A Week Full of Thought Provoking Information!

This week in Internet for Education has provided me with an incredible amount of information in my journey to learn more about technology!

 

Our first presenter this week was John Finch. While I have been enjoying the different forms of online communication that we have been using in class, it was a nice change to have a face to face presentation and discussion with John. One aspect of education that John touched on that really spoke to me was that 25% of students that were surveyed in Manitoba considered themselves as being a victim of bullying at least once a week. My heart sunk when John gave this information. My first reaction was why were teachers not seeing this and intervening. Then John dropped the bombshell and said that students identified their teachers as being some of the main bullies. How can educators be failing these students in this area? Having worked in a profession where I saw first hand the effects of negative self esteem and the damage that can be done, I think that this is an area that needs to be changed immediately. As educators we are there to help protect and develop the student’s self esteem, not break it down. I was happy to see that the problem areas are at least identified, but what can we as educators do about the issue? If nothing else, John made me more aware of the situation and as a result I will be more conscious and sensitive to the issue.
Another important area that John touched on was informed consent and all that is linked to using student’s information in an online manner. I am appreciative that so many presenters are talking about this aspect of education. It is not that I was not aware that consent was important, but gaining more knowledge in the area of informed consent is important to me. The more information I have about what is appropriate as well as legal, the less chance I will have issues with information that I am gathering and sharing in an online manner.
The second speaker presented this week in Internet for Educators was George Couros. George gave a lot of insight on education from a principal’s point of view. Having spent time this week looking at my digital footprint, hearing him speak about the importance of the footprint that I am leaving, both negative and positive was validation of what I had been reading. It was reassuring to hear that a positive digital footprint will help in getting a job as much as a negative one will hurt. Often times the negative is what is talked about and focused on, but hearing that the positive is also recognized makes me want to strive to add all that I can to my digital footprint. I know it will be a part of my resume that will be viewed even though I will not be presenting it formally.
One thing that George said that really stuck with me was “connect with kids first and teach second”. If teachers really get to know their students and the students are able to develop a positive and exciting relationship with their teacher, learning will come naturally. Students will want to be in the classroom if the teacher is excited and has the respect of the students. I think this is an aspect of education that is often missing. Too often teachers are so focused on the curriculum that they forget the students they are actually teaching. By knowing the students, a teacher is able to interact and connect on a level that allows adaptations to be made to the teaching style that best suits the students and the way that they learn. If students believe that the teacher is there for them and truly cares for them as an individual, respect will follow and the opportunity for quality learning will increase.
Although both John and George focused on different areas of education and approached their topics in a different way, they both touched on a very important aspect of education for me, the students. If teachers put the students at the center of education, treat them with respect and as individuals, the quality of learning and the classroom environment can be amazing. As an educator, it is so important for me to remember why I am in the classroom. It is not only to teach the curriculum, it is to provide the students with an opportunity to learn in an environment that is focused on them as an individual, just as important as their classmate that is sitting beside them. I know that if I can have this concept in mind while teaching, my students will have a great opportunity to excel and learn to their fullest potential! Both John and George gave me a lot to think about this week as I move forward in my journey of being a connected educator.

My Digital Footprint

When I first heard the term digital footprint I really had to stop and think about what was being discussed. I had never really thought about the footprint that I was leaving in the digital world, but then I got curious about what my footprint said about me. In Internet for Education we have been hearing a lot about our digital footprints lately. There has been discussion about not only the negative effects, but also the positive effects that your digital footprint leaves. After doing more reading and exploring on what a digital footprint actually is, the importance of the impression that I am leaving became that much more important to me in so many ways!

Wikipedia defines a digital footprint as “a trail left by interactions in a digital environment; including the use of TV, mobile phone, the internet and other devices and sensors. Digital footprints provide data on what has been performed in the digital environment; and are used in behavioral targeting, personalization, targeted marketing, digital reputation, and other social media or social graphing services. In social media, a digital footprint is the size of a person's "online presence" measured by the number of individuals with whom they interact.” When I first thought of my digital footprint, I thought of the results that would come up when I googled my name. I quickly realized that there is so much more to my footprint than a quick google search. While the footprint I leave that can be traced by a google search is important, I realized that being conscious of everything that I do terms of recordable technology is important. As of right now a search can be done on google about my digital presence, but what does the future hold? What will be able to be accessed and made public to others in the future in regards to mobile phones, email, texting and other online resources that I use. John Finch talked about ads being linked to a person specifically by the words that are in their emails and searches. A scary thought that “someone” is always watching and reading what you are doing in your online activity.

