Summary of Learning for Educational Technology

Summary of Learning

I decided to use a concept map to do my summary of learning through because I thought it would be a great way to learn how to use a new tool. My concept map can be found here so check it out. I also think doing my summary of learning this way is also fitting because it captures the learning process I have gone through during this class; learning how to use a lot of new technology that I can use in my classroom was a great benefit from this class. Lastly it allows me to put a lot of content in one spot in a way that is clean and organized so I can go back to it or others are able to look at it. UAEdTech taught me a lot this year, but I think the biggest thing it taught me was to stay open and flexible. I had to be open and flexible to trying new things such as blogging, or new tools I have never used before. this class taught me that trying new things isn't as scary as I thought it would be, and once I tried it I felt so good about myself for learning something new. 

 

Translating this to my classroom is a great skill to have so I will not be afraid to change things up in my instruction for the betterment of my students. Being flexible and open to my profession and my personal life are great skills to have in life. I plan to use a lot of the tools and resources I learned from this class in classroom one day. I can especially see myself using the productivity tools so I will be able to use my time wisely while I am grading papers or lesson planning.

 

When I first started this class, I was not looking forward to learning new things with technology because I have never been very good at it. I took the class only because I had to take it to get my degree. I didn't think I would get anything out of it, little did I know I was very very wrong. I learned so much in the last semester about many different aspects of education than I ever have before. I really truly enjoyed this class, and these skills I learned here I will take them with me for the rest of my life.

 

 

 

 

Final Major Project Post

 

 

This is my finished scarf from this project. I am really proud of myself and all the hard work and time I put into this project and my new scarf. I wish that it was a little longer but I ran out of yarn since I doubled it up so that is okay. Understanding that I am able to learn new skills outside of school is a great feeling. This project really opened my eyes to new possibilities for me. After this I feel as though I will be more comfortable trying new things, which is a great feeling. Now I would like to try to learn how to knit with just knitting needles, because once I am able to do that then I will be able to knit socks or blankets which is really cool. I will use this experience as a springboard  to energize myself by learning new and different things from here on out.

Knitting: A Work in Progress

 

 

 

I have decided to videotape myself while I was knitting on night this week. The video is above but my video is on my YouTube channel. When I first started this project I found knitting a little difficult, but at this point I am able to do with ease. I have enjoyed working on this project and learning this new skill. The stitches that I am using are tight so the scarf doesn't have many holes so this scarf will definitely keep me warm in the winter. I can not wait till I finish my scarf and I will be able to actually wear it! I have fallen in love with the color and the texture of the scarf already. I think anyone who has ever thought about wanting to learn should definitely try it out because it is not as hard as it looks.  

Productive Teacher = Organized Teaching- Week 12

 

 

Productive Teacher = Organized Teaching

 This week we went through Jake's presentation where he talked about his problem solving abilities with online resources. As I went through his presentation I found it very interesting that he was always able to find a fix for what was wrong in his classroom. This motivates me to look for solutions in my own learning and solutions in my own classroom one day. Using technology is a great way to stay on top of tasks and deadlines that are coming up. There are websites that can help you with anything from making check-off lists to helping you stay focused on a task that you must complete online. The top five most effective sites for teachers to use, is very helpful for teachers who feel like they never have enough time in the day to get everything they need done.

 

After looking over the list of productive sites, there are a few that I could see myself using one day. Rescue Time is one that I could see myself needing to use, because I can get distracted easily by other things online. This tool forces you to focus on what needs to get done and it does not allow you to go on social media sites. The tools also times you on each application and gives you a report after you have completed your task so you are able to see where you lost time and were unproductive. This would be a perfect tool to use when I am researching things for my lesson plans or when I am entering in grades to the grade book.

 

 

Technology can also help teachers to problem solve both in the classroom and in their perpetration or lesson plans. The great thing about technology is that it is not permanent so a teacher is able to move from one application to another without worrying about losing a lot of time and resources. This enables teachers to test run different applications with their students to see which ones work best for their students and their learning style.  

 

Technology can also help teachers change up the teaching instruction with their students to make them more engaged and excited about learning. There are also Apps that teachers can use with their students' parents to give them updates on what is new in the classroom and what is coming up, so parents are able to know what is going on with their children's education. 

