Journal 6 - Grow Your Personal Learning Network (NETS-T I, III, V)

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network. Learning and Leading, 36(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/digital-edition-march-april-2009.aspx

Summary: In his article David Warlick describes the importance of creating an broad but effective Personal Learning Network, or PLN, that stretches beyond traditional methods.  In his description of Personal Learning Networks Warlick explains that there are three major types of Personal Learning Networks: personally maintained synchronous connections, personally and socially maintained semisyncronous connections and dynamically maintained asynchronous connections.  A personally maintained PLN utilizes synchronous connections and is the most traditional PLN.  Simply stated this PLN includes the people and places that one visits or corresponds with on a daily basis.  Text messaging is a tool that enhances this PLN.  The second type of PLN, a personally and socially maintained semisyncronous connections.  The key to this type of PLN is that it is semisyncronous, meaning that does not synchronize a user 24/7.  Tools that enhance this PLN include Facebook and chatrooms.  The final type of PLN, dynamically maintained asynchronous connections, gets a user in contact with sources that he or she feels is highly useful.  A person who utilizes this type of PLN uses aggregators, resources that bring information to the user.  After effectively describing the three types of PLNs Warlick describes the responsibility of a person with a strong PLN.  A person who actively utilizes their PLN both benefits for their efforts and provides an excellent learning tool for others.

Question 1: What is the importance of a PLN?

Answer 1: The importance of a PLN is indescribable.  An effective PLN allows a vast amount of learning to occur.  A user with a strong PLN is able to tap into resources that are specifically designed for users with similar qualities.  For example, I as a potential history teacher have begun to build a PLN that provides me with resources tooled for high school history teachers.  Thus my future teaching becomes more effective as I have an effective PLN.

Question 2: Of the three types of PLN which is the most important for an educator?

Answer 2: In my opinion the most important resource is personally maintained synchronous connections.  The reason I feel this to be important is because of working daily with a team of teachers.  While online resources such as Twitter and Diigo a user can find sources but in my opinion there is never any substitute for face-to-face time with a fellow educator that understands and lives your circumstances.

Journal 5 - Learning Connections: Find Free Tools and More (NETS-T I, II, III, V)

Ribera, M. (2011, March/April). Learning Connections: Find Free Tools and More. Learning & Leading, 38(6), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-and-leading/issues/Learning_Connections_Find_Free_Tools_and_More.aspx

Summary: In her article Maria Ribera, an ISTE intern and vice president for Assessment, Academic and Technology Services at Catholic School Management, Inc., in Madison, Connecticut, describes EduTeacher. EduTeacher is a free resource specifically developed for teachers, students, and parents by Adam Bellow. The resource contains over 1,000 links with more added daily.

EduTeacher is described as an excellent resource for a variety of reasons. The first most important reason EduTeacher is beneficial for those in the educational community is its array of links. Over 1,000 are provided for an audience that spreads the technological aptitude. Further an educator from any grade level and any discipline can discover a source that benefits them in the classroom. A second reason EduTeacher is beneficial is that it allows a user to read user reviews and post their own. This allows a teacher to determine if a site will be useful to them before exploring it. The third major reason EduTeacher is beneficial is that the site describes how tools not designed for classrooms can be repurposed for the classroom.

Question 1: EduTeacher is available for use on smart-phones. How is the design of an application for phones beneficial?

Answer 1: As previously mentioned in a previous journal teachers are not being trusted with a wide variety of technology in the classroom. The ability to have an application allows a teacher to access a resource in their fast-paced lives. Further having an accessible library of resources within the classroom allows a teacher to be more flexible and able to respond to different learning styles. For example if in the first period of the day students struggle with a concept a teacher can quickly discover a resource that teaches the material in a different way before starting second period.

Question 2: How has Bellow been able to develop such a beneficial library of educational resources?

Answer 2: Adam Bellow is the director of technology for College Board Schools. This position allows Bellow to come in contact with a vast amount of sources. Further one can assume that his following gives him feedback on resources he provides which helps him find the beneficial ones and ignore those that are difficult to use.