Fiona Beal introduces herself as a passionate educator who uses technology and her personal learning network (PLN) for professional development. She recommends teachers start a PLN by joining sites like Google Reader, Twitter, educational networks, and creating a classroom or personal blog. Maintaining a PLN takes ongoing effort but provides access to global resources and communities to support growth as a 21st century educator.
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PD in your PJs
1. PD IN YOUR PJS
How do you ‘grow’
yourself?
By Fiona Beal
Fish Hoek Primary School
fionabeal@gmail.com
2. Introducing myself
• Web 2.0 ‘fanatic’ and passionate about
combining the curriculum with technology
• Have taught Grades 1 - 7 and am now Computer
teacher at Fishhoek Primary
• Life was revolutionised in 2009 by blogging and
discovering a whole educational community ‘out
there’
• Winner of Innovative Teacher 2009 in SA. A
winning place in Pan African Finals which enabled
participation the World Finals in Brazil
• Textbook writer
3. Web 2.0: Amazing free, easy to
use interactive programmes
http://cooltoolsforschools.wikispaces.com/
4. They start young these days...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_zzPBbXjWs
5. Digital natives vs digital
immigrants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwKD-GuKkFc
6. Similar YouTube videos
• Vision of students today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o&NR=1
• Education today and tomorrow (Tom Woodward)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnh9q_cQcUE&feature=related
7. Things people are saying
Every teacher has the right to live in a cave.
However they do not have the right to drag
their students in with them…
9. Some statistics
*65,000 websites created every day.
*One website is bought out by a
company, and a similar one appear.
*Currently there are 535 600 web
tools, and more tomorrow….
15. Outcomes for this session
• To share my PLN (Personal Learning
Network strategy)
• To find out about yours!
• To get newcomers started on a
strategy.
16. What is a PLN?
Professional development for teachers can
now be a self-motivated, anywhere, anytime
event. The amount I learn each day often
astounds me and exhausts me! It is true that
the more you know, the more you realise you
don’t know!
(Kathleen McGleady on her Grade 2 blog)
22. Useful instructional blogs
There are a number of blogs that supply teachers with
excellent resources and ideas. I look at my list almost
daily.
• http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
• http://langwitches.org/blog/
• http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/
• http://ilearntechnology.com/
• http://cffmv.blogspot.com
• http://theedublogger.com/
51. Wikis
http://www.wikispaces.com/
•Collaborative website
•Easy to set up – no HTML required
•You have to join to participate
•Anyone can edit text if they are a
member
52. A wonderful Google Earth resource wiki
http://www.teachinghacks.com/wiki/index.php?title=Google_Earth_101_for_Educators
53. Web 2.0 / 21st Century Tools
http://web20-21stcentury-tools.wikispaces.com
73. A new trend in
conferences
http://edublogs.org/2010/10/01/edublogs-weekly-review-edcamps-and-teach-meets-a-new-
kind-of-professional-development
EdCamps, mostly in the US, and Teach Meets,
mostly in the UK, are popping up all over as a
new type of collaborative conference. In fact,
they are often called an “unconference” as the
attendees are the presenters and the focus is on
the needs and wants of those attending.
82. The Big Green Monster
A collaborative story between three nations
http://www.slideboom.com/presentations/78942/The-green-monster
Danvan in South Africa
Part 1: Danvan in South Africa
Part 2: Alexis in Canada
Part 3: Eleonora and Martina in Argentina
84. The Locket and the Treasure Chest
http://www.slideboom.com/presentations/77717/The-Locket-and-the-Treasure-Chest
A collaborative story between two countries:
The locket
Part 1: Chemar, Katbut and Lynpea (in South Africa)
Part 2: Holger, Nico P. and Joaquin R. (in Argentina)
By Chemar, Katbut
90. Our School classroom blog project
http://graderfishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade1fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade2fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade3fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade4fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade5fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade6fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://grade7fishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
http://musicfishhoekprimary.blogspot.com
91. Posters
• New ways of doing projects
• How to use glogsters (online posters)
Argentina link:
http://www.sanandres.esc.edu.ar/olivosp/extra
net2009/6to/glogster6to/index.htm
102. 1. Join Google Reader
Use Google Reader to keep everything neatly together and subscribe to
blogs and wikis you think will help you to grow.
103. 2. Use a Bookmarking site
Use one or more bookmarking sites to keep track of and neatly file
the interesting websites you come across. Look at other teachers’
bookmarks and possibly even share yours
104. 3. Join Twitter
Use Twitter create a personal learning network (PLN) of people who
inspire you. Share ideas. Give and receive advice.
105. 4. Network with likeminded people
Talk to like-minded teachers in your community, or converse with teachers
around the world via Skype.
106. 5. Join a social networking site for teachers
Join a site such as Classroom 2 to keep in touch with global
perspectives. There are many other inspiring social networks to join.
107. 6. Find an educational Wiki site that interests you.
Find a wiki site such as Web 2.0 Guru where you can add to your learning.
108. 7. Participate in Online Conferences for educators.
Engage in online Professional Development and conferences such as the
Educators’ Guide to Innovation site. They usually let you know the schedule
via a weekly email.
109. 8. Subscribe to newsletters
Subscribe to articles such as Tech Tools for Teachers newsletters .You will
find many blogs etc have subscription signs for newsletters which then
come directly to your email
110. 9. Watch online tutorials
Watch a video on any topic you’re interested in. Try You Tube for a start.
There’s also School Tube and Teacher Tube. Many teachers have whole
channels with all their videos on them. http://www.youtube.com/user/LearnitN5
Another interesting group is the Common Craft videos
111. 10. Listen to podcasts on topics of interest
Listen to educational podcasts on any topic you’re interested in. Take a look
at Virtual Classroom , EdPod, or Ed Tech Crew,
112. 11. Create your own personal or Classroom Blog
Use Blogger.com or Edublogs.org to get started on this exciting journey.
Self-reflective writing and snippets about your classroom benefit you and
others.
113. 12. Join a challenge
http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/2011/05/10/free-tools-23-wikispaces/
114. 13. PLN yourself – a great wiki
http://suewaters.wikispaces.com/
115. Some dangers to watch
out for
*Can rob you of your time
*Can become all-consuming
116. Tips for maintaining a PLN
• Remember YOU make the choices
• Have a separate gmail.com account for all your
subscriptions
• Start small with just a few blog subscriptions
• Organise your folders in Google Reader. Perhaps you’ll
have FAVOURITES, ONCE A MONTH, OCCASIONALLY etc
• Skim over your subscriptions and pause on the ones of
interest.
• Limit your daily time (or it will take over your life)!
117. I love this PD in your PJs thing!!!!
Don’t you?