I'm not really sure what I expected out of EDTECH 543. I knew it would address social networking, I just wasn't sure in what context. I definitely didn't expect to gain as much from it as I have.
One thing I realized very quickly is that social networking doesn't appear to be perceived as appealing to the elementary level. The reason I say this is that until now, the EdTech classes that I have taken seem to have had a balance between primary, secondary, and post-secondary level teachers. This course however, was primarily those with an interest in secondary or post-secondary education. Because of this, the personal learning network I participated in was small. We were the only two members of the class representing elementary classrooms. This surprised me somewhat, mostly because I consider myself to be open-minded to the idea of utilizing social media in the classroom, even at the elementary level.
It is going to be difficult for me to take some of the things I have learned back into the classroom for a couple of reasons. The first reason is social media policies. Many social networking platforms have rules that state children must be of a certain age to establish an account. This can be avoided by having students participate in a classroom account in which their identities are not tied directly to the account. Twitter does not have an age restriction to join, however I don't think I would recommend anyone at the elementary level to allow each student in their class to create individual Twitter accounts. Students this young are still learning the basics of digital citizenship and netiquette and it may be better for them to develop these skills in a group setting. The other reason it will be difficult to incorporate in my school is because many social networking platforms require students to have an email address to register. In my school district, students do not have access to personal email accounts until they are in the sixth grade. This limits some of the sites that students may participate in.
The greatest take away I have from EDTECH 543 is everything I have learned about Twitter and its professional development opportunities. Participating in Twitter chats has been one of the most chaotic, yet rewarding things I've learned in the EdTech program so far. I am hoping to introduce my coworkers to Twitter and encouraging them to actively build their own personal learning networks.
I feel like I have taken major steps this summer to building my own personal learning network. I have connected with other educators from around the country, as well as many from Montana as well. This is beneficial because the state of Montana has adopted the Common Core State Standards and augmented them to include aspects required by the state constitution. I look forward to continuing to utilize social networking for professional development purposes.
The blogging process has been beneficial to my progression in this course as well. It has allowed me to create, share, and reflect upon my learning throughout the course. I have incorporated creativity into my posts in the form of metaphors and artwork. Because I have embraced all of the activities we have been asked to incorporate into our blogs this semester, I propose a grade of 75/75 for my personal content.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Reflecting on My Learning - EDTECH 542
This semester has been eye-opening for me in terms of the big idea of
project-based learning. At the beginning of the semester, I came in
with what I thought was a background in PBL implementation and expected
to learn how to better develop PBL units. I quickly discovered that the
definition of PBL was actually thematic units and that true PBL should
be focused on a problem that needs to be addressed guided by a driving
question. I think that making this realization right away helped me to
open my mind to learning as much as I could about the development of PBL
units. I had no idea that the process of planning PBL was so
intensive. I have learned how to plan a project step by step from
developing driving questions, to creating assessments that evaluate
standards, to developing opportunities for reflection throughout the
project and upon project completion. I learned so much more than I
thought I would at the beginning of the course because I realized up
front that I didn't know as much as I thought I did.
I think my strongest understanding of project based learning now is the purpose behind it. I now know that the core of any PBL unit is the driving question which focuses on a problem that needs to be solved. All phases of a project should tie back to the driving question in an attempt to address or answer it. For me, the most difficult part of PBL to incorporate is assessment. Making sure that adequate formative and summative assessments are part of the project and ensuring that all standards are assessed at some point in the project is a very complex process. I feel like I am prone to forgetting something when planning assessment.
This school year, my school will again be incorporating PBL Fridays. While this means that our integration of PBL is not a constant, I think it is still a good start in the process. I think there are many teachers in my school operating with the same misunderstanding of PBL that I had coming into this course. I have been in communication with my principal throughout the summer about the things I have learned in this course and we hope to establish professional development opportunities for staff utilizing resources from the BIE website. I look forward to assisting others to develop a skills-set in PBL as I continue to develop mine.
I think my strongest understanding of project based learning now is the purpose behind it. I now know that the core of any PBL unit is the driving question which focuses on a problem that needs to be solved. All phases of a project should tie back to the driving question in an attempt to address or answer it. For me, the most difficult part of PBL to incorporate is assessment. Making sure that adequate formative and summative assessments are part of the project and ensuring that all standards are assessed at some point in the project is a very complex process. I feel like I am prone to forgetting something when planning assessment.
