Personal Learning Network

As one of our assignments, we are to create a Personal Learning Network (PLN). This is where we choose a question related to a certain topic and communicate with others to seek new information that could possibly be implemented into our teaching efforts. The topic I chose was based on the use of technology in the classrooms. I asked five different people how they used technology within their teaching curriculum. I received feedback from them with many great ideas.

William Chamberlin was the first person I communicated with on this subject. He gave to me the ideas of video streaming. He stated that he used it to stream video from his classroom. Using a web cam, he recorded his lessons and posted them on his class blog. This enables him to showcase student's work, share information and teach lessons. He gave the link Vocaroo.com to use as a reference site for audio recording.

Angie Moehimann was the second person with whom I came in contact. I asked her how she incorporated blogging with Reading. I had seen students' reading blogs posted on her class blog. She stated that she assigns the students reading time at home. At the end of the week, they are to post a response to her question in regards to Reading. For example, her question might be related to prediction or author's purpose. The questions always tie in with her lesson. Students blog their response. She then takes the class information and displays it on her whiteboards and uses it for group discussion. She gave me a helpful link to further inquire about blogging. The link is flyerspd.pbworks.com.

The third person I researched on this topic was Kelly Hines. I read her ideas on keepingkidsfirst.wordpress.com. She encouraged creating and using Personal Learning Networks. She also encouraged monthly "Make n Take" sessions. Each grade level hosted a "Make n Take" once a month. This occurred in one member of that team's classroom. This was an hour long sharing and questioning session on how technology was implemented in that particular grade level. By doing this, they were able to share and implement several great ideas in their classrooms. She stated that these meetings brought about wonderful results for teachers and their students.

The fourth person with whom I researched ideas from was Joe McClung. He encouraged regular posting on class streaming. This way, you can share with others the work your students are involved with, and hopefully pass on ideas to others. It is also a great way for the students to become involved with the creating and implementing of lessons. They also get to see feedback that comes to them by the many comments people post. This is a strong motivator for students. He also uses blogging to communicate the steps he is taking to enhance his career. On his blog, his gives many links and resources for all educators out there looking to improve their way of teaching with technology. He speaks of several things that he learns from other educators as well as classes his is currently attending. I received from him the motivation to communicate with others by blogging in order to hold myself accountable to always strive to learn and enhance my teaching abilities.

The fifth person I researched information from was Jarod Lamshed. Jarod placed emphasis on communication with parents through Twitter and Face Book. Using these social networking tools is a quick and easy way to stay communicated with the parents on what is happening within the classroom. He uses them to post his weekly updates. He also uses them to send personal notes to parents, and it allows a way for them to give quick feedback. He also uses it as a method of sending out any reminders that may be helpful for the parents.

Overall, I think I learned a great deal from these five educators. I am more knowledgeable about how to implement technology within my classroom. I am certainly more motivated to use it with both my parents and students. I also learned that it can be a wonderful resource.

"What I've Learned This Year" by Mr. McClung

What an excellent piece! I really enjoyed reading this post by Mr. McClung. I felt like he had several good points to share with educators. As an educator myself, I could relate to him on all of these points. I was in total agreement with him when he addressed the fact that we, as teachers, tend to worry more about how we will be evaluated or assessed by our peers and superiors that we loose touch with our students. It is always nice to hear what a teacher has truly learned from the first year of being in the classroom. That first year can be so overwhelming and stressful. I think it is wonderful that he is taking what he learned, and sharing it with everyone. I hope new teachers out there will be willing to listen to his advice, and implement it into their own teaching career. It could make such an impact on the teacher's success as well as the student's.

He had many good points that will help educators become more effective in their classrooms. My favorite was "Being Flexible." He stated that no lesson plan is ever "perfect," and that we should not stress out when there are mistakes. I agree with him and believe that we should learn from those mistakes to improve the lesson. We should believe the same in the same thing that we teach our students, "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again!" Another good point he made was on communication. I am a firm believer in communicating with my students, parents, and co-workers. It may appear to be easy, but it can prove to be difficult on several occasions. However, this does build a strong foundation for our students so I believe communication should be a main priority for all educators.

