What it means (to me) to be a connected educator

Education is a reflective practice. To become a better educator, one most continue to learn, grow, and reflect. Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) are fellow educators and resources that the educator seeks out and interacts with to learn and grow. Gone are the days that the only ways to connect with other educators was to talk to colleagues and attend conferences. An educator can now engage in professional learning through making connections anytime and anyplace through social media. Twitter has been particularly helpful in this regard, with Twitter discussions utilizing hashtags to allow for user participation. Additionally, Facebook Groups and Google Groups allow for people across the globe to connect in a more linear format. A question or idea is posted, and feedback is given through the form of comments. Though a hashtag may be used, it is not necessary to organize the conversation.

 I do engage in PLNs through social media on a regular basis. However, it is not the only way I consider myself a connected educator. I belong to professional organizations: Illinois School Library Media Association (state), Illinois Library Association (state), and American Library Association (national). I have attended conferences given by my state associations. I serve on the board at my local library, which is in the school district, which furthers the important connection between a school and its public library. I seek out opportunities to learn new things, both in person and online. This does expand my PLN. Social media platforms have allowed educators to grow their PLNs. However, it is important to remain connected to the community to be a truly connected educator.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We are here for you

Image
Today I attended the annual Illinois Library Association's legislative luncheon. This was my second time attending this event, and though it was the same place and mostly the same attendees, it was markedly different. Last year, most of the lunch was spent talking about the lack of a state budget. While the sorry state of the IL budget was reviewed, it was not the focus of the event. Me with State Senator Jim Oberweis February 12th, 2016 This year, the event was unexpectedly focused on the roles of libraries and librarians. My cup of tea indeed. Unsurprisingly, the legislators present had positive things to say about libraries and librarians. What was surprising, however, was their belief in the library as a "Cradle of Democracy" (Lankes, 2012). I recorded a few noteworthy quotes of the luncheon, however, I will first quote Andrew Carnegie (as one does when writing about libraries): "There is no such a cradle of democracy upon the earth as the Free Public Lib
Read more

Evaluating Tech Integration with the RAT model

Image
Inspired by: http://doverdlc.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-rat-samr-transformative-technology.html When evaluating the integration of technology, I prefer the using the RAT model.  R: Replace: Does technology merely Replace the analog version of the task? Using technology at the replacement level does not transform learning and may have a greater cost then benefit. For example, using a digital sort rather than a paper sort would be a Replacement implementation. However, if the sort allows for instant feedback, this would Augment the task and enhance the students' learning experience. A: Augment: Does the integrated technology Augment or change the learning experience? Using a word processor, such as the Cloud Computing App Google Docs, would Augment the task by providing spellcheck and other digital tools as well as the opportunity for real-time collaboration. Much of what we do with technology in the classroom falls in the "A" category. This technology probably enhan
Read more

Will Grayson, Will Grayson

Image
Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green My rating: 4 of 5 stars "i don't know what freaks me out more- that i matter to him, or that he matters to me." -David Levithan Where to begin? I love this book. It is one of my absolute favorites. It's called Will Grayson, Will Grayson because it is about two different teenagers named Will Grayson. David Levithan authors the Naperville, IL Will Grayson. Naperville Will Grayson lives with his mother, is not affluent (he works to help pay the bills), does not have many friends, and was just betrayed by Maura, his closest friend. John Green authors North Shore Will Grayson, whose parents are doctors, who does what is expected of him, and who tries not to get noticed. He fails at trying not to get noticed simply by being best friends with Tiny Cooper. Tiny is best described in the words of North Shore Will Grayson: Tiny Cooper is not the world's gayest person, and he is not the world's largest person
Read more