This school year, my school will again be incorporating PBL Fridays. While this means that our integration of PBL is not a constant, I think it is still a good start in the process. I think there are many teachers in my school operating with the same misunderstanding of PBL that I had coming into this course. I have been in communication with my principal throughout the summer about the things I have learned in this course and we hope to establish professional development opportunities for staff utilizing resources from the BIE website. I look forward to assisting others to develop a skills-set in PBL as I continue to develop mine.
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Project-Based Learning: Post Project Reflection
Reflection is a major part of any teaching process, so it is no surprise that it is an important aspect of project-based learning. Reflection allows teachers to look back on lessons or certain aspect of lessons to think about what parts were successful and which were not. This allows the opportunity to change necessary elements of a lesson to improve upon the student learning experience.
Who will be involved in the reflection process?
To reflect on my PBL unit "The Wood Chips have to Go", it will be necessary to involve a few different key groups in the process. The first, most obvious group of people who will be involved are the students. They are the key players in the lesson implementation, and their feedback on each step of the unit is key in targeting specific areas that worked or need improvement. Other people who should be involved in the reflection process would be the principal and vice principal of Pine Butte Elementary, and the superintendent and school board of Colstrip Public Schools. They are the audience for student presentations and ultimately, the people who will decide if the work the students have completed in this project can move into action or if the playground will maintain the status quo. Teacher reflection is also an important component of this process, as the teacher is the main facilitator of the project and has observed each phase being carried out by students and areas that need to have additional support.
What will the reflection process look like?
The overall process of reflection will involve a lot of group discussion and conversation. Students sharing their thoughts with the teacher in a group format will allow students to agree/disagree with one another to come to a consensus about areas that should be targeted for improvement or left alone. It also allows students the opportunity to focus on their own engagement in the unit and learning process to identify whether or not they applied themselves like they feel they are capable of. Following the group discussion after project completion, the students will create a final learning log entry reflecting upon their engagement and establishing goals for themselves for future projects. In including school administrators and school board members in the reflection process, I think it is important that they engage with students in a face-to-face scenario as well. The students presented their issues and proposed solutions in that manner and deserve the same in response. Finding time to have all of the administrators present at one time may be difficult to accomplish outside of the night of the presentation, but if it is not possible, the conversation can happen at multiple times with only a few members of the administrative team present each time. Teacher reflection will occur throughout all of these discussions as information is gathered from students and administrators. This information should be recorded in the teachers reflection log that has been established and used throughout the unit so that it can be accessed for future project planning.
Is this just a one-time assessment?
This exact assessment will only occur one time, as this project is not one that can be replicated year after year in the same form. The playground surface will not need to be changed each year. Depending upon the result of this project, a few different scenarios could occur. The first scenario presents a situation in which the work of the students in this project starts a process in which the playground surface will be changed. In this instance, further work will need to be completed for students to assist in the process of fundraising and seeing the project through to the finish. If this were to occur, a similar reflection process would be completed once the playground surface had been changed. In following years, students may engage in projects to maintain the playground to ensure it creates a fun and safe environment for the students at PBES. A second scenario would result in school administrators deciding that the wood chips on the playground will remain in tact as the surface. In this case, students will not be able to pursue this exact project further. However, it is important to impress upon students that just because they were not successful in this attempt does not mean that all attempts at change will be unsuccessful. Future projects may see the targeting of other areas in which the school or community could be improved and creating plans to seek necessary change. If this were to occur, similar reflection methods could be utilized in the process as well, involving appropriate school and community members as necessary.
Who will be involved in the reflection process?
To reflect on my PBL unit "The Wood Chips have to Go", it will be necessary to involve a few different key groups in the process. The first, most obvious group of people who will be involved are the students. They are the key players in the lesson implementation, and their feedback on each step of the unit is key in targeting specific areas that worked or need improvement. Other people who should be involved in the reflection process would be the principal and vice principal of Pine Butte Elementary, and the superintendent and school board of Colstrip Public Schools. They are the audience for student presentations and ultimately, the people who will decide if the work the students have completed in this project can move into action or if the playground will maintain the status quo. Teacher reflection is also an important component of this process, as the teacher is the main facilitator of the project and has observed each phase being carried out by students and areas that need to have additional support.
What will the reflection process look like?
