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I like the discussion of empowered use. Someday our students will be using the Internet without our filters and without someone policing their movements. Will they know how to maximize technology for learning and productivity? Will they know what to do when they encounter a site that makes them uncomfortable? Not if we don't empower them now.

This website offers a software program that helps students write mathematical symbols, formulas, and graphs. The program is offered for free to students with disabilities.

This is my website where I seek to educate, engage, and empower teachers, students, and parents. Enjoy!

a. For the visual learners, this slide share gives a brief account of how we have gained information in the past and how connecting with others can build our knowledge bank. The second part provides ideas for building PLNs, specifically focusing on twitter and social bookmarking services.

This is a great visual representation of PLNs! After all of my article reading, and beginning to read a few other people's articles, it was great to see this and reaffirm my understanding! It also seems like it does a nice job explaining how to use Twitter and social bookmarking tools to get started. Thanks for sharing!

Empower your classroom with the best games, apps, and maker kits, including engaging lesson plans aligned to core standards. Explore, connect, & create. Join today!

This article by Stephen Downes provides a great insight into what an effective PLN looks like and how it functions. I enjoyed reading about his second stage of PLNs, which is the "personal learning environment." This idea is presented as the evolution of PLNs due to technology and connectivism in the classroom.

This article by Stephen Downes gives a definition of a community of practice and then discusses PLE's moving into networks and the characteristics of a learning network: diversity, autonomy connectedness and openness.

As I was relatively unfamiliar with learning networks before this course, I wanted to find resources that showed me what they looked like and examples of how they can be used. This article introduces the importance of using digital tools effectively and empower ourselves to gain the knowledge the web offers. The author states that "Learning therefore evolves from being a transfer of content and knowledge to the production of content and knowledge". Working in a network, PLE or communities of practice allow learners to be creative about information and knowledge, instead of just consuming information and knowledge. The article highlights the key benefits of a PLN: diversity, autonomy, connectedness, and openness.

We share evidence and practitioner-based learning strategies that empower you to improve K-12 education. http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration

Edutopia writer Vicki Davis discusses how PLNs have empowered her students to guide their own learning experiences. She discusses the weaknesses of PLNs and how they work.

While this blog posting from Edutopia does point to some "how tos" and practical application, it does offer key theoretical practices for setting the stage for applying the PLN model for student use. Vicki Davis, the teacher and author of the blog post, states that her students are familiar with breaking news due the development of their own PLN that acts as a "virtual locker." She goes on to discuss how their research builds the content of their PLN and the content changes based upon the assignment. The big idea is that the PLN model allows students to act as the orchestrator of their own learning and allows them to analyze information via an avenue that is personalized to student's learning needs. It also teaches students to embrace connectivism where they make connections between domains in order to form a more complete understanding.

The article goes into the role of a PLN for students. Students can create their own networks to possess information at their fingertips on any topic they could ever desire. By establishing a networking system, the students don't necessarily have to go out and scour the internet for sources when their network could bring relevant information to them.

Contains 4 math programs that allows teachers and students to create equations, drawings, graphs and statistical graphs on the computer. Offers EmPower Program that will give a disabled student a free 10-year license for these programs.

This is the government's take on Communities of Practice, and I included it because like it or not, it impacts many of us on so many levels. The National Education Technology Plan asserts that we need PLC's, and if you have never read this document, it is worth the read. It definitely furthered my knowledge when I read it in EDTECH 501. The bottom line is that because so many students have access to mobile technology, they are able to be a part of social networks. The goal is to harness this power and cultivate collaboration and engaging learning experiences. Its premise is student-centered learning where students are able to make decisions and choices that form their own pathway to learning.

Thanks for including this document. I was impressed to see the progressive views outlined with many strong and important points for changing our education culture. One of the main areas included the need to leverage technology to empower students and shift learning responsibility from teacher to learners. In essence we want to strive to create master learners, where students understand how to evaluate and gain the information they need as life-long learners. The section "Measure what Matters" I especially applauded, as I feel our extreme emphasis on testing is misplaced if we don't make sure the tests and measures are appropriate for what students need to know to be life-long learners. Do standardized tests even have a section about locating information and assessing its validity? This report started out with a short list of recommendations that included, "Be clear in outcomes we seek". I think this is an important point as we strive to embrace and utilize the growing potential of connectivness.

Since my life as an educator has always been about technology through digital imaging and design I wanted to find a CoP site that focused on technology. This resource supports technology as it is applied to communities of practice. I feel that it is a useful resource for educators within the technology sector.

Thanks Katelyn, Yes, I had to find a technology CoP for technology's sake and in the area that I teach. I don't think I could be more enthusiastic about the field of technology. It's very empowering.

This is interesting website that looks at different technologies and justify their use within CoP.

By Loertscher, David V. and Koechlin, Carol (2011). Check out the library at BSU for full text! Discusses each component of digital PLEs in greater details and provides a model that divides the PLE intro three distinct stages of development (each phase empowers the learner to manage specific aspects of his/her learning potential.)

A combination of PLN and connectivism that shows why we need this more than ever in education.

This is great. I really like the video format and how Johnson brought all of his ideas together and is really talking about connectivism. He never said the word, but he's talking about connectivity and innovation. He's talking about PLNs and CoPs. The video was very helpful

There is an office space in Fayetteville that I feel is built around this premise. The space is set up to facilitate connections and foster innovation. http://www.fayettevilleflyer.com/2012/01/24/the-iceberg-the-stage-is-set/

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier nonprofit organization serving educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world. ISTE serves more than 100,000 education stakeholders throughout the world. The vision of ISTE is a world where all learners thrive, achieve and contribute.

Socrative empowers you to engage and assess your students as learning happens. Through the use of real-time questioning, result aggregation, and visualization, you have instant insight into levels of understanding so you can use class time to better collaborate and grow as a community of learners.

TechSoup is a nonprofit that provides other nonprofits and libraries with technology that empowers them to fulfill their missions and serve their communities. As part of that goal, they provide technology products and learning resources, including articles, blogs, free webinars, and forums led by expert hosts are available to all users.

Under the curriculum link, I found "Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum for Grades 9-12" This FREE, pioneering curriculum is designed to empower students to be smart about how they create, communicate, and treat others in our 24/7 digital world. Browse the units to find the right lessons for your students.

The CLA supports educators, youth organizations and others to create meaningful social, interest driven, civic and participatory learning opportunities for youth. Watch the videos on the "Why Connected Learning" page of the website.

Great videos on connected learning. How do I get my school to that place? Very true, traditional learning used to take place within the confines of a school, but now we have so much more we can offer students. I passed it along to my admin, he has this line of thinking, but we need to encourage follow through.