Professional Learning Network

Introduction

Learning about technology and teaching is an ongoing activity that you'll continue long after this course is over. Fortunately, there are many free resources online that will help you along the way. In this assignment, you'll spend time rummaging through online blogs about the latest and greatest learning technologies. These a wonderful resources that will put you in touch with new ideas for teaching and technology whenever you like.

The key technology that binds Web 2.0 together is RSS: Really Simple Syndication. Here's a video called RSS in Plain English that sets the stage.

Reading RSS Feeds

• View the video called Google Reader for Beginners to familiarize yourself with the features available.
• Read the Google Reader Getting Started Guide.
• Go to http://www.google.com/reader/ and sign in with your GMail account and password.
• Add some feeds for topics that are of personal and professional interest to you. Use the list of RSS feeds below as a starting point and find blogs and other news sources that are interesting enough to you that you would check them out at least a few times a week.
• Organize your feeds into separate folders and make at least two of your folders public (shared).

A Starter Set of Feeds You Might Like
K-12 Educational Technology Thought Leaders/Information Sources

• Will Richardson - Writes about Web 2.0 tools for K-12 kids
• Tom Barrett - A British technology-using teacher
• Free Technology for Teachers
• PBS for Teachers: Learning.Now by Andy Carvin
• Sylvia Martinez - Generation YES blog
• Liz B. Davis – Writes a “Two For Tuesday” that features the latest and greatest apps with suggestions for use in the classroom

 

Non-K12 oriented educational technology blogs

• Don Clark -- Writes about the role of technology in eLearning
• Ellen Wagner - Another like Don
• Jane Knight – Highlights eLearning tools as a “pick of the day”
• Tools for rapid eLearning
• Learnlets by Clark Quinn – Great posts on learning in corporate settings
• Clark Aldrich – Games and sims for learning
• Web2.0 Directory – Keep up with the latest and greatest in Web 2.0 apps

Other Ideas for Feeds

• CNN World News
• Wired News
• Try looking at the Blogroll of the given blogs and find some you like
• Try a Google Search for “educational technology blog” or refine it (but leave blog in there!)

Assignment
By week 2:

• Set up your Google Reader with at least 5 RSS feeds. Then…
• Create a new thread in the discussion board called MY PERSONAL LEARNING NETWORK.
• Take a screen shot of your own Google Reader and post it to your thread.
• In the same post, provide hyperlinks to your shared folders

Each week, come to class with one new Web 2.0 technology to share with a small group of 4.

• Tell your group how to access the Web 2.0 technology and what that technology does. (Note: You may need to sign up for a free account and give it a test drive! This is the fun part!)
• Describe for your group one or more ways you think you might use that technology as a designer.
• Then, as a group, decide which technology of those you discussed has the widest application – meaning everyone in the group could see using it for instructional purposes.
• Add any new feeds to your Google Reader that you see fit.

 

PLN Reports
Look on the schedule for the due dates of PLN #1, 2, and 3. To turn them in, SUBMIT a two-page report (NOTE: Submit it rather than posting to the discussion thread).
Each report must include the following:

• Page One: Summarize (500 words or less) what you learned from your group work and/or readings from Google Reader over the past several weeks. Include one or two new technologies that you learned about and discuss how they connect to your professional goals. In other words, how might they play a role in what you currently do or plan to do in the future as a designer?
• Page One: Relevant hyperlinks and images to link to / illustrate the technologies discussed in the report.
• Page Two: A screen shot of your most recent Google Reader screen. Use the circle shape with NO FILL (double-click on it to get the FILL area) or arrows to circle / indicate any new additions or feeds beyond those given to you above.

Evaluation
Each PLN report is worth 5 points. There will be 3 total (1 every 4 weeks over 9 weeks) for 15 points of your final grade. Your work will be evaluated on several aspects, including:

• Your choice and exploration of feeds. Provide evidence that you have gone beyond the list we given you and find new sources of interest to you;
• The clarity and thoughtfulness of your reflection, including use of hyperlinks and images to make the reflection clearer and stronger.
• The articulation of the connection between your reflection topics and your professional goals.
• Spelling, grammar, and mechanics (staying under the word and/or page limit)

One point will be deducted from each reflection for each criteria that is not met. In other words, failing to meet one criteria will get you 4 points, failing to meet 2 criteria will get you 3 points, etc.

 

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