Thursday, October 24, 2013

Connectivism


How has your network changed the way you learn?

My network has changed the way I learn in several different ways.  Each year I spend in the teaching profession my network grows a little bit by the end of the school year.  After teaching for 10 years in the same school district my network has gradually increased over the years and become quite large as indicated in my mind map.  My network provides me with new technologies, collaboration, and support when I need new information or help on a project.  Colleagues, friends, and family provide me with research, support, information and collaboration opportunities to try out new things in my classroom.  We can also collaborate to share new ideas and strategies that have been successfully used in other classrooms. Technology training, websites, and software are often share between colleagues through e-mail, meetings, or social gatherings.  My network provides me with more opportunities to learn through school, friends/family, and everything that can be found on the computer such as the internet, e-mail, and the various forms of technology.  Probably the biggest change in my network that has changed the way I learn is the speed of information that I can get regarding anything in the educational field. Information is literally at my finger tips that I can access from my phone or computer.

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

There are several digital tools that facilitate learning for me in the classroom.  Computers and any kind of electronics used for presentations would probably best facilitate learning for me.  Computers provide access to internet programs and websites that allow students to use hands on methods to learn new materials.  I tend to work better at meetings and trainings when the instructor uses a hands on approach taking step by step instructions and completing them using a computer program.  I also enjoy multimedia presentations that include sound and graphics to present new materials or ideas.  I also use Skype and Elluminate for collaboration with colleagues across the country.  Other types of digital tools such as document cameras and LCD projectors can also be beneficial to learners.

How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?

There are several ways I learn new knowledge when I have questions or do not understand new content material.  The first step I would use is to research this new topic or idea to see if I can answer my questions.  The majority of the time I like to answer my own questions and research the answers myself.  There are also times when I have to reach out to people in my support network to help me with my question.  For example, my friend is a local school technology coordinator in our district and I go to him whenever I need help or a recommendation for a good program to use in my classes.  I also have a wide network of friends and family that are in the profession that I can turn too if I need help with a question.






Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Module 3 Blog Post - Collaboration


I believe that humans have a basic instinct to interact and work as a group.  However, some of them choose not to work in a group because they would rather work individually.  Working together collaboratively is a major part of education in today's society.  Collaboration between students as well as teachers can be extremely beneficial in the classroom and professional development settings.  Wikipedia is the result of people collaborating all over the world to correctly identify and define terms in an encyclopedia.  Through the use of the Internet people can use Wikipedia and other websites to discuss and post their thoughts for anybody to read.  Examples of collaboration can be found all throughout our society and not just in educational settings.  Business, sports, and politics also involve a heavy amount of collaboration among  the people involved.  Collaboration can be the most beneficial in an educational setting.  Some of the best professional developments I have attended all involved collaboration with my fellow teachers at some point.  Collaboration among teachers leads to the sharing of ideas and teaching strategies that will benefit the students in their classes.  Teachers can also share lesson ideas with each other including what works and what does not work in order to create the best lessons for their students.    

There are several ways technology can facilitate collaboration among learners based on constructivist principles.  Student interaction and problem solving skills can be supported by the world wide web. (http://ausweb.scu.edu.au/proceedings/agostinho/paper.html).  Wikis can be used for class discussions and opportunities for students to post feedback on other students' postings.  Programs such as Skype and Elluminate can be used for collaborative meetings to take with members participating from across the globe. Collaboration is an essential ingredient in the recipe to create an "effective learning environment" as it provides learners with the opportunity to discuss, argue, negotiate and reflect upon existing beliefs and knowledge. The learner is "involved in constructing knowledge through a process of discussion and interaction with learning peers and experts." (http://ausweb.scu.edu.au/proceedings/agostinho/paper.html).  Technology provides students and teachers with communication and opportunities to collaborate with each other in different parts of the country.  Discussion boards and blogs may also be used for students to post thoughts and ideas that can be viewed and commented on by other students.  Technology provides learners with the experiences and opportunities to collaborate and interact with each other.    



Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from  
http://www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html