Skype in the Classroom

A few weeks ago I embarked upon the unknown (to me, that is) and launched a project with my niece who teaches 6th grade in Arkansas (I live in Iowa). We combined our classes via Skype and had our students work on a collaboration project covering the national parks of the United States. The end result was INCREDIBLE. I certainly enjoyed working with my niece who I rarely get to see, but my students were so excited about it. Never have I seen them so engaged and work so hard to create a beautiful project. They learned how to work together even though they were separated by miles of distance. They learned that students in Arkansas are just like students in Iowa. They learned how to solve problems. And, of course, they learned about the national parks of our beautiful country. Check out their fine work at their national parks wiki. Through the beauty of Skype and TypeWith.me, the two free online programs we used to complete the project, the students from both classes learned how to work together to create an end product. If you'd like to read more about this experience, see the post entitled Collaborating with Students 500 Miles Away Adds Excitement to a Class.

Since the launching of that project I have had several colleagues pick my brain about the logistics of the project. The enthusiasm the students and I had about what we were doing infected those around me, and several teachers are now working on creating similar projects that they can do with their students. Isn't that what a community of educators should do? Share their successes? I believe we should all learn from one another and pull from the amazing minds of those with whom we associated. As a result, I have re-posted a portion of an article entitled 50 Awesome Ways to Use Skype in the Classroom published by TeachingDegree.org.

Promoting Education

These great ideas are all about teaching students in dynamic ways.

1. See Me, Hear Me: Skype in the Classroom. Read how these students had the opportunity to chat with an author of the book they studied via Skype.
2. Videoconferencing in the Classroom with Skype. This teacher used the movie "Hoop Dreams" to help teach about social inequality, then was able to get the executive producer of the movie, Gordon Quinn, to participate in a Skype session with her class.
3. The Many Roles of Skype in the Classroom. These amazing 7th graders used Skype as a part of their history project that resulted in their collaboration with the curator of the National Museum in Canada.
4. Field trips. If students aren’t able to participate in a field trip due to factors such as budgetary or distance constraints, use Skype to bring the field trip into the classroom.
5. Using Skype in the languages classroom. Find out how this teacher uses Skype to help her students study foreign languages from native speakers.
6. Skyping in Mike Artell- Illustrator & Author. This inspirational lesson has an illustrator working directly with 6th graders to work on the art of illustrating and story creation.
7. After school help. Use Skype as a tool to provide after school help to students needing extra attention. Tutors, teachers, or librarians can be available at set times in the afternoons for student access.
8. "Not education as usual," with Skype and author Cory Doctorow. This class was practicing how to convince the school board to allow a controversial book to be taught in their school and had the opportunity to Skype with the author of the book to help promote their case.
9. Interviews. Whether you have students conducting interviews or your class is interviewed, Skype facilitates the interview process. Individual students can interview other teachers or school staff, sending the Skype feed to the classroom for all to watch.
10. Guest lecturers. Have guest lecturers come to your classroom via Skype.

Promoting Community

Using Skype in the classroom can promote communities within a school or globally.

11. Inclusion — helping a classmate join the classroom from home. This blog post explains how a 4th grade class used Skype to help a classmate with leukemia become a part of the classroom from her home.
12. Connect special needs students. Students who may have to be out of the classroom due to special needs or IEP requirements don’t have to miss any special events in the classroom with Skype.
13. Blue tongue lizard, vegemite and cricket. What the…????. This Australian teacher describes her class’ experience connecting with a Korean class via Skype.
14. Foreign culture lessons. Skype allows students to see first hand what people’s homes, schools, clothing, weather, and more looks like. If a festival takes place, Skype can bring it to your classroom too.
15. Connect with families from around the world. Form friendships that can easily bridge distance gaps with Skype.
16. Skype Calls for e-Twinning in L2. Find out how this teacher brought two classes together that had been Twittering all semester when they finally got to meet "face-to-face" with Skype.
17. Best Day Ever!. This teacher describes three Skype calls her class had in one day–the most exciting being with a class in a different time zone with whom her students had been collaborating on a project through Google docs. With Skype, the students got to work at the same time and actually see each other, too.
18. Present a performance. Whether your class puts on a play, demonstrates a science experiment, or presents the results of a class project, share the fruits of their works with other classes, parents, or other interested people.
19. Share field trips with others. If your class goes out for a field trip, see about connecting with parents or other classes to share your classes’ experience.
20. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ inspiration uses Skype to help kids in India learn. Find out how Skype is connecting grannies in the UK with children in India for both a cultural connection and an educational benefit.