The reality of a digital footprint is a very important thing to be conscious of in my opinion, not only in my personal life but, also as a teacher. For me personally, I am realizing more than ever how vital it is that I think about each thing I type and say online. Not only does my online activity reflect who I am to those around me, but it also reflects the image I develop of myself to future employers. The fact that your digital footprint is not easily erased (or erasable at all) is a concept that needs to be taught. This is important for me personally, as well as for myself as an educator. I believe that teachers need to teach about real life and prepare students for the real world. The aspect of what digital footprint you leave will become more important as those that we are teaching leave school and enter the real world. As an educator, I can not fail to teach my students the importance of the digital footprint they are leaving. I have the opportunity to not only teach students the importance of leaving a positive digital footprint, but also to model what one looks like, perhaps a stronger and more meaningful lesson.

Fortunately for me, my digital footprint does not consist of very much and as a result I do not have to worry at this point about the negative. My digital footprint consists of: facebook, blog, pinterest, a funeral announcement, class graduation and twitter. The downside of this is there are limited positive aspects that a potential employer can find out about me. The upside is that I have the opportunity to shape my digital footprint the way I want. Starting out with a clean slate and having the information I do about the importance of a digital footprint gives me the opportunity to develop a positive online identity of myself that is reflective of who I truly am, and not who I once was.

SMARTer with Technology 2. . . An Amazing PD!

Last fall I thought that I should probably take a technology PD so that I would at least have a basic understanding of how to use a smartboard. I was a little overwhelmed with the amount of information presented, but also so thankful that I was able to take in the full day session with Devon Caldwell. When I saw that part 2 of the PD was being offered this semester, I decided I should try and expand on the knowledge I had already gained. . . not knowing how much information I would take away from a short one day session!
Devon is a kindergarten teacher in Oak Lake and is doing absolutely incredible things in her class with technology! I am simply amazed and inspired at how she infuses technology into her classroom on a daily basis. She shared some of the many ways that she infuses technology; from attendance, rules & routines, calendar and centres to amazing contests and projects that she does with her kindergarten class. She recently won a trip to Prague with Microsoft because of a contest that her classroom won. Being shown how she incorporates technology and the time that it saves her is a motivation to continue learning and expanding my education in technology in order to be able to infuse it seamlessly into my own classroom. Seeing the respect her kids have for her and how their education is enriched because of technology is priceless.
Devon's session expanded on some of the areas that are being focused on in Internet for Educators. I was very thankful for this as any additional help in the area of technology is a bonus for me! I also find that having something explained a different way, by a different person sometimes puts a new spin on a concept. With some background knowledge, things often come together more smoothly. Devon talked about infusing twitter, facebook and blogs into the classroom and shared her personal experiences and successes with them. She walked us through Hootsuite (which I am now a huge fan of!) and got me started on using Diigo (which I am still attempting to set up. . . but am at least one step closer!).
Some of the other tools that Devon showed us were how to use Animoto and Audacity. While I am no where near being able to put something together on these sites, just understanding what they do and the basics of how they work is encouraging. Like with most technology, I appreciate being shown the basics so that I have a simple understanding of where to go and what to do and then going back in my own time and playing with the program (usually for hours) until I get to where I need to be. Technology is truly a hands on learning experience for me!
Another area that Devon touched on was the Creative Commons. I think this will be very beneficial to me when I am teaching. Knowing that there is a place to go that has copyright free music and images that I can use is important to me, as well as to teach the students.
One great site that Devon pointed us towards was a Microsoft site that is free for educators (although very few have signed up). By visiting www.pil-network.com and joining as an educator, you receive amazing tools and resources through Microsoft's Partners in Learning!
I have only mentioned a small portion of what Devon shared with us, but I am so thankful for all the information that was presented! I can't wait to start using more of the technology that she shared as I know that it will make my work as a teacher more connected with my students. I highly recommend a PD with Devon if you ever have the opportunity, her knowledge is incrediable!

