Tweet Chat Reflection

The two tweet chats I participated in were both very different experiences.  The first was #web20tools which had a small group of participants. I really enjoyed this chat. After twenty minutes of tweeting I learned about several new tech tools to incorporate into my lessons. One tool shared called flipboard  I later shared with some of my colleagues the next morning. The other aspect I liked about this chat was being able to tweet with some of my 543 classmates. Since the group was smaller I was able to follow the conversation better.

The second tweet chat I participated in was #moedchat. This tweet chat was very active with a lot of contributors. The discussion covered Augmented Reality, which is a topic with which I am vaguely familiar. As a tweet chat novice I found it difficult to follow. One of the aspects I thought was unique about this chat is the members had a code for questioning and answering. Members contributed wonderful resources and comments.

Both chats offered participants a place to remotely meet with people all over the country. What I enjoyed about both chats is learning from other educators. I did have trouble using tweet chat and I am still not sure what I was doing wrong. I followed the hashtag on twitter and tweet deck. I think the best way to improve my experience would be to continue joining in tweet chats. I think it just takes a while to get used to the fast paced conversation. I plan on following the contributors from both chats. Overall, I have already recommended tweet chat to several of my work colleagues. What a great tool to stay up to date on the latest technology and teaching strategies.

Reflection the root of progress and change!

Being in education, I have done a lot of reflection. As much as self reflection can be a little daunting, I feel we can't move forward with change unless we reflect upon the past. Starting a new position as a librarian this year I found myself analyzing daily lessons, procedures, and technology integration. In some cases completely changing a lesson for the next class until I have it right. When I get stuck I fall back upon my personal learning network to find new ideas. After completing my school year reflection today I felt really proud of my accomplishments but also have a list of goals for next year. I think reflection keeps you fresh and driven to learn and set new goals for yourself. I have been worried about completing my masters program this year and wondering how will I stay current on new technologies and strategies. Through the creation of my personal learning network with Feely, Diigo, and Twitter I have current ideas with just a click.
I think the one visual that accentuates my growth in personal learning networks is my twitter page. I had a twitter account prior to this class with two followers and one tweet. Though this course I have realized what a great tool twitter is in staying current with technology, education changes, and library updates. Yesterday, I participated in my first tweet chat and learned about several new tools I could incorporate in the classroom in under an hours time. Just amazing! I have found for me Twitter is a great tool to organize all the subjects I am interested in contained in one place.

Social Networking is changing the Library

Being an old person, I remember when the internet was born. Over time I have witnessed and participated in connecting with people all over the world. Our current students have never known a world without technology. Social networking is an important component for student success. How does social networking affect the library? The answer may surprise you. I feel with all the responsibility teachers have with classroom curriculum and instruction they don't have the time to delve into social networking. As the media specialist, I have the opportunity to help students navigate through this technology world. I've  noticed that elementary students are just starting to dabble in social networks. More and more social network formats are gearing to our younger students. Many online or console games are linking students to each other through games. My school is going to Google Apps next year which will also change the way they collaborate with one another. One of my favorite social media tools for students is Edmodo. Edmodo is a great format to teach students how to communicate with each other online. This year I established some new lessons instructing students on how to be responsible digital citizens. I think these lessons go well with instructing students on pros and cons of social networks.

For myself, I don't utilize social networks as often as some. Not that I don't believe in the benefit of connecting with others. As an educator, I am more cautious of my digital footprint. Don't get me wrong I really enjoy connecting and learning from others on my educational social networks, but I am not an intense user of some of the more popular social networks out there.