Skype Ideas for Teachers and Parents

Teachers and parents can benefit from Skype in the classroom, too.

21. Professional development. Teachers can use Skype to access professional development opportunities, such as watching conference presentations.
22. Share students’ work with parents. Let parents get a first-hand look at what their children are doing with Skype.
23. Conference with parents. Whether a parent has to miss a regular conference or a concern comes up that requires speaking with a parent, Skype can provide an opportunity to connect with a parent that may not otherwise be available for a conference.
24. Innovative teacher uses Skype and Wikis to involve parents. See how this teacher helped share information with parents using Skype and the PBS program, Growing Up Online.
25. Collaborate with other teachers. Who says Skype has to be fun just for the kids? With Skype, teachers can collaborate on ideas, projects, and more.
26. Share travel experiences. If you will be traveling during the school year, arrange for your substitute to connect with you via Skype and you can share the experience with your class.
27. Receive teaching feedback. Have an experienced or mentor teacher watch you teach via Skype and receive valuable feedback.
28. Be available to students. If your school is suddenly closed for a while or if you want to set up conference hours for students, use Skype to allow students to contact you.
29. Tutor former students. If a student has moved away or you want to offer accredited online degrees or just moved up from your class, you can be available for tutoring (for free or for a fee) via Skype.
30. Bring busy parents into the classroom. A busy parent who has knowledge to share with the classroom may be more likely to be able to make the time for a presentation if she or he can do so with Skype rather than having to leave work and come to the school.

Resources for Getting Started and Using Skype

Find out how you can take advantage of Skype with the advice below.

31. Using Skype in the Classroom (or just learning how to use it!). This teacher provides the basics to get Skype set up with your class.
32. Skype in the Classroom. This article offers help on ways to set up Skype, tips for finding other teachers on Skype, technical obstacles, and more.
33. Skype Tutorials for Teachers, Authors, Librarians. Find a handful of video and text tutorials here to get you going with Skype.
34. Classroom Collaboration with Skype. This primer offers help with using Skype, connecting with others, and ideas for using it in the classroom.
35. eduwikius – SKYPE. This wiki contains plenty of information about using Skype in the classroom and also provides links to additional resources.
36. A Skype from the classroom. Find information on videoconferencing in general, the pros and cons of using Skype, school project ideas, and more here.
37. Using skype in the classroom. Learn from this teacher’s experience as she describes using Skype and how to best prepare your class and yourself for a great educational opportunity.
38. Skype is a Valuable Educational Tool. This podcast explains why teachers should use Skype and puts some nasty rumors about Skype to rest.
39. Using Skype in schools – some tips. Read these helpful tips, including suggestions on using Skype usernames at school and home.
40. Skype: Talk to Anyone, Anywhere for Free. Watch this "techtorial" or print the text version to learn the basics of Skype.

Finding Others Using Skype

Here are a few ways to connect with others using Skype in classrooms and to promote education.

41. ePALS. Sign up for a free account here, then find other teachers and classes around the globe using Skype.
42. Skype an Author Into Your Library or Classroom. This site will connect schools with authors through Skype. Short sessions are free, while longer sessions are subject to a fee set by each author.
43. Skype in Schools. List yourself or find others in this directory just for educators seeking Skype collaboration.
44. Skype in the Classroom – The EduSkypers Phonebook. Scroll through these comments to find other teachers from around the world looking to connect through Skype. The most recent are at the very end of the list.
45. Global SchoolNet. This organization works to connect teachers and students around the world through forensic science programs. Browse to find something of interest or start your own project.
46. TakingITGlobal. Another project-based organization, this one focuses on youth looking to make positive global changes.
47. Around the World with 80 Schools. This teacher is hoping to connect schools around the world through short Skype sessions.
48. Skype in the Classroom. Join this community to find other teachers seeking Skype connections.
49. Going Global – School Skype Author Visits. Linda Lowery and Richard Keep, children’s book authors and illustrators, are available for Skype interviews for a fee.
50. Mixxer. This group helps connect language learners seeking partners to practice their language skills via Skype.