The overall process of reflection will involve a lot of group discussion and conversation. Students sharing their thoughts with the teacher in a group format will allow students to agree/disagree with one another to come to a consensus about areas that should be targeted for improvement or left alone. It also allows students the opportunity to focus on their own engagement in the unit and learning process to identify whether or not they applied themselves like they feel they are capable of. Following the group discussion after project completion, the students will create a final learning log entry reflecting upon their engagement and establishing goals for themselves for future projects. In including school administrators and school board members in the reflection process, I think it is important that they engage with students in a face-to-face scenario as well. The students presented their issues and proposed solutions in that manner and deserve the same in response. Finding time to have all of the administrators present at one time may be difficult to accomplish outside of the night of the presentation, but if it is not possible, the conversation can happen at multiple times with only a few members of the administrative team present each time. Teacher reflection will occur throughout all of these discussions as information is gathered from students and administrators. This information should be recorded in the teachers reflection log that has been established and used throughout the unit so that it can be accessed for future project planning.
Is this just a one-time assessment?
This exact assessment will only occur one time, as this project is not one that can be replicated year after year in the same form. The playground surface will not need to be changed each year. Depending upon the result of this project, a few different scenarios could occur. The first scenario presents a situation in which the work of the students in this project starts a process in which the playground surface will be changed. In this instance, further work will need to be completed for students to assist in the process of fundraising and seeing the project through to the finish. If this were to occur, a similar reflection process would be completed once the playground surface had been changed. In following years, students may engage in projects to maintain the playground to ensure it creates a fun and safe environment for the students at PBES. A second scenario would result in school administrators deciding that the wood chips on the playground will remain in tact as the surface. In this case, students will not be able to pursue this exact project further. However, it is important to impress upon students that just because they were not successful in this attempt does not mean that all attempts at change will be unsuccessful. Future projects may see the targeting of other areas in which the school or community could be improved and creating plans to seek necessary change. If this were to occur, similar reflection methods could be utilized in the process as well, involving appropriate school and community members as necessary.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Social Networking in the Elementary Classroom
Social media in the classroom can be a taboo subject at any level. At the elementary level, this is especially true because of the age and ability levels of the students. While it is absolutely possible for a variety of social networking tools to be utilized in elementary classrooms, I found it somewhat difficult to find examples of their integration with this age-group.
I have become an advocate of the use of social media in elementary classrooms as a result of my experiences with social networking in EDTECH 543 this semester. As I researched integration examples and social networking criteria, I came across an Edutopia article by Beth Holland (2013) in which communication through social media is compared to the thank-you notes and friendly letters of previous generations. Putting social media into this perspective gives it even more relevance and importance at the elementary level. Students cannot be expected to just participate and know how to interact with others and with content on networking sites. They must be taught at a young age so that responsible practices become second nature.
In looking for examples of social media integration, the social network that appeared most often through my search was Twitter. Twitter is utilized in many elementary classrooms as a method for students to reach out to the world as a class to share, communicate, and collaborate with parents, other classes, authors, and other experts in content material.
I was able to find a couple of examples of Facebook used in elementary classrooms, but not as many as with Twitter. The focus of Facebook's use in the elementary classroom seems to be for parental communication and updates. There was some interaction with others beyond home and school mentioned in the examples, but it was not the primary focus of its integration.
While searching examples, I was able to learn about a new social media platform that I had never heard of, called ELGG. What made this example and platform stand out to me was its approach to social networking from a walled garden perspective. Because protection of student privacy is of utmost concern when social media is considered, this may be a good compromise for schools not yet ready to introduce students to other social media platforms. The classes set up in ELGG are given the ability to blog, comment, and interact with other students, but only within their class. They are still able to practice digital citizenship and 21st century skills, just on a smaller scale.
The most common theme I noticed throughout all of the examples is the emphasis on keeping students safe. Student permissions varied from allowing the use of first names and posting of student photos, to examples in which both of these things were withheld and all information was presented from a class moniker. No matter where along the spectrum the examples fell, they all do everything necessary to ensure students are protected from inappropriate content at all times. I believe this to be an important first step in teaching students to use social media in a safe and beneficial manner.
Here is the link to my curated content on social networking in the elementary classroom.
References:
Holland, B. (2013). Introducing social media to elementary students. Edutopia. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introducing-social-media-lower-elementary-beth-holland
I have become an advocate of the use of social media in elementary classrooms as a result of my experiences with social networking in EDTECH 543 this semester. As I researched integration examples and social networking criteria, I came across an Edutopia article by Beth Holland (2013) in which communication through social media is compared to the thank-you notes and friendly letters of previous generations. Putting social media into this perspective gives it even more relevance and importance at the elementary level. Students cannot be expected to just participate and know how to interact with others and with content on networking sites. They must be taught at a young age so that responsible practices become second nature.
