Professional Portfolio | Course Repository
Reflective Searching Last week, before I started this assignment, I turned to my wife and complained about Google+. In their app, you can choose which stream of posts you would li... Read More Blog Post #2 FRIT 7234 After reading the assigned resources for this post and some additional material along the way, the common thread I observed was using new technology to enhance ... Read More FRIT 7234 Goals As I embark on my final content class before completing my practicum this fall, I feel that it is necessary to set some goals based on the FRIT 7234 Information...
Modern Professional Learning: Connecting PLCs With PLNs
Great teaching knowledge dies every day. It retires. It leaves. Perhaps the secret of saving this knowledge lies in a unique melding of two professional learning practices that teachers use today: the professional learning community (PLC) and the professional learning network (PLN). Someone must pass along the knowledge. The same is true today. The Professional Learning Community The PLC has long been a mainstay of excellent schools. The reason professional learning communities increase student learning is that they produce more good teaching by more teachers more of the time. Typically a Professional Learning Community is "a group of educators that meets regularly, shares expertise, and works collaboratively to improve teaching skills and the academic performance of students." But this isn't a "book group." Why PLCs Are Effective But, there’s a new element of PLCs and their ability to improve teaching. So, to summarize, a PLC is typically: Struggles of the PLC The Personal Learning Network
Adaptive learning: The best approaches we've seen so far
There is perhaps no hotter segment in ed tech right now than adaptive learning, which adjusts the learning experience based on a student's progress. It becomes more difficult if they're progressing well, and slows down if they need further instruction. The technology has even attracted funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which assembled a diverse coalition of colleges ranging from the University of Texas at Austin to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. It isn't just colleges, either—adaptive learning is benefiting K-12, as well. With positive results coming in for many of the companies producing adaptive learning tools, the growth isn't likely to stop soon. Following its June acquisition of ALEKS Corporation, it was only a matter of time before McGraw-Hill Education debuted an adaptive learning platform of its own. Like Pearson, ed publishing giant Macmillan also formed a partnership with Knewton in May.
How to Create a Robust and Meaningful Personal Learning Network [PLN]
This post describes how educators can develop a personal learning network that supports meaningful and relevant learning. The MOOC, Education Technology & Media, etmooc, is used here as a working example of how to develop a PLN. “My Personal Learning Network is the key to keeping me up-to-date with all the changes that are happening in education and how technology can best support and engage today’s students.” Brian Metcalfe: teacher, blogger at lifelonglearners.com I wrote a post recently about how to develop a personal learning environment [PLE], the need and benefits of doing so, for educators in particular. A PLE is a self-directed learning space; a virtual framework that consists of tools to collect, curate and construct knowledge that is customized to an individual’s learning goals and interests. What is a PLN? How to use a cMOOC develop your PLN The nature of cMOOC is to learn, to connect, to share and create knowledge, which makes MOOCs an ideal venue to build a PLN. Resources
Adventures in FRIT 7234
KQED Education | KQED
Are you interested in using Twitter or other social media as a teaching tool? Our culture has transformed significantly where online distribution of ideas has become commonplace. Our students’ needs have shifted and they require digital citizenship skills. We’ve seen all sorts of creative use cases, but here are the most common forms: Teachers and students use Twitter for communication and conversation so they can keep the in-class discussion going after class! Below, you will find some great resources for your school community to help jump into using social media, specifically Twitter, as a learning tool. As you know, being a teacher means you’re uniquely positioned to provide valuable guidance and insight to your students around areas related to online safety and digital citizenship. Help teens evaluate whether or not something is okay to be shared online. You can find a more detailed list of online safety tips for teachers here. Back to the top Understanding Twitter
Create Music Beats - The online music factory - Jam, remix, chords, loops
JamStudio for 2021! Download the Windows App or Mac App to keep using JamStudio! DO IT NOW! This app will work after Flash is removed from browsers in 2021! Windows AppMac App Thanks for using JamStudio. After downloading the app, copy it to your desktop and run it. The online music factory - Jam, remix, arrange chords and loops - Free online band, free online mixer, desktop arranger, music arranger, music arrangement, music creator, online producing, band arrangement, garage band composer, sony acid...
Personal Learning Networks for Educators: 10 Tips - Getting Smart by Guest Author - edchat, EdTech, PLN
By Dr. Mark Wagner I often begin my workshop on personal learning networks (PLN) for educators by asking these questions: Who is in your learning network? Who do you learn from on a regular basis? I usually ask these questions at conferences, which are frequently only annual events – and rare treats for many educators. Learning to Network and Networking to Learn 1. 2. 3. 4. Networking Tools and Anecdotes The four tips above are the core activities of building a personal learning network, and they can be applied using various tools to connect with others online. 5. 6. 7. 8. Final Thoughts These final two tips will help keep your initial frustrations in perspective, and help you avoid the temptation to focus on unimportant metrics as you grow your network. 9. 10. Note: For more on this topic, you might also want to explore Jeff Utecht’s book Reach: Building Communities and Networks for Professional Development. Note: I’ve also been writing about this topic for some time.