Thoughts on the US Dept of Ed. National Education Tech Plan

I just finished reading the United States' Department of Education's National Education Technology Plan which would put the United States at the top of the list for college completion by the year 2020 and help close the achievement gap so that all students graduate from high school ready to succeed in college and careers.

In this article, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is quoted as saying, "We have an unprecedented opportunity to reform our schools. With this technology plan, we have laid out a comprehensive vision for how teachers working with technology can transform student learning in classrooms across America. We must dramatically improve teaching and learning, personalize instruction and ensure that the educational environments we offer to all students keep pace with the 21st century." I agree wholeheartedly with Duncan. We have GOT to do something different if we expect to achieve a different outcome in education than we do now. As the saying goes, "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." Something HAS to change.

Here are the five main focus areas of the plan:

• Learning: Change the learning process so it's more engaging and tailored to students' needs and interests.
• Assessment: Measure student progress on the full range of college and career ready standards and use real time data for continuous improvement.
• Teaching: Connect teachers to the tools, resources, experts and peers they need to be highly effective and supported.
• Infrastructure: Provide broadband connectivity for all students, everywhere—in schools, throughout communities and in students' homes.
• Productivity: Use technology to help schools become more productive and accelerate student achievement while managing costs.

I think they have hit the nail squarely on the head. The aim is to reach each of these five goals by the year 2015. Here again I say, "Bravo!" But let's be realistic. As with every plan, it looks great on paper (but then again, so did the No Child Left Behind Act). The truth of the matter is this though - If the government can't provide the funding for schools to do this, it just plain won't happen. You're never going to get teachers to jump on this bandwagon if they don't have the money to buy the technology it's going to take to reach these goals.

It is easy for me to get excited about working toward reaching these goals. I teach technology classes, so this plan fits right into what I'm passionate about. I've also been provided with have a classroom of 24" iMacs on which to daily teach my students. Unfortunately, my colleagues aren't so lucky. Until the government provides the money that is necessary to provide schools with adequate technology, teachers won't be able to provide the technology opportunities that are necessary for students to come into the 21st century with the skills necessary to compete with students around the world.

If the government can step in and bail out companies that have made poor business choices, why couldn't they put that money to better use and "bail out" the children who are the future of our country? The best laid plans are only as good as the action behind it. We cannot expect schools to teach 21st century skills with the equipment they used in the 19th century anymore than our government officials expect to do today's governing with yesterday's pay. If government officials want schools to bring students up to speed, then they have to step up and provide the resources to do so. Like everything else, it's a matter of politics.

Finding Joy in Your Circumstances

Over the past several months I have found myself surrounded by people with nothing positive to say about their circumstances. They gripe and complain about everything from the weather to students, from parents to the administration. I tried to not let it affect me, but that is easier said than done. I found myself caught in the middle of all the negativity, and over time it took its toll on me. Before long I discovered that my attitude toward everything began to take on a new look, and I didn't like that new look one bit. I'd come home from school feeling like I'd fought a losing battle, and I'd find myself complaining to my husband about everything. I hated going to work. I hated what I did. I hated the idea that I'd be "stuck" in the classroom for the next several years. I couldn't find the joy that I'd once known from being in the classroom. I had let the negativity of others steal the joy in my life. Then one morning I woke up and a revelation hit me like a ton of bricks...I can't change my circumstances, but I CAN change the way I deal with them.

That was a new day for me. By changing how I think about and respond to my circumstances, I started a slow healing process. Now, when negative thoughts start to invade my mind and bring me down, I look for something positive to focus on instead. When others make negative comments about their students, the parents, or the administration, I either choose to walk away, or better yet, counter with something positive instead. I've even gone so far as to tell a colleague who was complaining about how her lack of motivation stemmed from our lack of good leadership that THAT was a cop out. Motivation comes from within, not from others. She didn't like my bluntness, but eventually came back to thank me for reminding her that joy comes from within, not from her circumstances.