Another good point Mr. McClung made was to "Be Reasonable." We should never set the expectations so high that it seems impossible for our students to reach. Yes, we should set goals for them, but we should make sure the goals are fair and attainable. We should not scold them for any unmet goals, yet encourage them to keep trying harder to reach them. I also loved the point he made on listening to our students. As a teacher, you may be the ONLY one who DOES LISTEN to them. I feel that this is a crucial point to make with all educators. If they don't get anything else from you, they will know you cared for them because you took the time to listen. Last, I felt that another good point made was to always continue in your own personal learning. This motivates and encourages students to learn when they see you setting the example for them. I encourage every teacher out there whether new or experienced to read Mr. McClung comments which can be found at http://is.gd/2c012.

Wickipedia

In this assignment, we were asked to research information on Wickipedia. Wickipedia is an online encyclopedia. It is a multi sourced piece of information. It is not checked by factual information. It is maintained by the users themselves and manipulated by individuals and/or companies. Anyone has the ability to go in and delete or add information, and this is not illegal! The whole source of information given by Wickipedia has often been proven inaccurate. There were a lot of examples given such as salary comparisons with Wal-mart and other companies. All of this tends to make me think that it is not the most reliable source of information, so why would I use it?

Business and individual parties can use it for personal, business or political reasons. They can "doctor" their image by embellishing the positive things and deleting the negative things. As a user of Wickipedia, I would like for the information to be more accurate, so I could trust it and rely on it for decisions that I may need to make. As long as this continues, I do not know that Wickipedia will ever be a trusted resource. Virgil Griffith did create a tool called the Wickipedia Scanner. This is a device used to trace comments or edits made back to the original source. So now, the ones who thought they were editing anonymously are now known. It allows a way to find out who changed what. I think this was an excellent thing done by Virgil. However, I wondered what good it does if it is not illegal to change things in Wickipedia. Personally, I just don't think it is a reliable source and it is one I personally will not be using for retrieving information. For more information on Wickipedia, please visit www.npr.org.

Randy Pausch's Last Lecture

Wow! What an amazing piece. I have heard all about Randy Pausch, but this was the first time I have actually heard him speak. He was an inspiring speaker with a lot of wonderful tips. These are tips that any of us, young or old, can take and apply to our personal lives. They are also tips that we, as parents and/or teachers, should instill into the lives of our children today. He was such a motivating speaker and captivating to all of his listeners. It is my desire to apply his principles on life into my own life, the lives of my children, and the lives of those students that I am so blessed to teach. I definitely think that by applying them, we can become a better person, and we can help others to become the best that they can be as well.

In his speech, Randy immediately challenges us to not focus on the cards that life deals to us. Instead, we should focus on how we play the cards. While this might sound like a simple challenge, it can prove to be the hardest. I am a firm believer that we cannot change the circumstances that come our way. However, it is our reaction to those circumstances that can either help us or defeat us. He stated in his speech that it is okay to "screw up." We are not perfect and we all make mistakes. We often get upset with others who point those mistakes out to us. Randy Pausch believes that we should embrace those who are quick to point out those mistakes. If we do not have anyone to bring them to our attention, challenge us to improve, and hold us accountable, then we should be worried. I agree with him on this point. We should be open to feedback and listen to it. We should show gratitude to them. After all, they are helping us grow and become a better person. Although it can be tough to accept criticism, we should always strive to listen to it, take it to heart, and learn how to motivate ourselves to grow and achieve new heights.

He was also a spoke person on dreaming and believing. Everyone loves to dream. However, so few of us strive to attain those dreams. We do not always believe that anything is possible. He encourages us to reach for those dreams and help others to attain their dreams as well. He states that we should always be ready to learn something new and to have fun through the learning process. This is such a huge factor for me. I truly believe that all learning should be fun. That is my personal goal. It is also the goal I strive to achieve for my own children and my students. What good is learning, if you didn't have fun doing it?

