My PLN

Well, I have talked about Twitter and my PLN a lot in my previous posts:

The best thing about my support team is that it comes from experts of the topic. I was able to build this ‘network of experts’ through Twitter. I think Twitter is a great application that has helped me build my PLN, but it is not about the application that makes my PLN, it is the people!

Today, on Twitter I came across a post called: Nine great reasons why teachers should use Twitter. When I was reading this post I couldn’t help but think, YES! YES! YES! Twitter has greatly impacted me as a teacher. I have seen so much growth in myself as a professional over the past few months and I have to attribute part of that to my PLN. I have grown so much that when I looked back at my philosophy of teaching I realized, I need to update that!

My PLN consists of so many intelligent, engaging, and innovative people! The people I aspire to be someday. I think the following quote will help you build your PLN:

Remember, your experience on Twitter is only as high quality as the people who you follow and the information you share.

I am following high quality people and I feel privaleged when these high quality people follow me in return. The people you follow and the people that follow you are what make Twitter the great resource that it is.

I know now the importance of filling in your bio of your Twitter account. A lot of educators won’t follow you unless they see you as an asset to their PLN. I have a commitment to my PLN that I will contribute thoughtful, relevant, and interesting information.

The world is a big place, but it seems that we are able to know more about the world and collaborate with so many more people because of technology, in this case, Twitter. I was reading a blog by Jeff Utecht called I don’t like learning alone and I have to admit, I too do not like learning alone. Twitter and my PLN has taken away the ’4 walls’ and has allowed me to use open education to the best of my ability. Twitter allows me to grow and learn with many other educators around the world. My network has constantly grown, every day, which means my bank of knowledge and resources are growing every day.

Twitter is such a valuable resource! Once you have your PLN you have a variety of resources at your fingertips. These resources will guide you in your professional development.

How has Twitter impacted you as an educator or other professional? Please give us a testimonial via Voicethread on our Twitter in the Classroom wikispace!

IT Summit 2009

Formatting didn’t work as I planned, but here it is:

I am so thankful that my prof Alec Couros invited me to help present and attend the IT Summit on Monday, March 23 and Tuesday, March 24. This experience has helped me develop more as a professional. I only hope that one day I can possible measure up to some of the presenters. I was in awe at some of their presentations and keynotes. Their knowledge, dedication to their students, and innovative ideas were beyond what I expected.

Here is a wordle summary of what I learned from the IT Summit:

Online Learning

We were having a discussion in our ECMP 455 class last week regarding online learning. Some of the questions brought up and discussed were:

1. Does the fact that one student sees the nature of online learning less social than the other simply a personality issue or is there something about the experience?
2. How do we get support? How do you get help in other course?
3. How do we balance the guided, structure nature of our current schools with the potential need and desire to create life long, independent learners?

I found this conversation very interesting as I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this online class. Before taking this class I was a bit weary because I had never taken an online class before. I am a very personable person and enjoy F2F interaction. Thus, I thought I wouldn’t like this class because this interaction would be missing. However, this was totally opposite. I have developed some of my best professional relationships through this course. Plus it is not restricted to just the 20 people taking my class. I have been able to gain relationships with many other professionals through the world.

1. Does the fact that one student sees the nature of online learning less social than the other simply a personality issue or is there something about the experience?

I don’t think this is just a personality issue because at the beginning of this course I would have considered my personality to not match the format of the course. However, I engaged in the class thoroughly. I took any opportunity that I could as a learning experience. These experiences have helped me develop a great deal as a professional as I have gained further insight about topics, I have built a network of professionals who are available and willing ready to help me, and I have been able to explore topics on my own and use critical thinking skills instead of the ‘stuffing model’ of other classes.

“Teachers and learners become information artisans, mining for information raw materials, remixing and re-networking what they find, and then communicating their new and valuable information products for re-mining.” — Warlick

2. How do we get support? How do you get help in other course?

I have found that with this course I have had the most access to support. The best thing about my support team is that it comes from experts of the topic. I was able to build this ‘network of experts’ through Twitter. I think Twitter is a great application that has helped me build my PLN, but it is not about the application that makes my PLN, it is the people! I have found with other courses I have to wait for answers, but with this course I am able to connect with people when I need help and I am able to help others when they need help.

3. How do we balance the guided, structure nature of our current schools with the potential need and desire to create life long, independent learners?

