Creating a PLN

Personal Learning Network....Sounds Easy Right???

So, I thought to myself this shouldn't be too hard.  I am pretty connected.  I have a twitter account that I check occasionally, I have Facebook which well that may be a little more than occasionally, I have Instagram, I have a Google+ account, and well I blog now, so I am covered right?  WRONG.  I quickly learned that I had so much to do and learn about building and sustaining a PLN and nothing about it came easy or quick.

I was tasked with finding a twitter chat and actively participating, but what is a twitter chat.  After watching the video posted about it I started to feel a little more confident.  Basically a twitter chat is where a group with a common interest set aside a certain time to discuss a topic, network, and gain feedback through asking and answering questions.  My teacher was nice enough to share a schedule of twitter chats with us and I set out to find one that interest me.  Before I get ahead of myself lets talk a little bit about the platform you use to follow and engage in a twitter chat tweetdeck.  Tweetdeck makes things flow a lot easier you can add a column (see below) specifically for the chat where only post that use the # of the chat will be seen.  I couldn't imagine trying to keep up with the pace of the chat in the normal twitter view with other tweets coming in at the same time.  

The Chat that I participated in was #edtechchat.  Multiple questions were asked throughout the hour time span and responses began like a water fall, and by water fall I am talking Niagra Falls has nothing on how fast this chat was moving.  This was overwhelming to say the least.  as soon as a question went up within seconds the answers began pouring in.  It took me a few questions to get a hold of myself and start to make some sense of everything that was going on in front of me.  Anyone who used the #edtechchat appeared in my column.  

After the first two questions I saw the third question come in and thought ok lets give this a try and dive in and hope for the best.  I answered question three and much to my surprise my computer didn't blow up.  I was a little worried since it had been working so hard to keep up.  My response was short and brief, but got my feet wet and let me gain a little confidence about how this whole twitter chat works.

I answered a few more topics with some still brief responses.  

I started to really enjoy seeing the answers people were giving, it started to get me thinking about the topic in a whole new light.  One of the questions talked about what would you like to see in the future in devices.  Many responded with battery life.  I never really thought about that.  As simple as it is, but very important if you are looking at trying to put a device in each students hand.

As the chat ended I scrolled back through to review some things and found some people that were interesting to me, and people I felt I could gain from following them on a daily bases.  

I also found some other chats and groups that I believe can be useful for me in the future and added those as columns to easily follow the conversations taking place.

Man I am glad that is over

Like I said before the whole experience was very overwhelming, but one I am glad I did.  Yes I am glad that first experience is over, but by the end I felt more confident in using my PLN to participate in chats and gain vital information as I learn more and more about education and technology. In the future I plan to look for more chats and jump in where I can as well as try and find as many resources that can help me along this journey.

SAMR The Perfect Balance

Technology is every where and as educators we have seen an increase in the availability and use of technology as tools to enhance the teaching and learning environment for our students.  When I first started a class on technology and teaching I thought about all the ways I currently use technology in my instruction.  I find technology very useful when I am trying to substitute it in an assignment, or augment an assignment to make it easier for myself and my students.  Technology is not going away and we must find a way to embrace it and use it when necessary to the best of our abilities.  This leads me to SAMR.

To me SAMR is a perfect balance.  Somedays I just need enough technology to keep things running smoothly like a tall dark coffee, but then other days I want to make it fancy especially in the fall and spice my technology up to a pumpkin spice latte.  This is the beauty of SAMR you get to choose what best suits you and your content and fit it perfectly.  It keeps technology in education from getting so overwhelming.  I like to view the SAMR model as a continuum where you don't have to always aim to stay above the line as I have seen many articles describe it, but yet like a swimming pool where you explore and swim laps linking each portion of SAMR to your specific needs.  

https://www.thinglink.com/scene/672615962238779393

This is one of the best arguments I can make for SAMR.  It truly allows you to fit the technology to the content.  Not every assignment is going to need modification and redefinition, and that is ok.  Sometimes its ok to swim to the shallow because  treading water can be exhausting and when you begin to tire of trying to stay a float quality quickly begins to sink.  The adjustability of SAMR can be useful in any subject, and allows users to start out easy and move between the levels without becoming overwhelmed.

Enquire Learning

"Through merging enquiry with the versatility of the iPad and the range of applications this digital Swiss army knife offers learners, the doors are not only opened for redefinition, they are blown right off! A simple concept or topic can be introduced and each learner could take it in a different direction. Here's an example task - understand the principles of adaptation in animals. Having set their own enquiry questions, the learners are then set free to research, collaborate and present in any form they see fit. Rather than have all students complete an identikit worksheet or formal writing task, some choose to make iMovies, some make multimedia ebooks, some use Morfo or Puppet Pals or Explain Everything or - the list of potential applications grows daily." (http://www.ipadeducators.com/a-fresh-look-at-the-samr-model)

Isn't enquire learning really what we are striving for as educators.  Through redefinition the sky is the limit for students.  They are able to connect with peers and resources, and use technology in ways unimaginable.  It allows their creativity to shine, and puts the focus on the students strengths and how they learn best.  SAMR allows for this to happen.

Straight from the Big Dogs Mouth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6j8soDYoaw

In conclusion by letting the SAMR model guide you in diving into the ever changing world of technology educators can find ways to enhance the learning environment.  So pick up your type writer and chuck it out the window and open up the possibilities that our advancing technological world allow for.