Blended Learning Environments- Week 11

 Blended Learning Environment

 

 

"Students who need more flexibility in their schedules, want real world learning situations or need a confidence boost are well suited for blended learning, said Stacy Hawthorne"- Tanya Rosocrla

In a blended classroom, the students have more flexibility in their education than in a traditional classroom. For these students, a part of their day is spent in the classroom where they can receive face to face instruction from their teachers, and the other part of the day they are able to have online instruction. No two blended learning environments are alike, as each is made specifically to fit the needs of that classroom of students. I believe that having a blended classroom is so essential for any classroom because there is such a high demand for people to have technological skills. I also believe it is important because it does allow students to have more freedom with their learning which is a great way to keep them engaged and interested.

 

In our Educational Technology class we also have a blended learning environment. We are able to learn in our own environment and at our own pace. We hear lectures from a variety of diverse people who know the field of education and the integration of technology well. The one thing that I could see that might need to be improved would be more face to face interactions with the professor for this class, because that is still a big part of a blended learning classroom. The fact that it is all online can also be overwhelming to a student who learns much better with face to face interactions where they are able to ask questions freely.

 

This week we heard our lecture from Stacy Hawthorne about building blended learning environments. During her lecture, I found it very interesting when she started to talk about the different types of blended learning environments. There are some that are very minimal without interrupting the daily schedule and there are others where students only come to school for half a day and the other half they are able to work on their own.  This was very interesting to me because I thought that there was only one way to blend the classroom. This shows me that every teacher has a different teaching style so they will decide how they will instruction, helping me understand why certain things happen in the classroom. Knowing this enables me to better understand my teachers and their instruction.

 

 

 

  

Finding the Balance in Assessing- Week 10

Finding the Balance

 

 

As a student in K to 12 it seems all we get done in any given year is testing. Students feel overwhelmed by the over testing of standardized tests that goes on in our schools today. Teachers and school do need to collect data to see where their students are but I think the current state of affairs is too heavy for children. Some school districts even test their students multiple times a year with standardized tests. My belief is that we should test children to see if they understand the material but only when it is absolutely necessary. 

 

I really like assessing students in a very casual way such as using formative assessments. Asking a question to the class while going through a lecture or asking a student to solve a problem on the board, are great ways to gage how the class as a whole are understanding the material. On the other hand, there are times when a teacher needs to use chapter tests, or summative assessment, to see where the students are. This helps the teacher see over a chunk of time how well the students are doing in a given area of study. 

 

In our lecture video this week we were introduced to two tools teachers can use as a formative assessment in the classroom, PearDeck and EduCanon. PearDeck allows the teacher to ask questions and the students are able to answer in real time. With this site the students are able to place their dot where they please and they are able to write in responses to help spark discussion in the classroom. EduCanon in the same way allows the teacher to survey the class. The teacher asks the class a question verbally and the students are able to pick "thumbs up" or "thumbs down."  I think both of these tools are a really great thing to use in the classroom. These are great ways to keep the students involved in the class discussion.

 

 

Throughout Scott's lecture, I found many things interesting. The main thing that stood out to me is the fact that there are technologies such as these two in which a teacher can use to get feedback from her students. From this lecture I also got that assessments shouldn't be something students always fear; but instead they should have fun with these tools and the students should feel as though they are learning and they are challenged but in a good productive way. 

Knitting: Major Project- Week 9

 

 

 

 

My Knitting Journey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the start of this project, I thought that I wanted to learn how to knit using the traditional knitting needles. But then I talked to my friend who knits and she informed me that it is much easier to start off learning to knit from a loom then to work my way up to using just needles. I found a very helpful video on YouTube that walked me step by step, without the help from the video I would have been lost.

At first learning how to weave the yarn through the loom was somewhat difficult. But the good thing is, once a person gets used to the flow of the loom and the yarn then it becomes very easy. I found myself becoming relaxed and having a self of accomplishment the more rows I had.

In the video the woman suggested that a person uses two sets of yarn in order to make the scarf thicker so I did what she suggested.

