Thursday, September 23, 2010
A useful forum!
I recently joined a group called Classroom 2.0. This group is useful in terms of helping with ways to become a better teacher and learner in the classroom through social media in education. This group provides numerous links to other websites as well as a forum for peer help. Lots of information is shared on this website between educators. Ideas and knowledge are shared with a variety of topics regarding almost anything you can think of when dealing with social media in the classroom. This is indeed helpful as I can get many opinions and suggestions if I need help while experimenting with technology in the classroom setting.
A learner is like......
While reading an article on connectivism and watching a video on the impact of social software on learning, I wasn't quite sure how to describe a learner. So, I took a break and watched some TV. My favorite movie so happened to be on- Forrest Gump. The line "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get" immediately grabbed my attention. This is when I thought, "You know? A learner today is like a box of chocolates, because you never know what you are going to get from a learner."
Learners today have so many options, resources and ways of obtaining knowledge. With those resources, comes a vast amount of opinions and thoughts. As a teacher, you truly never know what you are going to get from a learner. They can be misinformed one day, then come in the next and know everything about a topic. The article on connectivism stated that, "learning rests in the diversity of opinions, its a process of connecting information sources, and it may reside on non human sources." Connectivism also focuses on currency and up to date information. I believe this coincides with what learners are like today. They obtain info in a manner very differently then back in the "old days". Back in the day, there was really only one way to obtain information and that was through books. Now, you never know what you are going to get from a learner because through technology, there are so many ways of obtaining information. Through computers, internet, networking- there are a plethora of ways to obtain information.
A great example from the youtube video was when he stated that "a programmer does not live in isolation, he needs to connect with other programmers so he/she can stay current". The video also describes blogs and social networking as a positive impact on learning. Learners use social networking sites these days almost everyday. They are constantly sharing knowledge with each other and all over the world to stay current on info. You truly never know where a learner gets their information these days whether it be from a website, book or social networking. Learners are unpredictable in their ways of obtaining information and sharing information. They have so many options in doing it these days.
So when I say a learner is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get from them, internally and externally it is shown daily. From a teacher standpoint, a learner can surprise you with information at any given time. From a student standpoint, you can obtain all the world's knowledge with the touch of a button. Its just up to you to do it; therefore, you never know what you are going to get.
Learners today have so many options, resources and ways of obtaining knowledge. With those resources, comes a vast amount of opinions and thoughts. As a teacher, you truly never know what you are going to get from a learner. They can be misinformed one day, then come in the next and know everything about a topic. The article on connectivism stated that, "learning rests in the diversity of opinions, its a process of connecting information sources, and it may reside on non human sources." Connectivism also focuses on currency and up to date information. I believe this coincides with what learners are like today. They obtain info in a manner very differently then back in the "old days". Back in the day, there was really only one way to obtain information and that was through books. Now, you never know what you are going to get from a learner because through technology, there are so many ways of obtaining information. Through computers, internet, networking- there are a plethora of ways to obtain information.
A great example from the youtube video was when he stated that "a programmer does not live in isolation, he needs to connect with other programmers so he/she can stay current". The video also describes blogs and social networking as a positive impact on learning. Learners use social networking sites these days almost everyday. They are constantly sharing knowledge with each other and all over the world to stay current on info. You truly never know where a learner gets their information these days whether it be from a website, book or social networking. Learners are unpredictable in their ways of obtaining information and sharing information. They have so many options in doing it these days.
So when I say a learner is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get from them, internally and externally it is shown daily. From a teacher standpoint, a learner can surprise you with information at any given time. From a student standpoint, you can obtain all the world's knowledge with the touch of a button. Its just up to you to do it; therefore, you never know what you are going to get.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Blog #3
Personally, I think this video is right on and technology is here to stay for a while. Like other things, maybe it will phase out and be topped by something greater, but I do not see that happening for a very long time. I was shocked by some of the statistics that were shown in the video such as- 96% of millenials have joined social networks, Facebook topping Google for most traffic in the US, 1/8 couples married in the US meet online, and if facebook were a country, it would be third largest in the world. Everyone seems to be joining in on the phenomenon from kids to grandparents and businesses to education institutions. One study that stood out was the fact that students seemed to do better via online then face to face instruction. I feel sooner or later, everything will revolve around the online world. People will work from home more, shopping, books and cds will all be phased out and even stores and businesses will just do everything online.