Randy also encourages us to never "bail out" of something. We should not give up and quit something when it seems hard to achieve. If we quit, we miss out on the experience of achieving something new and difficult. We also miss out on experiencing self gratification by accomplishing these tasks. He stated that "brick walls" come our way for a reason. They let us prove how bad we want something. By doing this, we have the ability to show our dedication. I believe in his theory of "Don't complain...work harder!" If we quit, we will never be content with not knowing what could have existed if we had kept pursuing ahead.

One of Randy's final notes of encouragement was to always be loyal and to help others. Focusing on others rather than ourselves can bring us such gratification. I am always amazed by the times when I reach out to others thinking I am going to make them feel better. Instead, I walk away encouraged! I am a person who has the gift of giving. I love to give! I find that by doing this unselfishly, it always comes back to you when you least expect it or you are in time of need. Sometimes, giving can be tough. Randy encourages us to give anyway. I agree with his point of always looking for the best in others. No one is ALL negative. Everyone has a strength and we should look for the positive rather than the negative. He encourages us to be patient, wait, and always find the best in everyone. I am a firm believer in the old sayings. First, be careful to point the finger at someone else. There will always be three fingers pointing back at you! Second, be careful of what you criticize others for, because it is usually what you are most guilty of doing yourself.

In closing, Randy left us with a lot of good things that we should apply to our lives. By doing so, we will be stronger and better. We will be higher achievers. We will learn a lot in life and have fun by the whole learning process. We will be happier and never loose wonder. We will definitely be blessed when we are able to help us others achieve these same principles of life. What a remarkable legacy he left behind to all of us. Let us listen to his wisdom, take it heart, and implement it into our lives and the lives of others. I encourage you to watch his last lecture at http://tinyurl.com/mvy4oq. You can also visit www.youtube.com for his interviews and for inspiring comments spoken by those whose lives he touched.

Karl Fisch: Is It Okay to Be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?

"Is It Okay to be a Technologically Illiterate Teacher?"
Source: Karl Fisch

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After reading the post published by Mr. Fisch, I found it to be a very straight forward piece. He seems to drive home his point of view. Although, I found it to be encouraging. I am a teacher who is returning to the teaching field after several years of being a stay-at-home mom. It is amazing to see how far technology has come while I was raising my babies. I feel as if I have a lot of "catching up to do." I am a self motivated person with a lot of enthusiasm and energy and usually do not back down from task easily. However, I am finding the learning of all of the new inventions of technology overwhelming. I also a dedicated persona and a very driven person on making my teaching a better thing for my students. So, I will continue to reach out and strive to learn as I go. Mr. Fisch's piece encourages me to do just that.

I liked what he stated when that technology should be all of the education, but used a indispensable tool for teaching. It should help us learn and grow to be better students and teachers. It is, after all. a part of everything we do today...even communication. He referred technology illiterate teachers to teachers from 30 years ago who could not read or write. At first, it is okay, and one can still "get by." Then, it reaches a point of providing more opportunities to finally becoming a point of reaching success or not. To teach it, we have to implement it. We should model it to our students by experiencing and exploring it with our students. By doing this, we are demonstrating to them the positive effect of continuous learning. I hope that you will take the time to read his post at http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html. He won an award for this piece.

"It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines

Title: "It's Not About the Technology" by Kelly Hines
Source: Graphics by Chrissy Henderson



I really enjoyed reading this post. It has by far been my favorite piece. I agree with so many factors that Mrs. Hines addressed. She stated that technology is an innovative tool for teaching and learning, yet it is not the first thing to initiate change in our classrooms. Students and teachers should recognize the need for change with technology, yet the mindset of students should also be there. She listed four key factors of technology with education.