 

I have really enjoyed the last week of working on my knitting. I find it almost therapeutic to be able to do something as simple as wrapping string around some pegs and have the end result be a scarf to keep someone warm.

 

I hope I will video my progress as I go. I might also finish this scarf then start something use. I might possibly try new stitches with the knitting to see it I can make the look of the scarf different. All in all I am finding great joy in working on this project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Emaze Presentation Review- Week 9

Emaze Presentation Review

 

 

 

This week I decided to do my Cool Review on a presentation site called emaze. I really loved this site; this site is very similar to Prezi, but I think it might be easier to use and share. This tool gives you the opportunity to create a presentation that is more than just a plain PowerPoint. It has more of a flow with the presentation that makes what you are talking about visually appealing. It allows you to pick out a layout and you are able to add you own text and images as you please. Here is a link to what I did with the tool. 10/10 for this tool for me!!

 

I would definitely use this tool in my classroom. If I was working with older students I think having my lectures using this site would keep this all engaged. They would enjoy it because it is something a little different than they are used to and it feels like they are riding along with the information because of the transition that are in between the slides.   

 

As for my students using this tool, I would say that would have to depend on how old they are. Since I am early childhood, which is a range from age 3 to grade 3 and potentially through grade 5, I would not let my preschoolers use this. But if I was teaching 4th or even 5th grade I would definitely have my students use this tool. I think a child who is in 5th grade would enjoy and flourish with a tool like this, because I think many times we limit the abilities that our students have because we think they are too young to have the necessary skills. So yes, I would use this tool with my older students because I think they would enjoy the challenge and opportunity.

 



Learning Spaces for the 21st Century Learner- Week 9

 

 

 

Learning Spaces for the 21st Century Learner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Being  a student in so much technological change can lead one to except more in the classroom as well. Today's students want a more hands on and engaging classroom environment than the traditional classroom set-up can provide. So it is our job as educators to make a positive change in physical space of the classroom to better fit the needs of our students.

 

 

"The days of the single desk and chair are gone, according to Herskowitz. He said he envisions a time when all K-12 classrooms are developed around the concept of collaboration--between student and teacher and among the students themselves." -Bridget McCrea

Creating learning spaces for our students allows us to think beyond the straight rows in stationary desks. Many students find group work a bother because of how difficult it is to rearrange the desks to be able to have group work. But if we were able to provide the students with desks that are light and ones with wheels for easy maneuverability then the students might be more willing to do these sorts of activities. Learning spaces are made to encourage collaboration among the student. It helps with providing an ease to transition from one activity to another.  In these learning spaces, we need to challenge the assumption of all students learn the same way. Learning spaces allow students to figure out what works for their special needs. Learning spaces also help the students figure out way they want to do their school work and projects.

 

Another way to encourage collaboration in the classroom is to use Google Apps for Education (GAFE). These should be integrated in to the layout of the room through having certain sections of the room for certain things for the children to do. GAFE are great for teacher who want their students to have a document in which they can all contribute to and feel as though they all have a voice in the classroom, for just one example.

 

 

 

The University of Akron does provide some informal learning spaces for their students to use in places like the library, and the Student Union. At these places they have furniture where students have the ability have study groups and where students can work together. These fit my needs because some days I need to find a space where I can get away and be by myself. And these spaces are perfect because there are so many and they are spread out enough that makes it nice to be able to have your own place to do work for school.

Major Project Introduction- Week 8

 

Major Project Introduction

 

 

 

 

 For my major project I plan to learn how to knit a scarf using a loom. I was going to try to use knitting needles but I talked to people who knit and they said that knitting with the loom is much easier. So I am using their advice and I will be trying to make a scarf by the end of this major project with a knitting loom. I am very excited to start this process because I have always wanted to learn how to knit. I hope to learn the basics with the loom and then eventually work my way into using just the needles. I will be documenting my journey with videos and pictures of what I have learned throughout the process. I am very excited to get started, so keep up with my blogs to see how this goes for me. Wish me luck!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ThingLink Review- Week 8

ThingLink Review

 

 

This week I decided to do a video tool. I chose ThingLink for this tool. At this website you are able to have a background picture with dots on certain parts of the picture that has links, pictures, or videos about the topic of your choosing. I really enjoyed using this website, and I think that the idea of the product you are able to make is really cool as well. I did my sample on knitting since that is my major project topic.

