Thursday, November 14, 2013

Now I See the Light

In the past, I only associated networking as being a "buzz word" in the corporate America arena. I did not realize the impact networking can have on my profession because I am not a part of that world. However, this Personal Learning Network (PLN) class has been an eye-opener to the many ways PLNs can greatly affect my personal and professional life.  Now I see the light! If I am to be an innovative, 21st century educator, PLNs are essential. Hence, I am now basking in the light of being a connected educator. My PLN has gone from my local school district to world-wide. Using Edmodo, I presently get ideas and advice from people as far as the Middle East. I have always used Twitter socially. Currently, it is my lifeline to what is trending in education, specifically in the integrating technology area. Daily I read tweets from experts which I investigate further on the Internet. Without scouring the Internet for hours, I use RSS Feeds to get relevant information that I can pass on to my colleagues. Podcasts give me another avenue for sharing information with teachers and students.  Finally, a blog provides a platform where I can incorporate all my information in one location and share it in different formats (video, audio, picture, written word, links, etc.). Nevertheless, my quest continues. To expand my PLN, I will continue the blog, post tweets, comment on sites such as Classroom 2.0 and the Educator’s PLN, attend and present at workshops, upload technology demonstrations on Youtude, and utilize LinkedIn.  To contribute to my colleagues’ PLN, I have set-up a Professional Learning Community (PLC) on Edmodo and posted on my blog PLN and blog websites. In short, my desire to learn, share, and incorporate technology has been rejuvenated, and I thirst for more.

2 comments:

  1. Wow! Your blog is very impressive. It seems as though you are already a pro at this. Teachers at my school have just begun to use Edmodo, so we are in the learning phase. I have signed up, but have yet found the needed time to "learn" the ins and outs. I like your idea of setting up a PLC on Edmodo. That should provide for lots of meaningful learning for those who are really focused on providing a solid foundation for our youth. Good luck with your plan!

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  2. It seems to me that you have found your voice in blogging. You are a natural! I like the use of the cartoon in this post.
    I believe that you have excellent ideas for the development of your PLN. I especially like the idea that you will be posting technology demonstrations to Youtube. This could be of great benefit to the teachers within your school/district and beyond. I know many times Youtube has been my "go to" for demonstrations. Great idea! Because you have so much to offer to your teachers and fellow media specialists, you may want to consider starting a weekly podcast about trending issues in technology and the world of media specialists. I know that I would tune in!
    Good luck with continuing to develop your PLN!

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