I think inquiry based learning is the way to go. It will feel uncomfortable for learners, educators, parents, etc for a while; however, the benefits of it are much more than a traditional based classroom. We need to facilitate and guide our students in their learning. I have encountered this model a few times through this semester and I have felt the most growth from those classes. I have actually for the first time in a while been able to truthfully  focus on the process, not the product. I had always said that this is important, as in education it was drilled into our heads (in a traditional classroom), but I never knew what it meant or felt like. This semester and this class has helped me a great deal to focus on the process and in the end the product does turn out much better. I do think it is important to have structure in our classrooms; however, the use of a dynamic curriculum is so important. We need to capitalize on those serendipitous moments our students encounter.

The Studio as a Classroom

Tonight I was introduced to the concept of Studio Teaching….

Studio teaching is an approach to teaching that can be used to replace the standard lecture approach. It is based on sound pedagogical principles, is very flexible, is popular with students, and leads to superior learning in most instances. (http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/studio/what.html)

Tonight in our ECMP 455 class we were lucky enough to have the “Dream Team” (@glassbeed @kathycassidy @darrenkuropatwa) come and talk to us about their classrooms. They told us about the beginning, how the light bulb went off, their classrooms, and learning from each other, and finding a balance. Clarence Fischer introduced me to the Hive, his classroom. We saw a video of his classroom and this classroom exemplifies the idea of studio teaching. When I was watching the video I thought this can’t be a classroom, but it was. This classroom looked like a comfortable environment where I would like to go each day. A relaxing environment that fosters inquiry based learning versus the traditional based classroom. He talked about it being a more comfortable environment where there are few lectures, the students work collaboratively in groups to learn, the students are engaged in their learning, and become independent lifelong learners.

In this type of classroom the:

Class activities build on each other, providing a dynamic and integrated learning environment that emphasizes personal intellectual development as well as content learning. (http://serc.carleton.edu/introgeo/studio/what.html)

Is this a Good Pedagogy? This idea at first seemed a little surreal to me because I have never seen or experienced anything like this. So, I did some research on this to see some other views on this classroom.

• Many studies have shown that interactive engagement is a key to meaningful learning and intellectual development.
• Active learning, including cooperative learning and group activities, is the most efficient way to promote student learning, and especially to develop higher order thinking skills.
• While actively engaged, students develop good habits of the mind and the skills needed to be successful lifelong learners.
• Many studies support the notion that “less is more,” meaning that exposing students to less information — but covering it in more depth — can lead to better learning.
• Studio classrooms are ideal for helping students think about their learning and develop better lifelong learning skills.

This class was extremely inspiring! I am very excited to try the studio classroom in my future classroom. I would consider this online session a “life changing one.” I never thought I could learn so much and be so motivated to do something in 1 hour! I want to create a dynamic and connected classroom, and I will!

If you would like to learn more about the Studio Classroom, click here.

Tech in the Classroom

What does it mean to use technology in the classroom?

I think a lot of times in the classroom students are just watching technology and not engaged in actually using the technology. We need to allow them to explore with technology and integrate it into their everyday work so that they become life long learners with technology. We don’t know what is going to be created 30 years from now. This means that we as teachers have to continually be learning. We need to keep up-to-date with technology and not be afraid of taking risks. We should be open to learning alongside students and allow our students to take risks and take risks with them!

We should integrate technology into our class that will help benefit our students in the future. We should use technology within curriculum areas to improve learning in whatever way is appropriate.

How can we do this? I think I am learning a starting point through my ECMP 455 class!

The Snowman – Dene Story

I am tutoring a boy for my ERDG 425 class, whose first langauge is Dene. He is reading at a PrePrimer (which is equivalent to Kindergarten) level according to the Ekwall / Shanker Reading Inventory. I was trying to find authentic reading material that tapped into his cultural funds of knowledge. I found this very hard because it was hard to find First Nation reading resources that were both at his reading level and of his interests. I found a website with some Dene /Chipewyan resources. I started by trying to incorporate the vocab, myths, and culture into my lessons. I continued my research and found a book with called Dene Stories. This book was written by a group of elders. I was trying to think of a way to present this story to him so that it would capture his attention. I thought back to one of our ECMP 455 classes and the light bulb went off. I would use digital storytelling to tell this oral story. I searched the internet to see if there were any out there and I found that there was a lack of this type of resource on the internet as well. So I made a my own version of the story using powerpoint, clipart, and voicethread. You can view my Dene Story called the Snowman here.

If you have any resources or suggestions, please let me know!

I had some difficulty trying to embed this into wordpress. I tried downloading a plugin, but it didn’t work. Any suggestions?