 

This tool would be very helpful to use in the classroom as part of a presentation. I think the students would like the look of the presentation if it was done this way. One of the examples that I saw was a map of a city and then there were dots with pictures that were linked to that certain area of the city. So this tool could definitely be used by a social studies teacher.

 

If I did have my students use this tool I think I would have to do it as a class project. I would have to project it on the screen so the whole class would be able to help me design the photo. I think that it might be too difficult for my young students to do it on their own, but I do think it would be very beneficial if we could do it as a class. 

Do Not Accept "I'm Not Smart Enough"- Week 8

 

 

 

Do Not Accept "I'm Not Smart Enough"

 

 

 

This week we heard from Jon Smith about the importance of getting students engaged and motivated about writing. During his lecture he talked about his personal experience with dealing with students in the classroom. For the main portion of career he worked with students who were in the special education program. He could not get his students to write at all, even about things they liked. To relate to them he decided to have them publish their writings, in order to get the students to want to write. So the students wrote and edited the chapters of this first book together. Little did Jon know that this was just the start of his whole school district adopting his idea.

 

 

The most important thing that I was able to take away from Mr. Smith's video was the fact that we as teachers must be attentive to our students. We must always want what is best for them, and we must push them to do their absolute best at all times. If Mr. Smith didn't push his kids, they would have struggled all the way through school till graduation. It is easier to accept the fact that a group of kids aren't good at a subject, but when doing so it makes you except less of them as a student. Knowing that all children can and will learn, no matter what their difficulties should be number one to all teachers. We as teachers should not accept it when students say "I'm not smart enough" or "I can't do it," because we know deep down that all children have a desire to learn and grow. Never giving up on our students is a big take away from Mr. Smith's lecture. 

Following Mr. Smith's example, we as future educators can incorporate technology and online resources into our classroom everyday. We could do so by incorporating eBooks into the class resources. This can be used in the same way as Mr. Smith did; allowing the children to create their own books for anyone to access. But we could also use eBooks to help those who have trouble reading perhaps. Some eBooks provide tutors or other helpful tools such as sounding out words with the children to help them understand what is written.  eBooks are also interactive, so the children are able to become more involved with the text, rather than just reading from a piece of paper.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canva Poster Review-Week 7 CTR

 

 

Canva Poster Review

 

 

 

 

 

This week I chose to use the tool Canva, which is a poster and collage editor. It is a very useful tool to use if you need to make something visual for any reason. After you sign up for the site, then you are able to pick what design you would like. They have many different designs

to pick from, anything from Facebook cover photos, to blog posters, to cards. So this site is useful to just about everyone. One problem I do see with this site is that you have to pay for the images that are provided on the site. You can search for any image but most pictures are $1.

 

All you have to do after you put your design is layout, visuals, and text you want on the poster. You are able to use the search bar to look up pictures in which you can use. Then you can pick which word bubble you would like. You are able to edit the text and write in whatever you please. Then once you are done you can share or download it to your computer. I emailed it to myself. My finished product is above, and I had fun using this tool.  (I know Journey is spelled wrong, I closed the window before I would fix it)

 

 

The cool thing about this tool for teachers is that we could make posters for the walls in our classrooms. We can personalize them to fit the needs of our students the lessons we teach. I could make a new poster for each lesson or just do it when I think it would be very beneficial to my students. Having the students see a poster that looks professional but they know it is customized would really help spark creativity in them. So the poster would not only help the better understand the lesson I am presenting to them but it also help them think more creatively.

 

 

I would not have my students use this tool because I think it would be too complex for them to use. Since I will be working with younger children I think they would find this tool because it is not simple with regard to the amount of options that are presented for them.

Importance of Copyrights- Week 7

 

 

 

Importance of Copyrights

 

 

 

 

Copyrights and Creative Commons can be confusing to some people. People see the little c inside of a circle in the corner of a picture or the cc on a picture and they know that means the picture is protected in some way. But most of the time people don't know exactly what all the symbols mean. Since we live in a world where inventions and new ideas are created everyday it is essential for us as educators to teach our student how to use and understand the meaning and difference between all the copyright symbols we see everyday.