In looking for examples of social media integration, the social network that appeared most often through my search was Twitter. Twitter is utilized in many elementary classrooms as a method for students to reach out to the world as a class to share, communicate, and collaborate with parents, other classes, authors, and other experts in content material.
I was able to find a couple of examples of Facebook used in elementary classrooms, but not as many as with Twitter. The focus of Facebook's use in the elementary classroom seems to be for parental communication and updates. There was some interaction with others beyond home and school mentioned in the examples, but it was not the primary focus of its integration.
While searching examples, I was able to learn about a new social media platform that I had never heard of, called ELGG. What made this example and platform stand out to me was its approach to social networking from a walled garden perspective. Because protection of student privacy is of utmost concern when social media is considered, this may be a good compromise for schools not yet ready to introduce students to other social media platforms. The classes set up in ELGG are given the ability to blog, comment, and interact with other students, but only within their class. They are still able to practice digital citizenship and 21st century skills, just on a smaller scale.
The most common theme I noticed throughout all of the examples is the emphasis on keeping students safe. Student permissions varied from allowing the use of first names and posting of student photos, to examples in which both of these things were withheld and all information was presented from a class moniker. No matter where along the spectrum the examples fell, they all do everything necessary to ensure students are protected from inappropriate content at all times. I believe this to be an important first step in teaching students to use social media in a safe and beneficial manner.
Here is the link to my curated content on social networking in the elementary classroom.
References:
Holland, B. (2013). Introducing social media to elementary students. Edutopia. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introducing-social-media-lower-elementary-beth-holland
Friday, July 18, 2014
Social Media Policies for CPS
It is difficult to propose a list of policies that my school district might incorporate without having input from others in the district. I know that there are many in the district who are not fond of, or do not understand the nature of, social media use in the classroom, so it would be beneficial to have them present for discussion. Obviously, this is a suggested list, not actual policy implementation, but I wanted to share this notion before beginning my list.
Also, last year I served on our district technology committee, and at a meeting, one of our school board members expressed an extreme distaste for Facebook and suggested that we develop a "Facebook policy". While I'm assuming that this insinuated banning Facebook, I also realize that his desire to create a policy regulating just one social media platform indicates that he does not truly understand the nature of social media and all of its capabilities in the classroom. I think the development of these policies as guidelines could serve as a great way to start the discussion with school board members, administrators, staff, students, and parents in what kind of policy the district really needs to adopt.
With all of that said, here is my list of social media policies:
References:
Anderson, S. (2012). How to create social media guidelines for your school. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/how-to-create-social-media-guidelines-school
Baird, D. (2010). Using Facebook in the elementary classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/07/using-facebook-in-the-elementary-school-classroom-parents-students.html
Fisher, C. (2012). Creating social media guidelines for educators. Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/conferences/conference-daily/ac12/social-media-guidelines.aspx
Holland, B. (2013). Introducing social media to elementary students. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introducing-social-media-lower-elementary-beth-holland
Illinois School Library Media Association. (n.d.). Developing social media guidelines. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CGwQFjAJ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.islma.org%2Fpdf%2FDevelopingSocialMediaGuidelines.pdf&ei=BC_JU9zfJ-P9igLykYDYDw&usg=AFQjCNFDyJS15Px1EhqRLtfH4ngRyrsjwQ&cad=rja
Also, last year I served on our district technology committee, and at a meeting, one of our school board members expressed an extreme distaste for Facebook and suggested that we develop a "Facebook policy". While I'm assuming that this insinuated banning Facebook, I also realize that his desire to create a policy regulating just one social media platform indicates that he does not truly understand the nature of social media and all of its capabilities in the classroom. I think the development of these policies as guidelines could serve as a great way to start the discussion with school board members, administrators, staff, students, and parents in what kind of policy the district really needs to adopt.
With all of that said, here is my list of social media policies:
- Make social media use purposeful. Identify clear objectives and expectations for student outcomes, so that it is clear to students the role they are expected to take in social network learning.
- Staff members must engage in at least three hours of professional development in an online learning community each school year. If staff members are not utilizing social media themselves, it is difficult for them to stay up-to-date on current trends and policies of various social media sites. Using social media by engaging in professional development is an effective way to introduce new users to various platforms, and for experienced users to stay on top of changes.