Digital Videos

The professional language of the future!

During our last ECMP 455 class we had a quick workshop on using digital videos. We were taught what a digital video was and how to use it to the best of your ability, thanks to Dean Shareski. We then were given the opportunity to use flip video to create a video.  Using this video was an extremely valuable experience that I will take into my future classrooms.

We were given a task for our video creations and were asked to create, “The Door Scene.”

Myself along with Sarah and Krystal were off on a journey as we completed the following steps:

(Thanks Sherri!)

Step One

The first step was our introduction to visual storytelling. We were in a group and had to create a scene with the following scripted scenario:

“A person is about to open a door. The person hears a sound and becomes mildly concerned. The person finds the door locked and searches for his or her keys. The person hears the sound again and becomes visibly apprehensive. As the filmmaker, you goal is to build tension and growing panic, using any visual element or device that you can think of.”

Step Two:

The second step was to create a storyboard script scenario for the Door Scene in a manner that we thought that would be most visually effective. At this time we also had to create a new or exciting ending for our video. We had to use different shots while filming the scene and include every detail in our storyboard.

Step Three:

The third step was rather exciting. We had to exchange our storyboard for another groups storyboard. Once we had another groups storyboard, we had to film their storyboard. (Hopefully they included enough detail for us to follow along!)

This is what we came up with for Step One:

At my high school I was able to take Film classes. This experience was amazing as I was able to express my thoughts, ideas, and creativity through a different media other than writing. I found this extremely important because I often have trouble expressing myself through written word.

I am looking forward to exploring digital video more and using it in my future classroom. If you have any valuable websites or ideas, I would love to hear!

Skyping with my Mentorship Class!

Today I had the opportunity to Skype with my Kelly Hines’ class. It was the kick off for their school-wide read-in time. I shared a Mexican Folktale with my Flannel board over Skype. I was a bit scared at first because I didn’t think the students would be able to see the board, hear my expressions, or see the expression in my face. However, it worked out very well! The students were able to find the problem of the story and the solution. They were also able to pick out the moral of the story and made a connect to their Dr. Seuss unit they had been studying. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience Skyping this morning and I am looking forward to doing it again in the near future!

What makes a good blog post great?

Lately I have been thinking about what constitutes a great blog post? I am the type of person who doesn’t want / like to blog just for the fact of blogging. I want my posts to be authentic. I want them to have a purpose for me. I want them to be engaging for my readers.  Normally, I judge my posts on the amount of comments I get on them. If I get posts obviously I am tapping into someones funds of knowledge.

Well what changes your blog post from good to great?

Is it videos? Should it be long or short? Does it have to be about technology? Should you advertise it on Twitter? Can you make two posts in the same day? Do pictures help, if so, should they be your own? How often should you write? Are there any rules? Does spelling matter?

I would appreciate your opinion on what constitutes a great blog post.

Twitter in the Classroom

Twitter is: The people I connect with on a daily basis to get ideas and give ideas. I never thought I would come so attached to Twitter at the beginning of my ECMP class and did it just because of the assignment. However, now I find it such a valuable resource that I have learned so much extra on! I have been able to find sites that are relevant to me and it has helped me develop as a professional.

Thanks to everyone who posted their resources for Twitter in the Classroom on my other post. As some of you know, I am completing my final project, with Sarah, on Twitter in the Classroom. We are creating a wikipage that will provide you with a step-by-step guide on using Twitter in the classroom. I would appreciate any input you may have regarding how you might use it in the classroom, the advantages of twitter in the classroom, the limitations of twitter, and any ‘testimonials’ you might have.

As Sarah has mentioned in her post:

When this wikipage is complete, you will find:

– an explanation of what Twitter is
- the steps of how to set up a Twitter account
- an introduction to using Tweet Deck
- the benefits of using Twitter in your classroom
- some ideas on how to use Twitter in the classroom
- commonly asked questions about Twitter
- a list of resources that we used to complete our project
- and much more!

Some of the pages will have a video that matched the text instructions/steps as a visual for you to follow along.  We will be making these videos using Jing to record our computer screens while using Twitter.  Since we had never used Jing before, we decided to make a trial video to test it out.  So far, we have found it rather easy to use; however, we have struggled uploading the video to our blog since we are using the ‘free’ version and are not able to upload our screen casts to You Tube.  We have been able to post it as a link though, so click here to see our very first Jing creation!

Special thanks to Alec and Dean for helping us out after class tonight to teach us how to upload a Jing video to our wikipage.