As an educator, I need to keep up to date with all the innovative teaching strategies and tools. Technology is one ever-changing teaching tool.
Personal learning networks, also known as PLN, are ways for teachers to communicate and share professional ideas. By participating in PLNs, educators learn about innovative teaching techniques and up-and-coming tools. Through the use of Twitter and Diigo, I have had access to educational articles and news.
I have participated in Twitter, which is a social on-line networking system and blogging system that allows people to share ideas and thoughts. It allows people to text short messages of 140 characters or less, which causes twitter to be a fast and rapid network. My time using Twitter has been beneficial because I have learned more about educational concerns/issues that we face on a daily basis. I chose to follow other people who have special education interests because I work with students with disabilities on a daily basis.
Another PLN is Diigo, which is a social bookmarking website which allows signed-up users to bookmark and tag web-pages. I am following a diverse group of people, including people who are special eudcators to educational consultants to curriculum specialists. I chose to follow people who are from a broad range of expertise so I can learn from them. I have 'tagged' several articles that I found through Diigo that I feel are vital in education. The first article is a clip from a television broadcast of 60 Minutes. This show highlights the use of Ipads in the classroom, specifically, with students who have autism. My school recently purchased thirty Ipads for the classroom. Exploring new ways to reach children is important to me. The other articles I have tagged are related to social skills. Teaching social skills can be challenging yet fun, if prepared properly. Social skills are vital for every person to learn. Students with disabilities struggle with social skills more so than other people.
I joined Educators PLN, which is an online professional learning social network for educators to share ideas, videos, thoughts. I read a blog titled, The Power of Self-Reflection. This blog caught my eye because I actively participated in self-refelction during the first two years of teaching. I kept a journal, similar to the woman who posted the blog. I continue to reflect but on a less formal manner. It is true that we all get caught up in our daily lives, which can be overwhelming at times. I do see value in keeping a reflection journal for a couple of reasons. One can refect on that day, documenting thoughts and observatrions but also go back weeks and/or months later. I find myself reflecting most when a majority of students don't show the improvment I thought they would make. The first question I ask myself is; what could I have done differently? I feel that when a majority of students perform poorly, it is because of my actions, thought process, or presentation. This allows me an opportunity to re-do the lesson and strive for better results the second time around.
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