Changing my focus from the negatives to the positives has made all the difference. No longer do I dread Monday mornings. No longer do I allow myself to get caught up in the negative gossip of my colleagues. No longer do I come home feeling like I've fought a hard fight and lost. It's not always easy, but at least I'm more pleasant to be around. But best of all, I've rediscovered the joy in teaching that I'd allowed others to strip away. Each day brings new challenges, but I'm much better equipped to face them now than I was a few months ago.

Below is an excerpt from a great blog post by Dave Navarro that was originally posted on Rockyourday.com about how to take control of your moods. It is a great post that fits well with the life-lesson I've learned. Please allow me to reprint a portion of it here.

Using A Framework to Escape From Paralyzing Emotions

A: AGREE With Yourself That You Don’t Want To Be In This Mood Right Now.
C: CLARIFY The Mood or Emotion You Want To Move Towards
T: TAKE Responsibility For Taking Immediate Action.
F: “What Would I Need To FOCUS On To Feel this Way?”
A: “What Would I Need To ACT On To Feel The Way I Want To?”
S: “What Would I Need To SURROUND Myself With To Feel The Way I Want To?”
T: “What Would I Need To TELL Myself To Feel The Way I Want To?”

* If you ask yourself, “Why me?” or “What can I possibly do?” you‘re going to be paralyzed.
* If you ask yourself “What can I do next, from where I am, with what I have,” you’re going to put yourself in a position of strength.
* Ask better questions. Train yourself to be the sculptor of your moods, rather than being tossed about by urgency and externalities you can’t control.

To read the full article, click here.

As you go through each day, remember this:

No one can MAKE you feel anything. You decide how you interpret the stimuli. You may not be able to change your circumstances, but you CAN change the way you deal with them.

Collaborating with Kids 500 Miles Away Adds Excitement to a Class

Well, I have finally entered the realm of the flat classroom. After attending a ITEC 2010 Conference in Coralville, Iowa, I was privileged to hear Vicki Davis, a.k.a. Cool Cat Teacher, speak about the flat classroom project that she was instrumental in creating. Her keynote address sparked an interest in me that chose to linger long after the conference ended. How could I incorporate global learning into my current curriculum without reinventing the wheel? That question pestered me for several days and then, out of the blue, I was hit by the inspiration train.

I was sitting in my living room one evening, perusing my Facebook page when I came across a status update by my niece Jennifer who teaches 6th grade language arts in Arkansas...some 477 miles away. She commented that it was awesome to see the excitement on the faces of her students when they picked up their 1:1 computers for the first time. After the initial wave of jealousy washed over me, (we aren't a 1:1 school yet and probably won't be for at least another two years) my brain kicked into high gear and began dreaming up ways that my classes could collaborate with hers. There had to be SOMETHING that I was already doing with my kids that could involve hers as well. After a few minutes of pondering, my brain settled on the national parks wiki project that we were about ready to begin. It took a bit of scrambling on my part and Jennifer's to figure out the logistics, but within two weeks of intense planning we were ready to launch our "mini-flat classroom" project.

To start off with, we used Skype to teach in a virtual classroom. Since Jennifer had never done the project and was fairly new to the concept of wikis, I took the lead and taught both my class and hers about the project and how to interact with a wiki. I must admit it felt a little bit strange teaching to a classroom of students that I could not see. It was very rewarding, however, to see how engaged the students were. It's as if they felt they were on display for one another and didn't want to be thought of as disruptive or immature. The students who normally exhibited a short attention span stayed focused for much longer periods of time. The students who normally had difficulty keeping quiet during lessons were suddenly transformed into well-mannered, respectful students. I was so proud of them!

Once we paired up the Iowa students with the Arkansas students, we were ready to begin the research process. The biggest obstacle, however, was finding a way for the paired students to communicate with one another as they worked on the project almost 500 miles from one another. Our initial plan was to use individual Skype accounts for the students. This, unfortunately, was out of the question because the Arkansas students were not yet allowed to have individual Skype accounts. We thought about using Google.docs, but that plan failed because 6th graders have not yet reached the required age (13) for their own Google accounts. So we chose to use TypeWith.me, an on-line collaborative document site that allows students to type simultaneously within the same document and which has a chat feature that students can use to talk about what they are doing. The end result was fantastic! We left Skype up and projected on the big screen in the event the students need to do some face-to-face consulting. This also allowed us to feel connected to the students in Arkansas even though we live hundreds of miles away.

