Personal Learning Networks

Personal learning networks are easy to create, so I say! But, I am sure they seem scary to the everyday "old fashioned" teacher who is concerned with making sure their students are learning, having authentic experiences and getting ready to "pass the test". Who has the time to invest in such a non-important tool? I say you have to learn .. just start slow! You will thank me.. and everyone else you meet through your PLN.

One of the biggest challenges we face with technology today and teachers, is that they work in their comfort zone. They are comfortable with what they know, and feel REALLY uncomfortable when it comes to the world of the "unknown" .. the dirty word.. "technology"! Even speaking on a live blog regarding "internet safety" last night, live from Princeton University, there was mention of "old vs. new" teachers. See some of the information from the blog:

8:51	NJTechTeacher - Speaker thinks that perhaps new teachers have a better handle, but they really don't since college is teaching the "old way" still

8:51	Dave Powers - I am a brand new teacher

8:51	Kim T - @NJTechTeacher .. what is the old way?

8:51	coolcatteacher - Teachers don't know the difference between "social" networking and using social networks in schools.

8:52	John Peters - @KimT - Yes, I am very fortunate our IT Director is very forward thinking and gives some of us, not everyone the ability to explore emerging technologies. I am just lucky to be one of the few

8:52	coolcatteacher - They said that schools are producing teachers who understand these new tools.

8:52	NJTechTeacher - @dean Yes you can

8:52	Dean Shareski - @Kim T. Teacher is gatekeeper of information....social learning is an add on

8:52	Dave Powers - New teachers pick up technology quickly, but the problem is that everyone doesn't see how web application technology has changed the landscape of the world.

8:52	Kim T - @Dean.. I see.. I am a mom of 3 teens.. maybe that I why I feel it is so important to know about it and teach it to my students!

8:52	coolcatteacher - Dean Shareski is creating fluent teachers -- but many profs aren't and hate blogs and wikis, etc.

8:52	NJTechTeacher - Parent says "yes they're reading and writing online" but not like a novel.

8:53	coolcatteacher - @Dave but they're not taught responsible use of the tools --they aren't being used online. This has been a phenomenally balanced presentation. This has honestly been the best internet safety presentaiton I've ever seen. Period.

8:53	John Peters - Let's don't talk about "Old" teachers. We have some that barely are able to check their email and enter their grades online. Trying to teach them something new is a HUGE challenge.

8:53	NJTechTeacher - @Kim T - The old way - lecture, straight from book, not utilizing social tools, podcasting, etc.

So, there is a discussion on how we are going to get our "OLD" teachers to embrace technology. I think what would help them is to establish a Personal Learning Network. I know it is "Just one more thing to do". I am sure that is what I would hear. If they just tried maybe a quick RSS feed, or a twitter account, they would realize how invaluable the experience could be to their gathering of information for their classes and curriculum.

Isn't it part of the job to always be learning new things and being a self learner?? What better way than to create a PLN??

I have to say without twitter, I would not find half of the information that I have been shown! It is an amazing tool where wonderful people are not afraid to share the latest and greatest information about technology with me.. yes me.. a stranger! I feel like I want to share back and hopefully I can help them in ways too!

Thinking about the RSS feeds, they are a great resource and would be a wonderful tool to set up for your classroom. I also think delicious (here are my accounts) and diigo are great too. While using these bookmarking tools, I have been able to join groups and other people's networks of bookmarking. What a great time saving resource! I can then go into their account and see if they have tagged anything that I am looking for. Hopefully we are working in the same profession so they would have my interests in their account.

I think blogs are wonderful and powerful tools with some great information contained in them, but it is really difficult to read all of them. Check out this great blog I found today explaining the "glue of blogging" by Ewan McIntosh. What amazes me, is this PLN spans our entire world. Real people, sharing real information that we do every day! That is why twitter is so helpful and priceless. In 140 spaces or less, you must get your point out. I do read a lot of blogs through my RSS reader, but I also feel as though, even when I bookmark them, they are lost in cyber world! I never feel completely organized with all of these tools.. and that is what they are for! :) Organization!!!

Another great resource for a personal learning network would be wikis. Such as our learning module for this class! The ultimate personal learning network, where people can collaborate and share with each other on many topics. What a better way to learn than by sharing information. Watch this video about how wiki's work! Very cool! Did we already see something like this? I am on information overload!

If you can surround yourself with great people and add them to your personal learning network, your learning will come to you !!! Thanks for introducing us to this new world Jeff!

Social Bookmarking

I have to say I have been using delicious
for a long time now. I have 753 sites saved to my account right now as I type this blog!!! Yikes.. I guess you can say I have a problem. I love to "web mine". I save everything. I have absolutely no method to my madness and my tags are all over the place. I tried one day for about 2 hours to organize all of my tags, but the process is long and tedious. Feel free to take a look around my delicious account. I would love to share and become part of your social bookmarking sites. I just found a great organizing blog piece when I looked over the delicious network page. I have Jeff and Royce Robertson listed in my network right now. It is a blog about not letting your PLN (Personal Learning Network) get the best of you on 2cents worth.

I use my delicious account a lot in the classroom. I can open it up on the LCD projector and find the site I was working on that night before, because I posted it to my delicious account.

I know another computer teacher I work with uses delicious with her students. She give s them her account and they are sent there to look up different websites. This helps to prevent web surfing in her classroom. It is almost like a web field trip!

I just signed up for diigo today, just to take a look. Not sure if I want to give up my delicious account, but I think the highlighting of the website is a cool idea. Yet something else to factor into my daily computer surfing rituals!

Which one is better?? Diigo or Delicious? Anyone else use something different?

The pros are that you are saving your bookmarks to a website program and they can be accessed from anywhere anytime.. I am not sure of any cons, unless their server ever goes down and I lose everything.. I shutter to think that will ever happen.. now I am going to find a way to export those babies!

I hope you all use one of these services. It is one of my favorite web 2.0 tools yet.