My PLN & The 21st Century Connected Student

When I started thinking about what my PLN would include, I was not sure that I would have much to include. Then I started really thinking about what I use technology for in my learning and every day life and realized that I am more connected than I thought. I am quickly expanding my PLN as I continue with the Internet for Educators course and am interested to know how my plan will change by the end of the semester. Assembling this PLN was a reflective process, but also a learning process. I have never used a program for a design like this before and although it may not look like much to some, it is a lot for me. Maybe some day I will look back and think that it is very basic, but for now I am happy with what I was able to accomplish!

 

 

 

When I think about the 21st century student I am honestly a little scared. Thinking about all they are connected to, I realized that I should probably have a lot more on my list but am simply not aware of all that is out there. I know that I need to become more educated so that I am able to connect more with my students. . .something I am working towards and understand that it will probably always be a work in progress! This map is what I could think of, hopefully I am not too far off!

 



 

 

 

Dr. Alec Couros ~ Eye Opening Information on Technology

Today’s session with Dr. Alec Couros provided me with a wide range of new information on technology, especially technology in the classroom. He started out by saying that “#” was the soul of the internet. It is how you follow and find new things. This stuck with me as I am very new to the world of twitter and am still learning all the ways that # can make me more knowledgeable in different areas. It was important for me that he brought attention to following others and finding new information so that I focus on those aspects of my technology learning. As a result, I will come away with more knowledge in areas that I didn’t even know existed.

Another aspect of the presentation that stood out for me was the average age of social media maturity being 11 years old. This did not really surprise me, but did however scare me! Knowing that the students I will be teaching will be at the age where they understand and depend on social media, makes me realize how important it is that I learn all that I can in order to be able to communicate and understand them. I also think it is important that I understand what interests them so that I can incorporate those aspects into my teaching strategies to make learning more interesting and engaging for the social media generation. If I am so far behind those that I am teaching the technology gap will provide difficulties and issues that I would like to avoid if possible!
Dr. Couros also spoke about the 21^st Century Learning Network and how being connected to different tools as a teacher is so important. As an educator, I need to focus not only on the information that I am consuming, but also the knowledge that I am sharing. Dr. Couros said that weak ties (people that we have never met) are maybe some of the most important people in our learning. I know that opening myself up to learning from those that I have never met is something that I will struggle with, but I also see the great importance of getting over that hurdle!
This presentation gave me more information and resources to guide me in my journey of learning in technology and the internet. I look forward to exploring some of the areas that Dr. Couros touched on and to seeing what doors are opened as a result! Stay tuned for updates on my journey!

Skype with Dean Shareski

Dean opened my eyes and my mind to the way that I should be looking at the internet and all that it has to offer, especially as an educator. When Dean talked about using the internet for sharing and how important it is, he struck a cord with me. While listening to him, I realized how I am not using the internet in the capacity that I should be. There are so many people willing to share so much information on the internet and all I have to do is look for it. I have always been a person that likes to talk face to face with others, but need to open myself up to making connections with people that I do not know through the internet. If I am willing to be open and communicate with those that have knowledge and expertise in the areas that I do not, I will be able to tap into their expertise at the click of a button! I know that this may not seem like a new and ground breaking idea for some, but for me, it was an eye opener to have it presented this way. I have not used the internet as a resource in this capacity before. I need to do a bit of work on understanding how to find resources and people on the internet, but just knowing that the resources are out there encourages me to look.
Another key point that Dean made was the idea of giving and taking. We need to give back to the online community. Even though something may seem obvious to us, it may not be obvious to others. This is very easy for me to grasp, although I have never looked at the internet in this way before. Because I feel like I have so much to learn, I know that I can not be the only one that feels that way. As a result, maybe I have something to share that will be of benefit to someone else. Giving back to the online community is just as important to giving back to my local community.
I know that this course will be full of baby steps for me, but I am excited to take those steps. I know that by opening myself up to learning what the internet has to offer and the resources that there are to gain and share, I will only become a more educated and well rounded teacher, benefiting not only my students but myself!

Am I Really Blogging?!

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be blogging and using twitter, I would have laughed so hard. . . but here I am! Internet for Educators is definitely opening a whole new world for me, a world that I am a little scared to enter, but here I go!

I am excited and hesitant all at the same time to put myself and my thoughts out there for the world to read. I have never been one to explore the internet and all that it has to offer, let alone create and share my own ideas on the web. I am looking forward to all this course has to offer. It may be a bumpy ride, but a journey that I am willing to embrace and learn from. This blog will be a work in progress but I am excited to learn the many changes and additions that I can make. Any opportunity to grow and learn is an opportunity that should never be passed up!