- Always check the privacy settings of class and student accounts to be sure that student privacy is being upheld. Check settings periodically, not just upon account set-up.
- Obtain permission from parents explicitly for posting student photos online (The current CPS AUP gives parents the option to deny the school from posting student photos to print publications, and it assumes online as well, but does not explicitly state for online use. It is better to be safe than sorry!).
- Obtain permission from parents the level at which their student may collaborate online. Some parents may be more comfortable with their student participating with the use of a screen name or pseudonym.
- Invite parents to participate in social network groups created for the class. If parents are included in online discussions, they are able to see how their children are interacting with others online in a safe and beneficial manner.
- Give credit or attribution to sources in the appropriate fashion. Always respect copyright laws.
- Think before you post. Is what you are going to post something you would be comfortable sharing with a room full of people? If it is not, then it is best left off of the Internet.
- Safety first! Do not share personal information about yourself or other students. Types of personal information include full name, address, phone number, etc.
- Follow the "Golden Rule", even online. It is important to remember that the people you communicate with online are real people. They have feelings just like you, so be nice!
References:
Anderson, S. (2012). How to create social media guidelines for your school. Retrieved from:
http://www.edutopia.org/how-to-create-social-media-guidelines-school
Baird, D. (2010). Using Facebook in the elementary classroom. Retrieved from: http://www.debaird.net/blendededunet/2010/07/using-facebook-in-the-elementary-school-classroom-parents-students.html
Fisher, C. (2012). Creating social media guidelines for educators. Retrieved from: http://www.ascd.org/conferences/conference-daily/ac12/social-media-guidelines.aspx
Holland, B. (2013). Introducing social media to elementary students. Retrieved from: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/introducing-social-media-lower-elementary-beth-holland
Illinois School Library Media Association. (n.d.). Developing social media guidelines. Retrieved from: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CGwQFjAJ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.islma.org%2Fpdf%2FDevelopingSocialMediaGuidelines.pdf&ei=BC_JU9zfJ-P9igLykYDYDw&usg=AFQjCNFDyJS15Px1EhqRLtfH4ngRyrsjwQ&cad=rja
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Challenges with the Facilitation of Project-Based Learning
Will my role in the teaching/learning process change?
I like the comparison of the teacher as "guide on the side" rather than "sage on the stage" when considering the role of the teacher in project-based learning. Rather than being at the center of instruction and responsible for dispensing all information, the teacher is responsible for providing students with the tools and resources necessary to investigate topics and create their own understanding based on their findings.
What are the skills of effective facilitation?
In order to effectively facilitate, a teacher must plan ahead to effectively manage the project. An engaging entry event and a strong driving question will pique students' interest in the topic from the beginning. Strategic grouping will also support student learning. Recognizing students who would be effective and not effective in groups together and analyzing students' strengths and grouping accordingly are also important to guiding student success.
Will the students develop the competencies and skills needed to be successful?
In my project students will be able to develop the competencies and skills needed to be successful in a couple of ways. The first way is through the use of mini-lessons. Having the ability to search websites for useful information is going to be one of the most important skills for student success. Prior to expecting students to perform this task, it will be important to provide instruction on how to find information using preselected websites and search engines alike. Another way that students will develop skills necessary for success is through group work and support. Collection of information will be done as a group, and in this way students will support one another. Students who struggle with concepts like measurement, computation, or reading comprehension can work with others who have a stronger understanding. This allows the students to work on building skills with peer support.
What changes will you need to make in order to become an effective facilitator in your PBL unit?
In order to be an effective facilitator for my PBL unit, I will have to ensure that all components of the project are well-planned prior to the beginning of the project. During the project I will need to monitor student progress to ensure that students are meeting deadlines and that they understand the tasks that they are to complete. I will reflect upon student learning throughout the project and incorporate mini-lessons to guide instruction as it becomes necessary.
I like the comparison of the teacher as "guide on the side" rather than "sage on the stage" when considering the role of the teacher in project-based learning. Rather than being at the center of instruction and responsible for dispensing all information, the teacher is responsible for providing students with the tools and resources necessary to investigate topics and create their own understanding based on their findings.
What are the skills of effective facilitation?
In order to effectively facilitate, a teacher must plan ahead to effectively manage the project. An engaging entry event and a strong driving question will pique students' interest in the topic from the beginning. Strategic grouping will also support student learning. Recognizing students who would be effective and not effective in groups together and analyzing students' strengths and grouping accordingly are also important to guiding student success.
