Group items tagged

This has been a life saver in my computer lab.  I have created Symbaloos of websites I use regularly in my lab for each of my classes.  It has been especially helpful with my younger students who have trouble typing in web addresses.  

SoundTree Webinar from 2010 which discusses music education PLNs. The sound quality isn't the greatest, but it analyzes twitter, facebook, and other Web 2.0 tools and presents some really interesting information I would not have thought about. Would be great to find something more up to date.

Retirees maintain personal interests---just as commonly as non-retirees. The love of learning and being a part of community does not disappear once one has retired. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people 65 and older spend at least 2 hours per day undertaking leisure activities. This article explores the idea of shifting from professional communities of interest to personal communities of interest in retirement and discusses PLNs in retirement that usually consist of friends and family members. The author focuses on the usage of social media for retirees to keep connected with one another.

In this peer-reviewed article by researcher, Gail Dickinson, she begins by offering a anecdote about copier techicians and how in their initial practice, they did not have a network of technicians to share their craft with. The body of knowledge they observed through trial and error was vast, so they developed a network of like individuals to share and grow their knowledge beyond previously perceived capacity. Dickinson then makes a close analogy between these techicians and the current state and practice of librarians on the topic of publishing. Quick good article.

Free online course to help web authors and designers understand Web accessibility

A great resource for storytelling on the web.

PLN have been around forever but now we use technology to help increase those who can be involved. Most of the Personal Learning Networks are online and we can communicate with others from around the world. This article gives examples of how to use a PLN and how to build your own.

I liked the video clip that showed how networking can be beneficial. Simple video that explains it for people like me who are new the world of PLN's.

I like the chart of resources. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around all of the social media tools available out there on the Internet, so the chart in this blog post is helpful. Thanks!

Examination of how learning has evolved in the digital age. For example, engagement with learning content has changed from the student acquisition of knowledge through books to the interaction with content via the internet.

I love how this article demonstrates connectivism. Email wasn't just born, it was born out of the idea of the world wide web. From there came other email applications. It is so true and I think so easily forgotten.

This article draws a link between personal learning networks and connectivism. The author states that "PWTs allow learners to expand their capacity for knowledge by connecting to external resources", which is one of the principles of connectivism. A variety of personal learning networks are also described.

This tool helps me find some other social learning tools and helps define what a PLN is. It's a concept that I've always worked with and used, but never had a definite term for.

I like the idea of how a PLN's component parts can include (what the authors call) personal web technologies (PWTs). The authors feel that PWTs are especially unique because they create "a continuous, dynamic learning environment for individuals as they move from one role to the next." It is this special property of PWTs that gives individuals the power to "manage their own learning resources." The authors also briefly draw an interesting connection between PWTs and connectivism, but it isn't explored in depth. They do offer an in depth discussion of PWTs shortcomings and potential disadvantages. I especially like their warning that "learners who use PWTs must learn to question sources, verify information, compare and contrast various perspectives and become more independent."

Communities of Practice and Social Learning Theory related to First Year Experience type programs in Higher Ed.

This slide share touches on what social learning is.  It suggests that people learn a great deal of information on their own and in their own manners--sometimes just by talking to others.  It focuses on the need for a tool or web software that promotes social and informal learning but still takes into account data privacy and security.   

This is a link to a PDF of a paper that supports the theory that connectivism leads to a new conception of learning in which formal, non-formal, and informal learning should all be integrated to build lifelong learning activities in a "personal learning environment".

This amazing resources has links to a slew of over 85 art and technology resources on the web dealing not just with art education but also museum education and visual culture.

Internet resources to organize students, encourage student collaboration, take notes, and prepare for exams.

This is one of the few resources I decided to use that was not found at scholar.google.com but rather a simple Google search. I choose this power point because it breaks down Personal Learning networks in digestible pieces easy to understand. Within the presentation Pam does a great job establishing the importance for teachers themselves to establish their own PLN's to not only benefit themselves but also their students that will be learning from them as well. She goes on to describe what a PLN is and the benefits they offer. What I like most about Pam's presentation is that she includes ways to set up popular PLN's from scratch such as RSS readers, blogs, twitter, and professional networks as well. The quick points and step by step processes made this a standout resource for me when learning about personal learning networks.

FYI I couldn't get you link to work Jason might need to fix it.

Summary: This thesis paper explores Connectivism theory and the instructional tools that support that theory. It also explores how college educators can access specific Web 2.0 and LMS tools in order to create a learner centred course or course work. The paper explains what Connectivism is and how certain technology tools or resources support this theory. The author cites Siemens and Prensky as well as other leading Connectivists.

This blog post (linked to the book, Digital Habitats) discusses creating ones "personal technology configuration," which is a topic we'll be covering later in the semester. The author describes the tools in his "PTC" that he uses to "close triangles" (aka- network individuals to one another; Skype, LinkedIn), share information (blogs, Twitter), and curate information (tagging). Personal identity on the web is an important aspect of developing PLNs and CoPs.

I like how he has coined the phrase "network weaving practices", and also shows how he "weaves" in and out of other networks by using three different PLN configurations: closed triangles, sharing information, and curating resources.

I've never heard of this before with that term. I know it because of the general idea. I think it it great to weave our thoughts and information together with other professional. Teachers love to use materials and ideas from other and this would help make it easier to collaborate with them.

This website, from the University of Houston, provides links to a categorized array of Web 2.0 learning tools in line with 21st century skills. It is quite thorough and provides great options for technology integration for specific types of tasks.