The final step in the collaboration project will be a celebration of our final product. As I write this blog post, students haven't even yet begun to create their own wiki pages within the class national parks wiki. But once they start that phase, the project will be close to completion. I can only imagine the excitement on the faces of the students when they see their handiwork on the Internet for the very first time. When that day comes, I assure you I will proudly write another blog post that brags on my student fine work.

While a project of this magnitude takes a lot of planning and preparation, it is one of the most rewarding of all the projects I've done throughout the past 20 years of teaching. It has been an incredible experience for the students, for Jennifer, and for myself. Even now my brain is spinning in an attempt to come up with other opportunities to go global with my students.

What's Your Sentence?

I recently read an article by Dan Pink in which he asked the question, "What is your sentence?" In the article, Dan asked his readers to think about who they are and what they hope to be remembered for, then come up with one sentence that sums up who they are. Watch the following short video to see what I mean.

Two questions that can change your life from Daniel Pink on Vimeo.

That got me to thinking. Who am I? What DO I want people to remember me for? Those are tough questions. So I'm going to write my answers here and see if I can come up a sentence that sums up who I am and what I stand for.

I am a teacher. I eat, sleep, drink, and breathe teaching. No, I'm not obsessed with teaching. I'm simply a teacher at heart and have been since I was 7 or 8 years old. Now, 40+ years later, everything I do centers around the concept of teaching. Yes, teaching is what I do for a profession, so I spend a great deal of my time in that role, but I'm a teacher above and beyond that. "How?" you ask. Well, the answer to that question is twofold: 1) I am a constant learner. I strive to continually increase my knowledge base so that I, in turn, can pass that new knowledge on to those around me. In this day and age, information is available at the touch of a button. So I spend as much of my free time searching the Internet for new ideas, new tools, and new information to make me a better learner which will ultimately make me a better teacher. Then I take that knowledge and I share it with others whenever the opportunity arises. While some choose to harbor their wisdom, I choose to impart it. 2) I am a mother, and that's what mothers do. TEACH. While my children are now grown and living on their own, I still make it a priority to instruct them whenever I can. The key to this is knowing WHEN, however. Of course, if my children aren't around to garner my words of wisdom, I can always find someone else's child to fill the void.

So now I guess it is time to write my sentence...

"She made the teaching of others her life's mission."

What's YOUR sentence?

Top 50 Education Technology Blogs to Follow

The following is a re-post from The Learning Master. It is well worth sharing on this blog for those who may have missed its original posting.

Top 50 Education Technology Blogs

March 5, 2010

Education technology has many supporters in its movement to alter traditional teaching methods. This list of the top 50 education technology blogs includes writers, technicians and social media experts…but they all are teachers. The “movers” are teachers who facilitate learning among other teachers and in the classroom, the “shakers” teach new philosophies and innovations, and the folks “on the ground” offer news, tools and methods of using those tools in the classroom.

This list is divided into those three categories, and each link within those categories is listed alphabetically. The links lead straight to the recently updated blogs, and the descriptions supply information about that blogger’s achievements, including careers and jobs.

