Personal Learning Network

A PLN is a personal learning network, where a person can contact others in various ways to gain topical information. This can help a teacher throughout her teaching career.

At the beginning of November I joined a site called ProTeacher Community. This site has many topics, ranging from Chat Rooms, Blogs, Pre-K to Middle School, and the basic subjects, all the way to Special Education. Teachers from all over the world join, ask questions and others respond. I really enjoy reading the previous questions and response post. However no one has responded to mine! I asked for help with a 3 year old child that has severe behavior issues. I have received nothing. I also sent a question about good ideas for easy craft projects for my 3 year old preschool class! I still received nothing!

I'm sure that as time goes by and I keep posting responses and questions that eventually I would be able to connect to one person. But I feel like this particular is basically like a PLN all in itself, you just have to join and participate.

Bye Class of EDM 310

Thank you Mr. Wakeman and everyone in EDM 310! I appreciate all of the help from group members and Mr. Wakeman. I enjoyed reading everyones' post and listening to our discussions in class.

Thank you and Goodbye!

Tosha Thomas

What I've Learned this Year!

1. Before I started EDM 310, I thought I would be learning how to work in Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. Which I already knew about, I thought this class was going to be a breeze! BOY WAS I WRONG!!! Even though I hated doing all of the long hours of homework everyweek and how much time it took away from my family, I think that I learned sooooo much! Most everything that I learned, I hadn't a clue about it when I started. I feel that I have a well rounded knowledge of the use of most of the technology information studied this semester.

I really got the most out of the blogs, I saw so many uses for it when I teach and in my personal life. I'm glad to know that wiki isn't a super reliable source, I had never heard of wiki before this class. However I do see uses for the wiki in the classroom, if used properly. I do find Google Docs helpful for the classroom, my students could use this for class projects to make sure everyone's has a program that can work together. I had a refresher with the spreadsheet, I haven't used it in a long time, so it was to learn about it again. My husband and I used the Excel spreadsheet to keep up with our budget, it's much easier now that I have been refreshed on how it works. I didn't care much about listening to podcast and videocasts, but I can appreciate the use for them in education. I liked the idea of communicating with other students across the country, I think there are great benefits for students and teachers. I'm so glad I had to make an account for iTunes and Skype, I plan on using them in the future.

I appreciate technology much more than I previously did. I see how important it is now to stay as updated with new technology, it's always changing. There are so many beneficial uses for technology in the classroom.

2. We didn't go over Picasa, so I'm a bit curious about it. I love art, so I wonder if it has anything to do with that.

3. PLN is the only thing that I didn't enjoy, I didn't get it. I attempted it, but didn't get any response. I just don't like it, I feel that I can get what I need from other teachers that I will be teaching from or that I know from other schools.

4. It did actually excite me, especially when I watched Randy Pausch's Last Lecture, I think that it was the best thing that I have been able to listen to in a long long time. I also am excited to use blogging and iTunes in my personal life as well as when I teach. I am much more interested and excited to learn knew technology now.

5. Maybe the PLN, it was very hard t accomplish this task!

6. Never could get bored in this class!

7. I would discuss what a PLN is, but let it be a personal choice if they do it.

8. I think that I am Medium to Good with my Technologically Literacy. I think I can definitely improve at what I have been taught!

9. Well I've already graduated, I'm in this class to keep my certificate up to date. I plan to go back to teaching in several years. I plan to search the Internet periodically to see what new technology is out there and research information about it.

Technology Lists for Teachers

Seven Stupid Mistakes Teachers Make With Technology

I definitely think one stupid thing that a teacher could do is using a school's computer like a home computer. I disagree with people that play on their computer at work, when they are getting paid to do a job. It's like stealing money from their employer. If you are on your lunch break and you need to check an email or something, I think that's fine. I also feel that if you come to work early or stay late, to make your working time even out with any time you should clock out for, that could be fine too, as long as it's not all the time. But it is not smart to save all of your personal information to the school's computer, for reasons such as if the computer messes up or your children get ahold of the computer and damages it. That is not professional!


The second stupid thing a teacher could think is that technology in schools will go away. There is no way NO WAY that technology is going away, it's only going to get more integrated every year. For one that's why we're in this class, to teach us how to use technology in the classroom effectively.


Seven Brilliant Things Teachers Do With Technology

I agree that on brilliant thing a teacher can do is make conferencing real-time. Brilliant teachers don't wait until scheduled parent conferences to communicate with homes. Through e-mail, Web sites, online grade books, blogs, wikis, and, yes, even telephone calls, technology gives teachers the ability to make parents partners who help assure students' timely, quality work. They post newsletters, spelling lists, assessment tools, assignments, grades, calendars, discussion lists, and tips. They read and respond to parent e-mails. Most parents want to be involved, but they like knowing how. This is so true, I really like my daughter's teacher this year but she doesn't have any sort of communication on a website or email. So far we've only met at Open Houses or conferences. We have also kept in contact with notes and papers sent home. However, when I taught a few years ago, I didn't communicate any different than my daughter's teacher. I didn't know much about technology and my school didn't stress the importance of it either. I think that parent/teacher communication can only benefit a student.

Another brilliant thing a teacher can do is use the kids’ own devices to teach them. Students are personal communication devices -- cell phones, cameras, game devices, iPods/mp3 players, netbooks, laptops, and PDAs. I think it's smart for a teacher to stay updated with the types of devices their students are into and know how to use them effectively. When using these devices, the students will get more interested in their work and excited about it.