Will the students develop the competencies and skills needed to be successful?
In my project students will be able to develop the competencies and skills needed to be successful in a couple of ways. The first way is through the use of mini-lessons. Having the ability to search websites for useful information is going to be one of the most important skills for student success. Prior to expecting students to perform this task, it will be important to provide instruction on how to find information using preselected websites and search engines alike. Another way that students will develop skills necessary for success is through group work and support. Collection of information will be done as a group, and in this way students will support one another. Students who struggle with concepts like measurement, computation, or reading comprehension can work with others who have a stronger understanding. This allows the students to work on building skills with peer support.
What changes will you need to make in order to become an effective facilitator in your PBL unit?
In order to be an effective facilitator for my PBL unit, I will have to ensure that all components of the project are well-planned prior to the beginning of the project. During the project I will need to monitor student progress to ensure that students are meeting deadlines and that they understand the tasks that they are to complete. I will reflect upon student learning throughout the project and incorporate mini-lessons to guide instruction as it becomes necessary.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
My Personal Learning Environment
At the beginning of the semester, we were asked to share an image that represented our understanding of personal learning environments (PLEs). As my image, I chose a photo of a portion of honeycomb because of their interconnected segments. When we were asked to complete a diagram of our own PLE, I wanted to return to the overarching theme of the honeycomb, and naturally the picture that I have drawn above was the result. The bee is my representation of myself, and each flower represents a different aspect of the 'garden' that is my PLE.
As I was creating this drawing, there were a few things that I had to consider. The first was the nature of 'learning' that I wanted to depict. Naturally I would include all of the communities I have joined and participated in since joining the EdTech program, but scholarly learning is not the only type of learning that I engage in. Current events, trends, news of friends and family, as well as collection of information about my own hobbies and interests are all part of my learning as well. This is why I created two flowers representing Twitter; I have two different twitter accounts to keep my professional and school related tweets separate from other tweets. I have two Facebook accounts for the same reason, but when I considered how I use Facebook in either account, it seemed appropriate to use one flower for Facebook, but to categorize the petals by the different informal communities I have within the social network, as I tend to follow individuals on Facebook more than I do whole communities.
The petals of each flower ended up being an unintentional metaphor as well. As I was drawing each flower with eight petals, I thought to myself, "I can find eight communities or categories to include on each flower." But the truth is, I couldn't. The only thing I use Blogger for is my EdTech learning log. While I do read the blogs of others and contribute by commenting, there aren't any that I follow so exclusively that it warrants inclusion in this picture. So, I decided that it is okay that some of the petals are blank. There is always room to grow a PLE, and the blank petals serve as a great representation of that.
In analyzing the PLE diagrams of my classmates, I have come to notice a few similarities and differences among them. There are some common networks and sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., that are present in nearly all of them. They all also effectively illustrate the connectedness of each individual personal learning environment. Each social network or tool is its own entity, while at the same time is an important contribution to the "bigger picture". I like to think that one similarity all of the diagrams have as well as a little bit of each person's personality, as I know I included mine, but since I don't know anyone in class well enough to draw that conclusion for sure, it is only my speculation.
The differences in each diagram are also very dynamic. One of the most prominent differences I noticed between my diagram and those of my classmates is how we ourselves were represented in the diagram. In most of the diagrams I viewed, the learner is represented at the center of the diagram. This makes sense, as one should place themselves as the central point of their own learning, and the information is delivered to them. I never thought of this until I looked at the other diagrams. Instead, I made myself as the learner a mobile being that can go to each social network or tool as I need to to build my own learning. Another difference I noted was the level of depth of the different PLE diagrams. Some of them show the different social networks and tools and how they relate to one another and to the learners themselves, and some depict the networks as well as the different entities that contribute to their learning within that network. The final difference that I noted between my diagram and some of the others was the approach to the diagram in general. I approached this assignment as a diagram of my social network learning, and some of the other diagrams represent learning tools in a general sense. Sites and platforms used for research and learning outside of the social realm were present in the diagram. In hindsight, I may have to append an additional drawing to my original to expand my garden a little bit, but I think mine still gives a pretty good interpretation of how I learn.
It makes sense that all of the class' PLE diagrams are different. Everyone learns in different ways, and no two people have identical experiences. I look forward to continuing to expand my PLE, and reading about the thoughts of my classmates on this assignment as well.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)