Collaborative Culture

I was recently in a twitter chat in which we discussed ways for a person to expand their Professional Learning Network.  (PLN)  Many ideas bounced around that used technology to enhance a person’s resources.  There were those in the room though who preferred a more personal approach.  “Remember the times we used to sit at a table and have a reflective discussion on what we had done in our classrooms?”

I would love to help people understand that technology can be used to build a professional learning network so vast that any time they have a question it can be answered in minutes.  Sometimes I feel like technology and all of the vast PLN resources can overwhelm folks though; kind of like drinking water through a fire hose.  

I find many asking, “Where do I begin?”  For starters you have to know yourself.  What is it that interests you?  What is it you want to learn more about?  Then you need to determine how you feel most comfortable sharing information.  Do you prefer to sit at a table and talk with people, or do you prefer to get your information through literature and online discussion?

I think the trick to building a PLN is to find folks who share a common interest with you.  After all, it’s people – not products – that make a difference in our learning.  Perhaps equally important is to find some folks who don’t always agree with you.  In a true PLN we should challenge ourselves.  Sometimes the only way to do that is to purposely follow folks that will ask us that famous question, “Why?”

My recommendation on collaboration is to use Twitter.  There are several hash tags related to education.  By following these you can see many others who share similar interests and viewpoints as yourself.  You can also get involved in the chats that happen weekly if you choose.  Here is a weekly list of chats I try to participate in.  Keep in mind I’m an eLearning and engineering teacher.  All times are central.  If you follow new people be sure to recommend them to #ff so they can get other followers.

Monday: #sschat 6pm #flipclass 7pm

Tuesday: #edchat 11am #edchat 6pm #pblchat 7pm

Wednesday: #educoach 9pm

Thursday: #inlearn 7pm

11 eTeaching Tips

Last year I was an eLearning coach responsible for integrating technology into the classroom.  It was an exciting job and an excellent way to enhance my own professional skills.  It’s amazing what a little time to think can do for an educator.  This year I took a job as a STEAM TAP Mentor.  My new position presents new and unique challenges.  These days I find ways to integrate Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math into everyday curriculum.

One of the reasons I took the new job was because I’ve always felt that STEAM areas are where all of the content of classes come together.  Additionally, last year I learned so much more about student engagement through the use of technology.  As far as STEAM goes, many of these areas come together in engineering, which I also get the opportunity to teach again.  I’ve had several students begin to understand the importance of math for reasoning and how vital science can be to answer the question, “Why?”  Technology is becoming easier for students to use and understand its implications for learning.  Students are even learning the importance of communication in language arts classes because of presentations they develop for products they make.

One concept not so commonly thought out is how the arts integrate into learning.  So many times these courses take a back seat.  Many don’t understand that artistic expression and architecture fit together perfectly.  Perhaps, students have never thought about the social implications delivered in social studies and how they can impact the outcome of a product they create.  These are the things that excite me most.  

At the bottom of this you will be able to find a link to a presentation I put together to help teachers enhance instruction via the use of technology.  These are all things I have tried myself and seem to really engage the learner.  I tried to word most of them so they would apply to all who read them.  However, some were more specific to the need of my staff.  Hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a comment.

11 eTeaching Ideas