The first factor was stating that we, as teachers, must also be learners. I agree that we should always invest in our profession. We are never "too old to learn" and should model that for our students. Education is so much different for today's students than when we were students and things are changing all the time. We should keep up with where they are so we can teach in a way that reaches them. Mrs. Hines stated that we should be up to date on current trends, research and tools. We should know our students that walk through our doors. I agree with her. We must do this now more than ever if we are to reach our students. We have to do this more than any other occupational job out there. We can no longer depend on manuals and workshops. With the economy the way it is today, a lot of educational money has been stopped for workshops. We must take on our own initiative and be self- motivated to pursue learning and implement it in our classrooms.


The second factor she gave was on learning and teaching. She stated that these two are not always the same thing. I loved how she related this to physics law. She stated that regardless of how much effort has been applied, no teaching has been done if the students do not learn the subject matter. Her third factor related to technology being useless without good teaching. I agree with her statement about money being wasted if technology goes to a teacher who is not willing to learn how to use it.


Her last factor spoke about being a 21st century teacher without technology. I enjoyed this piece a lot. She spoke on the issue of teachers teaching students to be creative and innovative so that they can face the future. She stated that teachers who teach critical thinking and problem solving are doing students a HUGE favor...more than those who are misusing technology. I agree with her statement on how teachers should teach communication and collaboration in the classrooms to equip students to apply their core skills to more areas in their lives.


In conclusion, I feel that we as teachers should embrace several things that Mrs. Hines had to offer as suggestions. Students are now listeners and watchers instead of readers and writers. We should embrace these teaching tools and add technology as enhancement. Teachers who take their "old-fashioned ways" of teaching and incorporate the technology with it have unlimited possibilities. We just cannot be afraid to learn. We can do wonders in our teaching and can take our students to a whole new level of learning. Technology should not be a substitute for our teaching, yet incorporated in the proper training of our children today. I highly recommend to all teachers out there to read Mrs. Hines post found at http://www.eduratireview.com/2009/04/its-not-about-technology.html.

Michael Wesch: A Vision of Students Today

"A Vision of Students Today"
Source: Michael Wesch



Watching this video (http://is.gd/2c0V0) really captivated my thoughts on how far education has changed. My experience in college was nothing like the video. We were just being introduced to computers when I was finishing school. We had one computer class with one computer lab. The lab did not have enough computers for all of us, therefore we had to share. This made it hard to receive "hands on" benefits most of the time. Computers were expensive. As a college student, it was hard to get ONE. Now, college students have the labs, a desk top, a lap top, I - pods, and a blackberry that will all accomplish one goal. Technology is at their finger tips.

It was amazing to see that most students will spend MORE time on their computers or cell phones than anything else. I know that technology has several benefits and conveniences for us. However, I feel as if it has consumed our younger generation so that they are not using their minds and creativity as much. Most of them probably don't use a dictionary or encyclopedia anymore. I feel that it is so convenient for them, that they can face book or text while instruction is going on. Therefore, they could be missing their whole class lesson. Maybe I am old fashion, but I feel like hands-on experiences is the best way of learning. I feel that reading and listening should also be involved in learning along with the enhancement of technology. As a teacher today, I find that comprehension skills are the students weaknesses. This comes from a lack of reading to learn and find information. Instead, they use technology. I just feel that practice and hands-on activities bring learning to life. This would be my addition to the movie to make it more accurately represent my experience, because it is definitely how we learned. Read, go to class, take notes and study!

Information on Podcasts

I chose the view the link http://langwithces.org/blog/category/podcasting. I really enjoyed the article on "Reflections of Podcast Project." This means that teachers, students and ourselves should reflect a moment on what we have created. The article addressed giving students reasons for completing projects. Certainly, all projects should be age appropriate. It addressed emphasising to students that they will be the "voice" going into the ears of others. It also addressed that technology tools seems to take the least amount of time and effort for students to learn. Technology tools help students by reinforcing and practicing academic skills. Through technology, some students will come to realize that they have the personality for radio. The article spoke on the importance of encouraging students to take their time when recording for podcast. It should be clear and connect to subject matter. They should simply rush to "get it done".

