Journal #6 Grow Your Personal Learning Network (NETS I, III, V)

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network. Learning & Leading With Technology (36)6, Retrieved from http://istelearning.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/Grow-Your-PLN.pdf

Summary

          Personal learning networks (PLNs) are a way for us to grow in our knowledge about the world through interacting with people and resources. Today it is commonplace for people to participate in digital PLNs. Some examples of digital PLNs are twitter, Google voice, Skype, Second Life, Mailing Lists, Diigo, Ning, Delicious, Google Talk, wikis, and blogs. A person wanting to start a PLN can use these sources to gather information about a particular topic of interest. When creating a PLN, it is important to remember to include sources of varying perspectives. Challenging our own point-of-views is the best way to grow in our understanding of the world.

Questions

Q1. Can’t this overload of information be detrimental?

A1. A properly established PLN will not overload you with information. The best way to start a PLN is to keep things simple. Start with just a couple sources. From there you can add additional sources as you see their benefit. If you feel a particular source does not properly fit into your area of interest, you can delete it from you PLN. Your PLN will constantly change as you maintain it. It is an on-going process, and if done right, will have many benefits. 

Q2. How can a well-established educator benefit from a PLN?

A2.  All educators can benefit from a PLN, regardless of their professional experience. The benefit of a PLN is that it offers new perspective. Many established educators may have already exhausted all the current resources around them. A PLN can connect them with someone who may have undergone recent training in their subject area and who has a new perspective about how things should be done.

All About Me Survey

Classroom Newsletter

Nets I, II

Using Microsoft Word, I created a classroom newsletter to share with students and parents.

Journal 5: “BLOGGERS BEAT: ARE WE GETTING DISTRACTED FROM WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

”

Fingal., D. (2011). Bloggers beat: are we getting distracted from what really matters?. International Society for Technology in Education, Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Bloggers_Beat_Are_We_Getting_Distracted_from_What_Really_Matters.aspx

Summary

            In this article, Diana Fingal writes about an article she read about technology causing attention deficits in today’s youth. Fingal points out this is an argument which has been going on for centuries. She offers the idea that maybe students are distracted from their studies because their studies are just not relevant, interesting, or engaging. She says high school students were bored with school long before the Internet. If kids are free to explore the Internet, they can foster their passion by researching topics that interest them. Fingal points out technology is empowering. The world is changing, and there is no need to fight it. New is not bad.  It is time we start embracing the digital age.

Q1. Do you agree with Diana Fingal?

A1. Yes. Fingal makes a great argument. I recently read an article that said the Baby Einstein series is detrimental to young children because it could potentially foster Attention Deficit Disorder. Some people believe if kids watch these videos, then it will be difficult for them to learn from other sources. But here’s an idea: Why don’t we try to make other sources as engaging as Baby Einstein videos?

Q2.  Do you think technology could benefit some children more than others?

A2. I believe technology will benefit everyone. However, I do believe technology will be especially beneficial for kids who have had difficulty learning. I believe there are many kids who are unfocused in school simply because they have not found an area of study which interests them. If these kids are encouraged to explore the Internet to learn about any topic they chose, I think they could unlock their potential to be very successful. 

Journal 3: 100 Things That Make Me Happy

1. God’s love for me

2. The Eucharist

3. My family

4. My nieces and nephew

5. All things Adam

6. Finding money in my pocket

7. When the dj plays “push it”

8. Slow dancing

9. New socks

10. When my dog actually does what I tell her to

11. Dreaming about my daddy

12. Happy birthday wishes on facebook

13. Lumpy cream of wheat

14. Chicken and waffles

15. Salsa dancing

16. Missing all the red lights

17. Holding a sleeping baby

18. Prayer

19. The sound of rain

20. Heat from a franklin stove

21. All-you-can-eat buffets

22. When kids ask embarrassing questions

23. Running into someone you were just thinking about

24. Sneezing

25. Scratching a good itch

26. Picking at my cuticles

27. When someone calls a butt a “Budunka-dunk”

28. America’s Funnies Home Videos

29. When there are no lines at Disney Land

30. Weddings

31. Sales

33. Playing in ocean waves

34. Hearing the national anthem

35. Sunsets

36. Sushi

37. A full tummy

38. Rocky I, II, III and IV (But not necessarily in that order.)

39. Thanksgiving

40. Laughing until my face hurts

41. Karaoke

42. Cocktails

43. Beer

44. Puppies

45. Back rubs

46. Holding hands

47. Harry Potter

48. Youtube videos

49. Ballet

50. Christmas music

51. Singing along to the radio

52. New clothes

53. Jeans that fit

54. Flowers

55. Big tippers

56. Old people with good stories

57. Meeting new people

58. Sun bathing

59. Stretching

60. No line to get in the ladies room

61. When a crowded bar still has seat covers in the bathrooms

62. The dog park

63. Ice cream

64. Watching reruns of “Roseanne”

65. When I meet other people who like to watch reruns of “Roseanne”

66. Looking at old pictures

67. Thinking about my daddy

68. Tickle fights

69. Lounging in Adam's bubble

70. Candles

71. Pajamas

72. Clean sheets

73. Baby hands

74. Goose-down pillows

75. Hot tubs

76. Cheese

78. Wine

79. Did I already say beer?

80. Jumping rope

81. Working out

82. Dancing with my girlfriends

83.  Remembering how to say certain words in Spanish

84. Having an accounting degree

85.  Leftovers

86. Cake

87.  Living in America

88.  Christmas

89. Hearing an old song that I used to really like, but forgot about

90. Waking up from a bad dream

91. Cuddling

92. Being able to tell identical twins apart from one another

93. Sunny days

94. Down time

95. Irish folk songs

96. Hitchcock movies

97. The Nutcracker

98. Musicals

99. Remembering people’s names right after they introduce themselves

100. The smell of wet pavement

Journal 4: "It's Time To Trust Teachers with the Internet: A Conversation with Meg Ormiston" NETS-I-V

Schaffhause., D. (2010, December 1). It's time to trust teachers with the internet: a conversation with meg ormiston. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2010/12/01/Its-Time-To-Trust-Teachers-with-the-Internet-A-Conversation-with-Meg-Ormiston.aspx?sc_lang=en&Page=1

Summary

            Meg Ormiston feels it is unfair for schools to block certain websites from being used in the classroom.  Some of these sites can be very useful in facilitating learning. In her opinion, it is teachers who should decide what is inappropriate to use in class, not the school. She talks about how most schools block youtube from classroom use. She agrees there are a lot of inappropriate videos on youtube, but she also feels there are many videos, which are beneficial. It is not fair for the entire site to be blocked, just because some of the video content is inappropriate. Ormiston feels restricting teachers’ access to technology will eventually make them give up on it. Teachers will then go back to using the resources they used before technology was available.

Q1.  Do I agree with Meg Ormiston’s stance on this issue?

A1.  Yes. It isn’t reasonable for teachers to be trusted with educating students, but not trusted to filter inappropriate content from the curriculum.  I myself have used youtube as a study aid, and find it very effective. I have also used it to learn how to do various practical things such how to set a mousetrap, how to clean the “U” trap on a sink, and how to change a headlight on a car.

Q2.   Do I think schools and districts will be changing their policy any time soon?

A2.  Yes. I believe there will be administrators who will see the benefits of unblocking access to these sites. I think many current administrators want to keep these sites blocked because they don’t realize the true benefits they can offer.