Personal learning network (or PLN)
is a network of colleagues that learn from one another. We have all heard the phrase
“why reinvent the wheel” when you can take and use others discovery’s to build
upon your own visions and ideas to improve your own pedagogy. In other words if
there is a technique or tool a teacher is using to improve student learning,
why not learn and use it in your own pedagogy. A personal learning network (or
PLN) is a
place for educators to create networks to grow and contribute to their
own professional development.
The 21st
century learner and educator have an array of web 2.0 tools to utilize while networking.
Such as Google Docs, Twitter, Facebook and many more. A great example is
using blogger in this class to collaborate and share findings and ideas to
improve our integration of digital tools into our school community’s. It is essential
that as educators we continue to improve our own pedagogy and a perfect place
to speed this process up is on the World Wide Web. Personal learning networks
are a convenient and beneficial place to continue to build our professional
development.
Reflecting on my venture obtaining my masters degree here at southern New Hampshire University I see my digital footprint growing rapidly. While on-line, I can now take courses and receive credit. Through the medium of the informational superhighway, there is time to capitalize on collaboration, communication and reflection through “midnight chats, email messaging and digital video”(Boone, 2001). All of these hone my professional leadership skills. Utilizing hardware such as my iPhone, iPad, laptop and many more digital tools allow the process of networking to get easier. For example, networking through Blogger utilizing my iPhone anywhere, anytime. Also relying on web 2.0 tools to make life easer. Such as using Freedly cloud to organize my peer’s Blogs all in one location and accessing post by simply clicking on peers name. Please feel free to click on URL to build your own Freedly cloud Feedly Cloud is Now Available .... Although the 21st. century Web is very helpful for learning it is not completely safe and appropriate.
Boundless amounts of information can be accessed and downloaded with a few strokes of the keys. Little by little books, magazines, and newspapers are becoming obsolete as the Internet replaces them. The school community must model and demonstrate digital citizenship. Skills to judge appropriateness on the web are added to life skills for students in the twenty-first century (Roempler, 2001). The informational superhighway brings a plethora of information; however, not all that should be viewed or explored by minors. The Information Age has brought libraries new wealth, some of which includes smut. Therefore, laws such as the Children’s Internet Protection Act of 2000-CIPA are enacted.
Not only does the technology need filtering on what comes in, but also more thought before jumping on the bandwagon of a new trend. Technology integrators must promote and learn to balance the excitement of technology with thinking. Technology integrators, parents and educational leaders must lead by example and encourage well built policies to ensure that the technology being used is “safe, legal, and ethical”.
Reference:
Roempler, K. (2001) “Literate—and Safe—on the World Wide Web”: July 2001: ENC Focus 8(3): 6- 8.www.enc.org.
Boone, S. (2001).“The Communication Revolution.” ENC Focus :2-3 www.enc.org/focus/horizons.
As people of action, a technology
integration specialist should recognize that words alone will not motivate staff
members.An effective technology
integration specialist empowers each educator individually by infusing
technology to discover the best use of technology. Technology integration specialist witness more
success with helping colleagues to become technology literate if they plan to
side step the human factors-fear and frustration.All too often technology integration
specialist bring the challenge for new technology use but mistakenly introduce
it as some professional homework for teachers to master.Just as technology integration specialist adapt
to change and reconfigure mindsets accordingly, teachers must also be shown
that they can be in control and not adversely affected by it.By exemplifying “a high touch caring approach
to introduce change”, a technology integration specialist will see more
enduring success and is steps closer to accomplishing the vision (Polka,
2000).The combination of data and information
may not necessarily advance our knowledge; however, using information and
technology can collectively develop knowledge to gain insights into the realm
of wisdom (Mendis, 2005).
Teaching in
the twenty-first century incorporates some form of technology in any given day
of school.It remains enticing and
user-friendly. Daily it becomes less of a distraction and a more effective
instructional tool (Mueh, 2004).Although it heightens student learning, it is some teachers who still
grapple with the change. Teachers are required to step up as the technology
leaders in the classroom. As students observe teachers leading with technology,
it sends the message that they, too can take control and lead the learning.
Whether it is electronic devices or the almighty Internet, technology includes
everyone.Soon students make their own
transition from non-participants to stakeholders in their own education.
