more professionally involved with networks. Iowa State has given me many opportunities, one being: Move For Thought. This is a online learing community that teachers can post many different integrated PE lessons and ideas. That is one way I am connected. I would love to become more connected professionally through Twitter and other proffesional networks. By doing this, I believe I will become a better teacher and learner.
On Sunday, February 23, I was able to participate in an online interview with a man from OSU. He answered many questions, but focused on:
What are the benefits of using technology/social media as a PLN to improve their practice and those of their students?
I was able to learn so much from him and understand the importance of PLNs for me and my future students. My favorite quote from him was "making personal connections is the most important." He explains this by saying that they are the people that can help you be better at your job, which in the end makes your students do better.
One very important piece of information I learned from Toby was that connected educator is not the right phrase to use because we ARE all connected already. Toby emphasized the importance that connections are ways that help YOU be a better YOU: they are personal and interactive. The connections we make with people are when we share information that helps us relate on different levels of understandings that will help us be successful.
There were also many ways that Toby said he benefitted from PLNs.
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| http://technorati.com/social-media/article/twitter-fakes-tweets-to-promote-twitter/ |
Twitter is one of the main resources Toby talked about that was beneficial. I believe it is a greeat way to explain the importance of using social media to help us make connections and learn. Twitter allows us to follow educators and any people that will help us be successful. Toby explain that once he was seeing tweets about a project he was doing; he followed the hashtag and then was able to learn and benefit from the material! This is what it is all about! Making connections that benefit us.
A piece of advise from Toby and I: Make personal connections NOW! The sooner you start connecting with people, the more you can learn and benefit from it.
One way that I am excited to start making connections is through conferences like EdCamp Iowa! There are many ways to connect with others and start to learn about ways that can benefit you and your students. Start with something small and local like this, and then move forward, creating more connections and learning.
Another topic we talked about was the importance of your students making connections. One way to have them do this is by live blogging in the classroom. How fun would it be to have your students post what you were doing in class to keep family up to date. It would also beneficial for students to look back and reflect, go for help, or if they were ill to get the information. Some other ways are to have them set up a classroom Twitter account, classroom Facebook account, or classroom Google+. Students can connect with their peers and even other proffesionals outside of their classroom, while the teacher is monitoring it.
What about students who cannot access technology (internet) at home?
We call this the DIGITAL DIVIDE. When this happens, we have to work with students the best that we can and be proactive. If you think there are students who will not have access, think of ways they can be involved. For example, Toby uses Google Voice to text his students prompts or reminders. Most students now have text enabled phones, which allow us to connect with them. He also gave other applications that allow us to do this, like: Remind 101 and Celly. The best we can do is accomodate for whatever needs our students have.
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| http://1toweb.org/blog/ |
Go out and start connecting!!
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