my ideas on networked classrooms

It was inspiring to read about how teachers were able to make the walls of their classrooms thinner by opening up to the possibilities of a networked classroom.

• What are the advantages or disadvantages of a networked classroom?

When I think of any disadvantages to a networked classroom, my biggest concern would be student safety. When you open up your classroom to the world, you must make sure that your students are protected. Whether it is a website, blog, or wiki, teachers have to determine at what level student information, thoughts, and images need to be protected. This website offers a guide for educators on how to protect kids online.

After you determine the level of privacy you are comfortable with for your classroom, the advantages of a networked classroom are endless! You can take your students around the world to places most of them would probably never have the opportunity to visit or learn about. By using a class blog, you can give your students the chance to publish their work in a way that just isn't possible in the traditional class setting. Collaborating with classes around the world has never been easier and more exciting when you consider the possibilities of Web 2.0 tools such as Skype and Google docs. By building my PLN, I am learning more about how to create a beneficial networked classroom for my kids.

• How can you slowly transition your classroom to become a networked classroom?

I think my first step to becoming a networked classroom is to explore using a blog with my students. I like this quote from the home page of Class Blogmeister-

Thousands of teachers have discovered the value of classroom blogging, both as an avenue for their communications, but also as a tool for giving voice to what their students are learning and how they are learning.

This link has some great tips for blogging with your students. And I came across this site to set up a password protected blog for your students.

• How could a networked classroom address the diverse needs of all learners?

Creating a networked classroom has the potential to connect your students to learners all over the world as well as learners just across town. By doing this, students have the opportunity to connect with others like them and find commonalities they may have never found before.

#s are my friend!

###############################################################################

I just have to say...I loo-O-oove hashtags! When I first started Twitter last week, I had no idea what they meant in the Tweets. Now that I understand how they work, it has helped me organize conversations to follow rather than feel overwhelmed by sifting through my feed. I absolutely see the value in following a # and using it to ask-and answer-questions, as well as focus your PLN.

Some hashtags I follow are: #ccchat & #commoncore (Common Core State Standards), #3rdchat, #teachchat, and of course #MBU543. There a couple I followed but quit pretty quickly because they were so "busy" that it was too difficult to keep up.

I just wanted to post my thoughts about this part of my journey. :)

###############################################################################

a timely Twitter post in my feed today

I just had to share this post that came up on my Google Reader feed today.

http://teachpaperless.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-i-suck-at-twitter.html

and the article that started the blog post-

http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20120304?pg=34#pg34

I thought both were timely and interesting.

Happy Tweeting!

understanding the value of Twitter

I created a Twitter account a few years ago to jump on the bandwagon hype when all the celebrities seemed to be competing for the most followers. After only a few weeks, I quit using it. In my busy life, I didn't see the value of checking in on the silly details of what Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, and NKOTB were up to.

I will be honest and say that when I saw Twitter was going to be a part of this class, I had my doubts. My only experience was the celebrity world of tweets and I wasn't sure what the value would be. When I logged back into my account, I first "unfollowed" almost everyone on my list. After visiting the twitter4teachers I was able to find other educators to follow that were active tweeters. It was easy to decide who to follow-and who not to follow- by looking in the top left corner of their homepage to see how many tweets they have created, and to scan through their recent tweets to see if the topics were of interest to me. If I found someone really helpful, I also looked at who they were following and who was following them to expand my network. I have also gone back to some of my favorite blogs to see if any of them have a Twitter link and I follow them there too.

In a search for more Twitter help, I came across a post from this blog http://www.thelandscapeoflearning.com/. Now I am following him.

Now my goal is to find the balance. I have already found myself spending a lot of time on my Twitter feed clicking links and finding more people to follow. Since I am on spring break, I have the time right now to get comfortable. I will have to take the advice from our earlier reading-set a time limit for myself...and don't feel like I have to read EVERYthing.

my Twitter name

This is not a full blog post for the week...obviously. But I wanted to share my Twitter name with everyone-it is heatherie73. Follow me :)

"Making Classroom Walls Thinner"

Wow. To say that the information in the first 2 chapters was overwhelming for me is an understatement! I thought I was pretty technologically literate, but the first two chapters made me realize how much more is out there for me to learn.

· On page 20, the authors described two snapshots. One black and white depicting the more traditional role of a teacher/student relationship. The second was a full color video of the same student not only learning from their teacher, but also interacting with teachers from all over the world.

· This quote from page 24 really spoke to me and how we, as educators, really need to get on board with all that technology has to offer in order to prepare and give our students the skills they need to function in this fast changing world: “What is defined as literate today may not suffice tomorrow, given the fast-paced changes in technology.” If we take too long to embrace the current, new technology is right around the corner to make us feel even farther behind.

· In the traits listed beginning on page 27 of schools immersed in global networks, trait 6 really spoke to me as an elementary teacher. The trait discusses how “students are safer” and how to go about teaching students beginning in the lower grades how to be safe when they are online including what information is appropriate to share.

· I appreciated how the authors spoke of having balance (p. 36) in this “constant access to information” world we live in. While I think this balance is SO important, I don’t know what I would do if I did not have online access. I feel strange if I go more than a day without checking my Facebook, Google Reader, Pinterest, email...everything. It certainly can get overwhelming to say the least! The “regular reflection” noted on page 37 reminded me that I need to weed out some of those Facebook pages that I “liked” a while ago that I no longer need to keep up with, as well as the MANY blogs in my Google Reader that either do not post anymore (or seldom) or just don’t fit my life interests anymore.

· I loved the tips on using Diigo starting on page 36. I came across my first website with sticky notes from other Diigo users. I looked up the website for the tree octopus http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ and saw several stickies on the page.

Chapters 1 & 2 were difficult for me to get through simply because I had to wrap my brain around all of the different tools and strategies mentioned. Chapter 3 was a breeze! I loved reading about the many different ways teachers have created wonderful learning experiences for their students through networked learning. I wrote down so many websites to check out...as soon as I get this blog entry posted J.

· I love the analogy the authors used on page 76 comparing teaching students how to make smart decisions when they get behind the wheel of a car and teaching them how to also drive on the web. “They have to know that almost all of the rules that apply to face-to-face conversations apply online as well.”

· I had the chance to look at the Creative Commons website http://creativecommons.org/about and read a bit of information. I am really interested in getting deeper into this topic. The librarian at my school always spends a few lessons at the beginning of the year (and sporadically throughout) talking about copyright. To be honest, it goes right over my 3^rd graders heads. As a future librarian and technology specialist, I want to find a way to explain this topic to kids at the elementary level that makes sense in their world.

· I appreciate the reminders and hints at the end of chapter 3 starting on page 81: it starts with you; start small; embrace uncertainty and failure; model, model, model; remember the goal. Oftentimes, I find myself wanting to jump right in to something new.

After reading these three chapters, I understand that this is a process I must take step by step for myself before I can begin the journey with my students.