Prior to this summer, I had a traditional Personal Learning Network that consisted of peers from around my district, a few friends in education out of state, basic use of the internet, a workshop or conference here or there, and some educational journal subscriptions.
I enjoyed the chances to collaborate from time to time but didn't put much thought into the need to delve further into developing my network. I would say that it was active but I was not proactive in using it. I used it when I had a question about technology use in schools or if I was investigating an educational initiative, but it wasn't something I considered a skill-set to be developed or a tool to be crafted.
Now however, there is a whole new world that has been made available to me. I can check my RSS feeds instead of spending time searching for information on the web. I can interact with others I have never met via blogs and wikis. I can listen to podcasts on topics I am interested in and learn as much in a half hour as I might in a 4-hour workshop.
As exciting as all of this is, the neatest part is that I can share what I have learned this summer with my colleagues and my students. My eyes have been opened to the power of Web 2.0 and I have a much greater appreciation for the uses of a personal learning network. I am looking forward to getting back in school and challenging my teachers to use Web 2.0 in creating project-based assignments in which students collaborate with each other and maybe even students a thousand miles away! I also hope that after seeing my enthusiasm in developing my own personal learning network, our teachers will take initiative and push themselves for the sake of their own learning and their students' growth.
In order to make this happen, I am planning on sharing many of the same links and articles covered in my summer course with my teachers. I will work with my technology coach to both increase my understanding of technology and will work with her to craft a plan for helping our teachers progress in their understanding as well. Finally, I will be working with my Building Leadership Team to come up with a vision and a framework for both using Web 2.0 tools in the classroom and in developing an initiative in which teachers can create their own Personal Learning Network in order to improve their craft and the craft of those around them.
I think that your math will be the most convincing argument you have to share with your faculty. From 4 hourst to 1/2 hour! When you show teachers that instead of tracking through the backwoods of the internet hoping to snag a useful resource, they can actually make the prey come to them in neatly arranged RSS feed windows, then they may actually thank you for the professional development.
ReplyDeleteScott, like you I am motivated to take what I have learned and teach its usefulness to others in the profession. I think that by teaching them the steps we learned we will be able to get others to try some of these tools for themselves. We must fill our teacher and administrator tool box and then use the tools so we won't be left behind!
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