Thursday, March 8, 2012

Blog Post #7





The Networked Student is a video on the implications of learning about a subject in a non-traditional way. Typically we have all sat in a classroom, took out our pen and paper, and listen to our teachers lecture. All the while we are day dreaming, doodling, and generally not paying attention. According to this video, all that could be a thing of the past. Students would utilize their personal or school computers as the classroom. Students would connect with each other across the globe without ever stepping foot in a classroom. Students would interact with teachers in a virtual setting. The teachers would be more like coaches and encourage learning through guidance instead of the traditional style of teaching.

These feats are accomplished through a well crafted PLN (Personal Learning Network) by students. This is a software that takes your researched web pages and compiles them into an easy and organized accessible database. Some examples of these PLN pages are SymbalooNetvibes, and Google Reader. These types of PLNs can include all the student's researched web pages or connections the student has made on the scholarly level. There are several different ways to customize a PLN allowing the student the freedom to evolve the information as new material is updated.

As I grow in this class each day my astonishment diminishes for each new readings. The technology currently available is vast, but it is limited by the users that are using it. The idea of not being in a classroom with my students is foreign to me at this juncture. In the future, this type of education would be much more common, I believe, therefor less foreign. As the technology grows in our classrooms, so should the teachers. Schools will need to put educators in place who will have the experience and knowledge to handle these new improvements. As current students training for this profession, I believe we should grasp these opportunities and lead our future students into the next millennium.





The power of this student's PLE is extremely impressive. The student has utilized the PLE in a manner that is beneficial to school and assignments. The teacher sets up certain assignments to be completed by the student or the teacher a lots the student time to work on existing projects. The student was able to use the connections created to contact professionals for feedback on completed or in progress science projects. The central theme, I think, to this post was the freedom to do well, while self-monitoring. The student in this kinda of environment was allotted an extremely large amount of internet freedom. With this freedom the student felt the weight of responsibility to focus on the tasks at hand, instead of carelessly traipsing through the internet. The given control over the individuals own work seemed to impact the student's desire to do well on assignments.

As for a comparison between this student's PLE and my PLN, I can honestly say I am at the Kindergarten level. I have just begun my exploration into PLN and PLE web pages. I am hoping though with a little more time and a lot more practice I will be zooming through my PLN much like this 7th grade student is doing. I will hopefully have good scholarly connections so my future projects benefit, much like this technical student.

2 comments:

  1. It's true that the feeling of unease will probably dissipate as this technology becomes more common Though I think it will never completely go away for anyone in our age group.In a little time your PLN will become much easier to access.

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  2. Thoughtful. Interesting. All from someone in kindergarten! :)

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