Movers

1. Always Learning: Kimberly Cofino is in her ninth year of teaching technology in international schools around the world.
2. Artichoke: Peering into the artichoke for better models and designs for teaching and learning.
3. Confessions of an Aca-Fan: Henry Jenkins is the Provost’s Professor of Communication, Journalism, and Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California.
4. Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Vicki A. Davis Talks about teaching content with new tools, enthusiasm and the “belief that teaching is a noble calling…”
5. Creating Lifelong Learners: Mathew Needleman is the founder of nearly twenty popular educational destinations on the internet and he offers practical tips for elementary teachers in teaching traditional and new media literacy.
6. Digital Writing, Digital Teaching: Troy Hicks, an assistant professor of English at Central Michigan University, explores the variety of issues related to teaching writing with new media for K-16 teachers and teacher educators.
7. dy/dan: Dan Meyer enjoys graphic design, filmmaking, motion graphics, and infographics, most of which have found their way into his math teaching in some way or another.
8. education + emergent literacies: Melanie McBride is a Canadian educator, consultant and speaker specializing in Web 2.0 social and participatory media strategy for education and publishing.
9. Generation YES Blog: This is the official voice of Generation YES, a company that facilitates change in schools that are interested in their potential as inclusive learning communities.
10. Kathy Schrock’s Kaffeeklatsch: Kathy posts thoughts, discoveries, and ideas here as she discovers them, primarily on educational technology topics.
11. Looksee Fishy Fish: Marcie Hull works as an educator at SLA, one of Philadelphia’s newer high schools in partnership with the Franklin Institute.
12. Practical Theory: Chris Lehmann is the principal of the Science Leadership Academy in Philadelphia.
13. Sue Waters Blog: Sue Water’s passion for technology has lead to her transition from aquaculture lecturer to her current role as editor of The Edublogger and working for Edublogs as community facilitator.
14. Teach 42: Steve Dembo currently works for Discovery Education, serving as the Online Community Manager for the Discovery Educator Network.
15. The Story of My “Second Life”: This is one K-20 educator’s grant-funded immersion into and exploration of the “Second Life” (SL) experience to validate that 3D world of SL is the future of the web.
16. The Thinking Stick: Jeff Utecht is interested in administration but more interested in leadership and how he, one person, can help educators prepare students for an unknown future.
17. think:lab: Considering ideas, environments & tools that shape the future of learning & engagement.
18. Weblogg-ed: Will Richardson is “Learner in Chief” at Connective Learning and the author of Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.

Shakers

19. Absence of Limitations: Through over two decades of IT experience, Mr. Klein has become widely renowned as an aggressive technology leader, particularly in the areas of open source and social media.
20. Blue Skunk Blog: Doug Johnson is the Director of Media and Technology for the Mankato (MN) Public Schools since 1991 and has served as an adjunct faculty member of Minnesota State University since 1990.
21. Clive on Learning: Clive Shepherd is a consultant with an interest in all aspects of technology-assisted learning and communication.
22. Connectivism and elearnspace: George Siemens is founder and president of Complexive Systems Inc., a research lab assisting organizations to develop integrated learning structures for global strategy execution.
23. David Warlick’s 2 Cents Worth: David, a 34-year educator, opens himself up to criticism, deconstruction, recombination and more as he offers his ideas and an occasional widget.
24. Drape’s Takes: Darren Draper is the director of technology services for the Canyons School District. This blog contains his takes on the world of educational technology.
25. edu.blogs.com: Ewan is one of Europe’s foremost experts in digital media for public services, particularly in education.
26. Ideas and Thoughts: Dean Shareski is a digital learning consultant with the Prairie South School Division in Moose Jaw, SK, Canada. He specializes in the use of technology in the classroom.
27. Leigh Blackall: Leigh specializes in developing open educational resources and practices, facilitating online courses, and developing educational uses of social media.
28. OLDaily: Stephen Downes works for the National Research Council, Institute for Information Technology, in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. He specializes in online learning, content syndication, and new media.
29. Open Thinking: Dr. Alec Couros is a professor of educational technology and media at the Faculty of Education, University of Regina.
30. The Fischbowl: Karl Fisch currently is the Director of Technology at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado.
31. The Strength of Weak Ties: David Jakes’ interests in educational technology include digital storytelling, the application of geography-based systems for learning, and developing online communities of learning through blogging, wiki and other connective technologies.