 

We must first start with knowing and understanding the different Creative Commons and copyrights ourselves. Because before we can teach about the WWI, we better know WWI like the back of our hand. This same thinking needs to be applied to this subject. For Copyrights, all rights are reserved to the owner of the copyright. All rights reserved means that a person must get direct authorization from the copyright owner to be able to use that image or idea in any way. Creative Commons are a little different. When a person gets a Creative commons license, they are able to modify how many restrictions they would like on their product. There are many symbols associated with Creative Commons license, here is a chart to help distinguish them from each other.

 

 

 

The idea of teaching copyrights is very important for many reasons. Not only does it help them understand that we have to follow certain rules and producers even in the real world, but it also shows them that they should be proud of their work enough to protect it, in any way they see fit.  Learning that there are rules outside of school and home is a valuable thing for us as educators to teach our students. This may seem like a very simple and common thing for our students but this is one tool we can use with them to show them the importance of following rules. As educators we should also encourage creativity and thinking in new ways. At the same time we need to make sure our students know how to protect what is theirs and own what is theirs. Yes, our students should be sharing what they know, but at the same time we want to encourage them to get credit for their work. This is a balancing act with students, to get them to see both sides that are necessary.

 

 

If we let our students ignore the restrictions that are placed on ideas and such, then we fall short of our duties. "This misinformation is harmful, because it discourages kids and teens from following their natural inclination to be innovative and inquisitive."  this quote from teachingcopyright.com shows how much not teaching our students the right thing can actually hurt them in the long run.

  

 

Another important issue that comes along with copyrights is downloading music and movies online. Young people don't see the wrong in downloading these things without charge, because they do not see the consequences immediately. Think might think since it is online, then it must be okay to do. But sadly they are wrong. We as teachers need to teach our students that doing this illegally is wrong because it is stealing. Not only that, but the illegal download can give your computer a virus and compromise your computer entirely.

 

 

Teaching students the fundamentals of protecting work and products is very important and it something a student should know by the time they walk across the stage at their graduation. Knowing the ins and outs of copyrights will not only help them in their academics but it will also help them be successful in their everyday life.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cool Tool Review- StoryBookThat- Week 6

StoryBookThat

 

 

 

Week 6 I decided to do my cool tool review make a comic strip that I could read to my preschoolers. This site is so simple and fun to use, even my students could use this site to make their own stories. This cool tool has many different options for the background, characters. You could choose being inside, outside, on a football field, or in the middle of a street. This is a great tool because it really promotes creativity for students to be able to make up their own stories. There are just so many options that makes the site user friendly for anyone and any story.

 

For my younger children I would have them make a picture story and I would write what they tell me on each page of their story. For my older students I would have them tell a story that has happened to them. I would also read half a story to my students and then I would ask them to finish the story for me.

 

It is easy for the students to use because all the students have to do is pick what they want and drag it down to where they want to place it. One challenge I could see coming up would be my students feeling overwhelmed and feeling like they don't know where to start still there are so many different options on the site. I would use this tool in my classroom someday and I think you should as well; here is the link so you can check it out: https://www.storyboardthat.com/



Digital Citizen or Digital Victim- Week 6

 

 

Digital Citizen or Digital Victim

 

 

Civilization has dealt with and strived to enhance communication for thousands of years. Most of that time that communication has been a personal and even sometimes intimate exchange. But now society is faced with a new totally different way of communicating that has everyone scratching their heading, trying to figure out right from wrong on the internet. But since this cyber space is so impersonal and indirect the old rules aren't cutting it anymore.

 

People are able to bash and degrade people on the web so easily, because we are unable to see the effect our words have on people. Now we have children who are growing up in cyber space where they can say and post whatever they like with few consequences. These children are struggling when it comes to actually communicating with someone face to face. Children who are growing up during this digital explosion are unable to identify social cues and social norms like the generations before them could.

