Like all teachers, I've been using the summer as a chance to continue my professional development- I'm enrolled in an online graduate program for Instructional Technology (one year down, one more to go!). One of my current classes is called "Utilizing Networking and Communications Technologies for Learning" and my current assignment is about developing my PLN (Personal Learning Network). For the past couple of years, I've been okay to stalk blogs and gather insight from other teacher-bloggers, but now I'm finding that it's time to jump in and really become a participant myself. I've been sitting back and watching #edchat on Twitter, but now it's time to add my own tweets to the mix. I found #kinderchat and am participating in the #kinderblog14 challenge.
For school this year I have a few technology-related goals: one of them is to get a Twitter account started for my class so that we can begin becoming responsible digital citizens. We are going to continue blogging and connecting with other classrooms around the world as well as with our own community. I also want my students to become comfortable with the art of digital storytelling.
So, here I am, blogging world! What suggestions do you have for a kindergarten teacher to continue developing her personal learning network? I've expressed my goals. What are your's?
The one downside of being out of the classroom and operating my own family child care was not having the professional network. I was able to find a pretty good substitute online. I started blogging in 2006 about what we were doing (focused on communication for parents). Once I was blogging I started following (and commenting) other blogs. To really use time wisely meant setting up an RSS reader (was Google, now feedly). Then I opening a Twitter acct. so I could set up my Pinterest acct, (I 'm trying to tweet every now and then). The Facebook page for the business started because of parent request, but have connected with others in childcare through it also. Google + is similar to Facebook. I comment or like/+ any posting I find appropriate for my program. LinkedIn is for a broader professional point. I try to become involved in one LinkedIn discussion each week. My goal remains to spend 2 hrs. a week on my PLN. To help with that I have found it best to not follow the same people on every venue.
ReplyDeleteWow, sounds like you have really figured out how to make your PLN the best it can be for you! I've tried several different aggregators but haven't found one that I'd like to use consisently. I tend to use Twitter as an RSS feed though. Thanks for commenting on my post!
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