On the Ground

32. Blogging About The Web 2.0 Connected Classroom: Steven Anderson is a teacher, and he was one of the first recipients of the NOW Award, recognizing the “Movers and Shakers” in the world of Social Media at the 2009 #140 Conference in Los Angeles.
33. Educational Technology: Ray Schroeder, Professor Emeritus, University of Illinois at Springfield, has published this blog daily since 2002.
34. EduWonk: Delivering educational news, analysis and commentary since 2004. Andrew Rotherham is the writer, and he is co-founder and publisher of Education Sector, as well.
35. Electronic Frontier Foundation: EFF is a small, grassroots legal advocacy nonprofit supported by member contributions. They provide pro bono legal assistance in cases where they believe they can help shape the law.
36. Free Technology for Teachers: Richard Byrne, a Google-certified teacher, offers reviews of free technology resources and how teachers can use them.
37. iLearn Technology: This is an edublog about integrating technology into the classroom.
38. Infinite Thinking Machine: Through an active blog, an Internet TV show, and other media resources, the ITM shares a “bazillion practical ideas” for turning the infinite universe of information into knowledge.
39. Information Wants To Be Free: Meredith Farkas is head of Instructional Initiatives at Norwich University in Vermont and is an adjunct faculty member at San Jose State University’s School of Library and Information Science.
40. mLearnopedia: Judy Brown has been involved in technology for learning for over 25 years and with mobile learning since 1996. She currently works on mobile learning with the Immersive Learning Technology Team at ADL.
41. Moving at the Speed of Creativity: Wesley Fryer is a digital learning consultant, author, digital storyteller, educator and change agent. He uses this particular blog to teach others about available resources and how to use them.
42. Nik’s Learning Technology Blog: You can find tips, resources and teaching materials to help EFL and ESL teachers use ICT and new technology at this blog.
43. Ozge Karaoglu’s Blog: This blog is all about teaching and learning using 21st-century tools. Be sure to stay on top of this blog’s daily picks.
44. ResearchBuzz: This blog has been around a long time (since 1998), and it covers the world of search engines, databases, and other online information collections.
45. Teachers Teaching Teachers: This blog follows a weekly Webcast on the EdTechTalk channel of the WorldBridges network.
46. TechTicker: Mike Bogle, educational technologist at the University of New South Wales, offers a blog that’s all about educational technology, e-learning and emerging technology.
47. The Education Technology Blog: Jonathan Wylie, an elementary school teacher, focuses on relevant news for teachers who use technology.
48. The Rapid E-Learning Blog: Great tips for teachers and students on learning, learning online and on using online tools for learning.
49. The Whiteboard Blog: Danny Nicholson is a freelance educational consultant who focuses on the use of interactive whiteboards. This blog shows various ways to use those tools effectively in teaching and learning.
50. Using ICT in Further Education: Patricia Donaghy is an ICT Teacher in Dublin, Ireland, and her blog focuses on resources that are freely available on the Internet and which may be used in education.

Building a Personal Learning Network (PLN)

Over the past three weeks I've put a lot of time and energy into building my own personal learning network. And the thing I most noticed was that it takes a LOT of time and energy. At times I even asked myself, "Why am I spending time doing this? Is it really worth it? No one really cares what I think, do they?" Good questions, huh? So let me answer them...

Why am I spending time doing this?

The answer to this question is simple...because I'm desperate for resources and who better to get them from than experienced educators! Over the years I've learned that the best experts for teaching advice are other teachers. There are a lot of people who call themselves "experts" out there, but only those who have been in the trenches really know what they are talking about. Twitter is the best way to get ideas and to find out about new resources. But what do you do when your Twitter following is so small? That's simple, too...find people to follow. And so I did. I've built my following list from 25 to over 500 in the last three weeks.

Is it worth it?

I can emphatically say YES! I have learned so much from reading the posts of others and from checking out new websites, browsing blog posts, and reading articles. The more I teach technology classes, the more I realize how much I DON'T know. My Twitter "experts" have given me a greater wealth of knowledge in the past three weeks than I was able to accumulate on my own over the past three years. Worth it? No doubt!

No one really cares what I think, do they?

This is a tougher one to answer. A big part of me wants to say "Yes" other people do want to hear what I have to say. If I'm totally honest with myself, I must admit it makes me feel good when I see my "followers" number increase. I feel that tiny bit of excitement when I get an email that says that someone else is following me on Twitter. But is getting a huge list of followers my number one reason for spending valuable time building up my PLN? No, it isn't. In the big scheme of things...it doesn't really matter. And while there may be a few out there who think what I post is of value, that's not my main motive. So I guess my answer to this question is this...It doesn't really matter. Take that you evil ego!

In light of all this I've come to one conclusion: I'm doing this for me. I want to make myself a better teacher. Nothing else matters. After all, it IS called a Personal Learning Network.

So to all of you who are a part of my PLN...

Thank you!