 

After shining light on these facts of today, we must do something to inspire change in the young people of today. When I say 'we' I mean parents and teachers of these children. Educating our students on the do's and don'ts of the cyber web is the only way to ensure that our students have the tools to navigate the web successfully.  

 

Digital citizenship to me means having the ability to be a productive member of the cyber world. It means knowing the difference between appropriate and inappropriate post/comments on the web. It is also making connections with people, who without this technology it would be very hard to interact with them. In full, it is having a positive contribution to the internet.

 

Since there aren't really any rules for online interactions it is easy for someone to be hurt or affected by what someone posts online. Personally I have been hurt from people posting online, but not directly. When I was in high school, my friends went somewhere without inviting me. While they were out having fun they posted pictures and comments talking about how great of a time they were having, and I felt very left out. I didn't do or say anything about it. But if I could redo it, I would have told my friends face to face that I was hurt by what they did.

 

"Digital citizenship has become a priority for schools that see technology integration as a major teaching and learning strategy for preparing students to live and work in the 21st century."

-Mike S. Ribble, Gerald D. Bailey, and Tweed W. Ross

 

 

The internet has this negative stigma associated with it because of the dangers that come along with it. Parents are very nervous about letting their children be on the internet because of the fear of child predators. With this fear in some many parent's minds, it paralyzes children's ability to express their creativity online. This fear hurts them more than the prevention helps them.

 

So it is our job as educators to help develop our students create a sense of digital citizenship for themselves. It is also our responsibility to inspire and cultivate creativity not only in the classroom but also in the rest of their lives.

 

 

Tagul Word Cloud Review- Week 5

 

 

 

 

Tagul Word Cloud Review

 

 

For this week's cool tool review I did a word cloud from Tagul.com. This website allows you to cope and paste any words from anywhere on the internet and make them into a word cloud. Word clouds are used to show how much a word is used. The bigger the word the more times it was used in the text.

 

I could use this in the classroom by having one for each story we read so I would be able to point out some new words that the students would hear. I could even help the children make their own. It would be very beneficial for my students to have this tool because it is just another way for my students to be exposed to processing and learning new vocabulary words.

 

This website is very user-friendly. I believe that my students would be able to use the site and they would enjoy it a lot. The site allows you to make the clouds very customizable, so the students would never get bored with this tool. The one thing that might challenge the children is the fact that there is so many different options to pick from, it might become overwhelming for them. The younger the child is the less amount of options they should have. The simpler the better for the little tikes.

 

Check out the website and let me know how you like it:   https://tagul.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



TPACK Survival Kit- Week 5



TPACK Survival Kit

TPACK is something that every teacher must deal with and balance on a every day basis. TPACK stands for Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge. All three components need to work together for the students to get all that they need out of a lesson.

But when we do introduce any new  technology or tools into the classroom, we need to remember that all children are different and they will all respond differently to new tools in the classroom. When introducing new tools into the classroom a teacher should ask these basic questions to measure how effective this will be to her and her students.

1. Will this make understanding this lesson easier or more interesting with this tool?
2.  Does this tool have any accommodations for those students who need them such as; reading out loud or large print?
3. Will this tool be more of a frustration than helpful to the students? 

With all these questions in mind, it will help teachers make sure they have the best intentions of the students in mind always. Aside from that there are still positive and negative outcomes of introducing new tools. One positive thing that can come out of new technology is the children gaining the abailty to be adaptable to new situations and their ability to figure new things out quickly. One negative outcome that can arise from new tools is how children can become discouraged from not understanding.

Since TPACK is such a complex concept I still do have a few questions. One question is what can I do if I am focusing on two out of the three but my students are enjoying and understanding the material, do I have to change my style? Another question might be, is any of the three more important than the other?

For the first question, I think I would have to try to introduce new things from the knowledge I left out and see how the children react to it. If they react okay to it then I should slowly introduce more, but if they react poorly, then I should back off a little bit.

For the second question, I think that all three of the knowledge areas are equally as important, because without one the other two will weaken. All three are like a balancing act, they all have to be equal to function properly.

