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Will Richardson explores this idea: "By pairing personalized learning and technology, a teacher can help students learn what they need to learn through the topics that interest them most." How does "personal learning" fit into the structures we have in school learning environments? 

Helpful look at some of the reasons we need to help students learn how to engage in online content through blended and asynchronous learning environments.

Linda Yollis, an award-winning 3rd grade teacher, made this video with her students to share how they have used blogs to learn the importance of connecting online with others online, about Digital Footprints and Internet safety, and sharing their voice. I think you'll enjoy it and hopefully think about the ways you encourage students to make their writing/learning visible and connect with others, whether it be a blog or an interactive online discussion. 

Debbie Morrison, Instructional Designer, describes how educators can develop a personal learning network (PLN) that supports meaningful and relevant learning. She makes a nice distinction between the PLN & PLE, which is the framework that is used as part of the development of the PLN. If you don't know what a PLN is or have difficulty trying to figure out how to create one, this post will be helpful. 

What is the relationship between synchronous and asynchronous experiences? The opportunity to learn more about digital literacy by treating both sessions as one continuous "meeting" helps define what digital literacy actually implies (the ability to move seamlessly within these various digital platforms to create one cohesive experience). How we define "meetings" is being transformed with the advent of the blending of synchronous and asynchronous experiences and I think will have a profound effect on education and professional development. What literacies will be needed to learn in these settings?

"NY Times writers collaborated with the Common Sense Media writer Kelly Schryver to focus on the increasingly important and nuanced question "Who Are You Online?" Times and Learning Network content as well as offerings from Common Sense Media's K-12 Digital Literacy and Citizenship curriculum for teaching and learning about this complex issue." Lots of avenues to take this material in working with students.

Good tips to reflect as you prepare/evaluate your online presence in a blended/online course. "The fundamentals that define a great teacher don't differ much whether classes are taught in the online setting or off, but there are certain things that need greater emphasis and gain greater importance when a teacher is working with students who aren't in a traditional classroom setting."

"Here is a collection of 12 free online quiz making applications. These apps will help you make quizzes for online use for free."

"This online program will assist you with learning and improving your typing speed!" - check out this program for your class/school. Free and inexpensive paid versions.

"This online program will assist you with learning and improving your typing speed!" - check out this program for your class/school. Free and inexpensive paid versions.

The post really points to the possible pitfalls of online courses. It also suggests the importance of examining & evaluating the effectiveness of online courses - including the teacher's pedagogy and instructional methods - and student receptiveness, level of engagement, and success in courses. The comments after the post provide a lively discussion. Blended learning seems to get high marks.

Nice explanation of MOOCs. This is a new wave in online learning and professional development. It emphasizes the power of networked learning, as well.

10 Points to consider regarding blended learning - the use of online course components in various dimensions in high schools and K-8 schools

Online portfolio for teachers - FREE. I would encourage especially pre-service teachers to consider using a tool like this to help provide something more engaging than the standard resume. One of my goals this summer is to use something like this or a blog resume to document my work, experience, skill sets, and learning. 

Great way to use a blog as an online resume. Margaret has done an exemplary job in her curation of her blog. Great to show for career classes & business. I'm thinking about starting to do something like that for myself!

Great presentation on the place/value of blended/online learning & the CA Open Campus Initiative. The Initiative was Federally-funded to develop the curriculum which is shared to schools that want to use it. Embedded in the HaikuLMS. 

"n Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens, Internet safety expert Nancy Willard provides you with need-to-know information about those online dangers and gives you the practical parenting strategies necessary to help children and teens learn to use the Internet safely and responsibly. "

This is an amazing solution for storing, sharing, and back up your data. The ability to access files from any computer & mobile devices makes this a great solution. Up to 2GB storage free! Learn more about the public folder to share files with others, while keeping your other files private. I have it on both my Apple computers and on two PCs. This rocks!

"What is a PLN? Why is it important? In module 1, I go over how to build a PLN and where to find teachers and people to connect with. PLNs can be built with people you meet at networking events, online, blogs, social networks, and microblogs like Twitter. This is the first module of a ten module series."

Talkwheel creates a visual roundtable collaboration platform to allow groups in enterprises, e-learning and social networks to interact more effectively than anywhere else online. -Enterprises use it to improve communication internally, as well as externally to engage their customers around different interactive focus groups.