I also viewed the link on podcasting with third graders. They were studying endangered animals in their area as a part of their science curriculum. Students were encouraged to not only research the subject matter, but become experts about what they were studying. Then, take their knowledge and share it with others around the world by podcasting. What a fun way for students to learn! Just knowing they are going to "teach" something to other kids is a strong motivation for them to get involved and strive to do their very best! In this, they are completing research skills, communications skills and oral fluency.

Improvements on Podcasting

I enjoyed watching the podcast which was done by Dr. Strange and his fellow students. It gave me some insight on podcasting. However, I did notice a few changes that I would make to improve the podcast. During the first part of the podcast, students were giving introductions. They were looking down as if reading their introductions or looking at each other. I think this should be done speaking to the camera. This way, the audience who is watching could see their faces. It would make it seem as if they were speaking to YOU!

I personally thought the podcast was a little monotone. I would create more expression in my reviews and insights. The students seemed to look away as they were speaking. They looked down a lot when others were talking. Kitty seemed to do a better job with expression in her voice. I enjoyed hearing her the best. Although I received information about the ways of becoming a better technology teacher, I found it hard to pay attention with the little expression. I also think, I would make the background a little more interesting. For example, using props that relate to the subject matter on which we were addressing. With more expression and creativity, I think the attention of the audience would be better captured.

The interview was full of interesting facts and information on becoming a better technology teacher. It provided ways of sharing building blocks of learning and putting them into use in your classroom. If you would like to know how to become a better technology teacher, please view Dr. Strange's podcast on the following link: http://edm310podcasts.blogspot.com/.

Plagiarism

The definition of plagiarism basically consist of buying, stealing, or borrowing something from someone. It is taking others thoughts or words and making them yours. Hiring someone to complete the work for you is also an example of plagiarism. We should not re-use media originated from somewhere else. For example, we should not reprint other's work and claim it as our own.

There are ways to avoid plagiarism. We can do this buy reprinting illustrations, charts, pictures, etc. We can simply take their insights and put them into our own observations and conclusions on the subject matter. It is okay to use someones thoughts and ideas in our assignments. However, we should always give credit where it is due. This can be done by referencing their work or simply adding quotes around their words.

For further information on Plagiarism use the following link to view the referenced site for copyright rules and regulations.
http://www.copyright.gov/

Alternative Web Browsing

Alternative Web Browsing
The site referenced five separate versions of Alternative Web Browsing. They are:
· Specialized Browsers – These are browsers that are specifically designed for persons with disabilities. BrookesTalk seemed to be an intriguing browser. It was a browser under development by Oxford Brookes University which focuses on facilitating intelligent web-searching.
· Adaptive Browsers - These browsers are all designed for general use, but are of interest because they may give enhanced accessibility with particular adaptive systems. Some have enhanced screen magnification or navigation options.
· Screen Readers – A screen-reader is used to allow navigation of the screen presented by the operating system. It used speech or Braille output. Therefore it enables use of any mainstream application.
· Voice Browsers - Systems that allow voice-driven navigation, some have both voice-in and voice-out. Some allow telephone-based web access. The one that seemed to be most interesting to me was Telweb. TelWeb is an experimental telephone-based browser allowing access to any site using voice and dialled commands.
· Other Access Methods - The site referenced that they would be expanding this section to include links to reference lists of other access technologies such as screen magnifiers and voice recognition programs that can be used in conjunction with Web browsers.
Evidently there are a number of systems that filter, or transform existing pages making them more accessible.
Agora is a system that allows web-pages to be retrieved by E-mail simply by sending a message containing the URL of the desired document.
Page Getter is powerful and has the ability to offer flexibility in retrieval of web-pages by E-mail; options to include images are offered, or text only request.
The Voice this technology allows representation of images in sound using Peter Meijer's "image sonification" technique.
Screen magnifiers were also referenced, which can be used in conjunction with mainstream browsers. Further information was available at The Screen Magnification Home Page