Open for Everyone- Week 4

 

 

 

Spirit of Openness

 

 

In our classrooms today, our children face different influences from many different media around them. Our Student's parents and grandparents were mainly influenced by books and television, but kids today have much more to filter though. For us as educators, we need to know how to help our students make the must out of the connections they make both in their everyday lives and the ones they make on the internet. Teaching our students to be apart of a participatory cultural rather than a consumer society is a key to their future. 

 

 

I would assist my students to find their own identity and independence in digital world in many different ways. I would have them make an online portfolio of all the work they do in my class so they are able to look at their work at the end of the year and feel as though they contributed to the cyber world. I would also have a tweeter account where my students could go on and talk back and forth, where they can bounce ideas off each other, and where they can share ideas of others that they find interesting.   

 

 

Open access is a beautiful thought to education. It means being able to share rich literature with our students even if we, as teachers, don't have the means to buy physical books. At some point during my teaching career I can see textbook becoming obsolete. Open access means that all someone needs to access a large amount of information is an internet connection and a computer or tablet. When you step back and think about how amazing that truly is we realize how much we take the internet for granted.  

 

 

With video chatting becoming more and more advanced it is easy to think this trend will only continue to explode in the coming years. There will be many more classes held online so boarders and oceans cant even stop the network from happening. People from China can collaborate with people in Akron, OH to find a cure for cancer and beyond.

 

 

As technology increases  our responsibilities to do great and innovated things with that technology also increases. New technology also makes things possible that seemed impossible and affordable that seemed unreachable for anyone. The internet is making learning possible for everyone everywhere. 

Sharing is Caring - Week 3 PLN

 

 

Sharing is Caring

 

 

 

We teach our students from preschool that sharing is caring, so why is it so hard for us, as teachers to do the same? Some might have issues sharing their work because of all the time and effort they put into a particular lesson or unit. That investment of time and energy should be all the more reason to share that amazing work. With the Information Age in full swing there is no excuse for us to not come together and share ideas and be inspired by fellow teachers.

 

 

"Without sharing there is no network."

-Siliva Tolisano



Teachers should share their ideas in any way they feel most comfortable. If a teacher really likes Tumblr then that is what she should use. If another teacher likes to blog then she should blog about her lessons and ideas. There is not just one way to share, as long as you are sharing that is all that really matters.

 

 

When deciding what to share and what not to share, it really depends on what you want to share. As a teacher, you could pick your best work of the each month and share that, or you could share every lesson you do. It really depends on how often and what you want to post. When it is about posting things that have to do about education there is never too much sharing. Sharing "everything" may seem overwhelming at first but there is value in doing so. It helps you because it provides you with a portfolio of sorts that you can refer back to next year when you go over that same material. Sharing "everything" also helps people get ideas and be inspired by your work.

 

 

"to share and refine our learning along the way as a contribution to the greater good for students within our schools and beyond."

-Jennie Synder

 

 

 

People don't always think about talking about different ideas face to face or on a video channel is still sharing just in a different way. You could set up a monthly Skype meeting with a teacher who teaches in Brazil, to talk about the different cultural ways of teaching. Any way you do it and whether you know the people you are sharing with or not it is still making those network connects that matter.

 

 

We must remember that with public sharing we will get both good and bad feedback from others online. Even if this criticism is unwanted we still need to know that it will happen. I welcome criticism whether it might be positive or negative. I enjoy hearing people's feedback because I can only grow with what the responses I get. So for me I find it very important to surround my PLN with people who I know will challenge and improve my work. A teacher doesn't know if she or he should fix something if they don't take the time to let others review it.

 

 

I realize that there is the pressure while posting on social media of having every word and sentence make perfect sense. But I think that people need to remember that we are human and we make mistakes. These people also need to remember the edit button was made for a reason. So if there is a big mistake in you post then you can easily correct that error.

 

 

One thing that is hard for our society to be okay with is being transparent in our everyday life and on social media. Filters and Photoshop make it impossible to know if what we are looking at is true or not. There is something liberating about being transparent though. Being able to post a something that contains your true self with nothing extra and then getting positive comments is the greatest feeling, because you know you don't have to put this fake front up to be accepted. So as teachers it is our job to teach our students that being our true selves, and in turn being transparent, is the most positive thing that we can do as a society.