Social media is a scary thing, but if used the right way, I believe it to be very beneficial to society. How about you? Do you think social media is a fad?
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Blog #2 Internet Safety for students when blogging
Students should be aware of the many dangers on the internet when starting a blog or even when interacting with others. Although the internet and blogging can be very fun, it can also lead to unfortunate situations and reckless behavior. Here are a couple ideas to keep in mind for students when blogging!
1. Keep your information private- some students make the mistake of publishing all of their information. This can lead to identity theft, bad encounters and cyber bullying. Try to use first names or pseudonyms to protect privacy. Keep your passwords private and do not post pictures to strangers.
2. Minimize chatting with strangers- people aren’t always who they say they are on the Internet. Anyone can pose as a “buddy of a buddy.”
3. Familiarize yourself fully with the website- Sometimes students can get stuck in unwanted situations and not know what to do. Familiarize yourself with help functions or what to do on a website if a situation occurs in which you need help.
4. Be a good cyber citizen- The Internet is still a place where you should treat people with respect. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t do something in real life, you shouldn’t do it online.
5. Have fun! Just be careful what you post- Some personal beliefs and thoughts can be offensive to others. Be prepared to face some criticism and backlash if you decide to talk about debatable issues!
These tips should help make a student blogger's life a little bit easier on the net.
1. Keep your information private- some students make the mistake of publishing all of their information. This can lead to identity theft, bad encounters and cyber bullying. Try to use first names or pseudonyms to protect privacy. Keep your passwords private and do not post pictures to strangers.
2. Minimize chatting with strangers- people aren’t always who they say they are on the Internet. Anyone can pose as a “buddy of a buddy.”
3. Familiarize yourself fully with the website- Sometimes students can get stuck in unwanted situations and not know what to do. Familiarize yourself with help functions or what to do on a website if a situation occurs in which you need help.
4. Be a good cyber citizen- The Internet is still a place where you should treat people with respect. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t do something in real life, you shouldn’t do it online.
5. Have fun! Just be careful what you post- Some personal beliefs and thoughts can be offensive to others. Be prepared to face some criticism and backlash if you decide to talk about debatable issues!
These tips should help make a student blogger's life a little bit easier on the net.
Blog #1 Blogging for my own professional development
I find blogging to be very beneficial for developing professionally. The internet is a gateway to a plethora of information and resources. Blogging only adds to that. Whether it is starting your blog, commenting or reading someone else' blog, ideas and information can be swapped in an informal way, creating a casual atmosphere and friendly environment while doing so.
The book supports many ideas in which a blogger can develop professionally. In chapter 2, it talks about the idea of reflecting on teaching experiences. This is a great way to get feedback and share ideas with others to improve teaching in the classroom. You can share your experiences with teachers from all over the world and develop relationships and new ways to enhance your skills.
Other educators might also blog about teacher training experiences, workshops and tips. By subscribing to their blogs, that can also help in professional development. This can provide insights from other classrooms around the world and helpful ways to deal with problems in the classroom.
Blogging can also help develop better relationships with students. With a better relationship, teachers are able to educate in a more comfortable manner while children are more active and respectful in the classroom. By blogging about specific issues or just providing updated information on classes, students can keep up to date on materials even if they forget to bring things home. Blogging can also be a great way to keep parents up to date on their children's progress in school.
The use of blogging can really help professional development in so many ways. It allows you to prepare for future experiences while improving your present and past experiences.
The book supports many ideas in which a blogger can develop professionally. In chapter 2, it talks about the idea of reflecting on teaching experiences. This is a great way to get feedback and share ideas with others to improve teaching in the classroom. You can share your experiences with teachers from all over the world and develop relationships and new ways to enhance your skills.
Other educators might also blog about teacher training experiences, workshops and tips. By subscribing to their blogs, that can also help in professional development. This can provide insights from other classrooms around the world and helpful ways to deal with problems in the classroom.
Blogging can also help develop better relationships with students. With a better relationship, teachers are able to educate in a more comfortable manner while children are more active and respectful in the classroom. By blogging about specific issues or just providing updated information on classes, students can keep up to date on materials even if they forget to bring things home. Blogging can also be a great way to keep parents up to date on their children's progress in school.
The use of blogging can really help professional development in so many ways. It allows you to prepare for future experiences while improving your present and past experiences.
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