New Classroom Rules

Leave your seat only when necessary, which should be often to go collaborate with others or demonstrate something to the class. I really liked this rule, because I think it's important for students to learn to work with others that are different from them. They will get to learn so much from their peers, like new ideas, different points-of-view, and cooperating with others. This rule will also teach students to ask others for help. I really liked this rule!

Be polite, courteous, and respectful at all times in both physical and virtual space.I also loved this rule! I think that so many people don't know how or choose to not be polite, courteous, or respectful. Where are peoples manners these days. Some people need to learn to hold their tongues and thoughts to themselves. It's not always the time or the place to voice their opinions.

At the Teacher's Desk

The Fundred Project


When I first checked out At the Teacher's Desk blog, I watched the videos on The Fundred Project. I found the information about the lead being in the soil in New Orleans very surprising. I wasn't aware of this problem before this video. I had no idea that lead could cause such issues for people, especially children. The explanation in the video about how the lead gets in the soil really shocked me as well, I guess I'm not attuned to things like this. I'm glad I watched this video so that I can learn to be more aware of the pollutants of the world.

I thought this project is a wonderful way for students and classrooms to get involved around the world to support this cause. The students will be able to learn a lot from this one project. They are being apart of something going to Congress. This has to let the students feel like they are making a difference. I'm curious to find out how this will turn out.

In looking at this blog, I clicked on several of the members. In doing so I wasn't able to see their blogs, but I was able to see what blogs they follow. I checked many of them out. Some were educational that I became members of, like a blog about students' shared work about space. I also really got interested in a blog about photography, I love photography.

Picture from a Class Blog about Space

In reviewing, At the Teacher's Desk, I watched videos from other school from across the world. One video was a middle school boy giving a speech in front of his whole school, he was Irish. It was hard to understand him. I went to another collaborators blog and watched him teach his class about the revolutionary war. This is a good idea for students to be able to go watch later when studying for test or for extra help.

I really enjoyed the post about the sick Math teacher needing help for the class assignment. One of the other teachers twittered about needing help and many many people came to her rescue. This really helped me understand the PLN a little more.

Tweeters Helping a Teacher

I especially liked the post about helping students create a positive digital portfolio. Mr. Chamberlain writes about how students are being perceived mostly in a negative way, because some are posting negative things on facebook or recording and taking pictures of inappropriate things. These are the things that most of the media get a hold of and report. He explains there are good sites that show our students in a positive light, but we also need to teach them what things are appropriate to share with the world and what are not, especially since you have future employers out there to see.

Michael Wesch

I found Michael Wesch's lecture to be entertaining as well as thought provoking about YouTube and our culture.

In my personal life, I rarely get on YouTube, I've been on their twice ever! I just don't have time to sit and watch the computer. But if I had extra time, I would probably get on their more often. When I say, "whatever", I'm usually meaning it doesn't matter to me. It does seem that our culture is becoming very self-absorbed. Everyone thinks they need to be a star and stand out. Everyone wants to have their own identity, which is good. But everyone can't be a star, but some do get discovered when otherwise they may have not had a chance.

Since I've been in EDM 310, I've had many assignments that required watching videos on YouTube. Most of them have been very useful and helpful in my learning. Before this year I had never heard of YouTube, and I maybe got on the computer once or twice a month. I can see how useful it is for learning and connecting with others.

For the my future teaching job, YouTube will be beneficial to have students express themselves in their work. As these college professors and their students do more research on the socialization with the media, it will help us understand how to integrate media in a more balanced light in the future.

Importance of Posting Work

Wow, I really enjoyed listening to the elementary chorus group, they were awesome!!!

Although there are several ways to post your work on the Internet, three that come to mind are: Podcasts, Vodcasts, and Blogging.

Podcast by Elementary Students
Podcast on iTunes
My group made a podcast about blogging. Making this podcast took work from all group members to make it flow nicely for the listeners. It gives lots of information in a short period of time, for the audience. The listeners could learn while listening to their iPods. The podcast shows our instructor what kind of time and effort we put into creating our work. He can tell that we had to research how to do a podcast, and about our subject. The end product gives the students a since of accomplishment. When they know that more than just their teacher will hear it, they will try harder to make it the best they can.

Students Vodcasting
Vodcasts can show so many talents a student has, such as musical, acting, and much more. It takes a lot more of the student to make a vodcast, students can be even more creative. The students in the video that we watched for this blog, were wonderful. If it weren't for their teacher posting it, they never would have been able to share their talents with the world and especially Stevie Nicks. Wow how awesome for this opportunity! In some of our past homework assignments, we saw middle school and high school students using video for their projects, some made game shows, some news, and even their own documentaries. It can show the teacher so much about the time and effort they put into their assignments. Plus the students really seem to enjoy it and learn more when they're having fun.

Student Blogging
How to for Student Blogging
Blogging can show a students work through their words, links, pictures, and videos. They are able to right paragraphs about what they are learning, like keeping a journal of their work. But this journal can have some creativity with color, font, pics, and much more. They also can have feedback from their teacher, peers, parents, and even others around the world. This will help them do their best work if they know others can see what they've done. This can also help shy students that have a hard time speaking up in class.