MD 4 Connectivism Mindmap

Social Networking Sites:  Facebook, Yahoo, Twitter

Personal Learning Networks:  www.simplek12.com  

www.teachingchannel.org

Correspondence:  Blogs and Wikis

People:  http://todaysmeet.com

How has your network changed the way you learn?

I was first introduced to blogs and wikis when I started with Walden.  They have allowed me to collaborate with other students and to build on the knowledge that I have about a subject.  Information is being shared in a collaborative setting.  I have created a wiki for my high school students so they can participate in class outside of class.   Networking allows me to experience learning other than in a traditional classroom setting, this is an experience that I would like to share with my students.  I also feel that this will better prepare them for college.    

Which digital tools best facilitate learning for you?

The digital tools that best facilitates learning for me would be blogs and wikis.  Blogs and wikis allow me to communicate and correspond with other students in my class.  Through wikis this correspondence allows me to correct my mistakes and critique others.  I also attend webinars on how to implement common core in the classroom with simplek12 and teaching channel.  These webinars have been helpful especially on how to implement technology in the classroom.  Teaching using technology allows students to stay connected with others as well as enhance their knowledge about technology and content.  

How do you learn new knowledge when you have questions?

To teach effective lessons and to keep up with the new emerging learning questions should be asked in order to gain information.  Learning new knowledge comes from building questions.   Questions should start with being simple and forming more complex questions.  Repetition also helps when new knowledge is being learned.  I use today's meet with my students.  A new page is created whenever a new lesson is being taught and students are allowed to use their phones and computers to type in their questions.  We use open discussion during class to answer the questions.  This is also available to them for about four hours after school. 

 

Students I responded to:

Joseline Castonos:  http://castanosblogs.blogspot.com/

Lynda Marshall:  http://lyndamarshallsblogpage.blogspot.com.au

Module 3

Humans have a basic instinct to interact and work as a group.  Rheingold began his discussion with giving comparison of individuals and businesses in the past competed with others.  Humans desire to have some type of relationship with others for new forms of wealth.  The desires for this wealth are more food or basic daily, social desires, and social contact.  As humans our actions are determined by these desires. 

Technology facilitates collaboration among learners and teachers by providing instruction visually, audibly, and hands on learning.  Technology is a new way of learning and teaching.  It allows teachers to access student’s prior knowledge of information to learn new information.  Collaborative classrooms provide an opportunity for collective knowledge to be shared among teachers and students.  Students are able to set goals, design their learning task and visually monitor their progress and students are able to view their assessments. 

 The link that I found that supports collaboration as an effective tool for learning is http://www.cisco.com/web/about/citizenship/socio-economic/docs/Metiri_Classroom_Collaboration_Research.pdf  This article is based on the need to educate students on the importance of collaboration and working together.  This method provides them with workforce skills that can be utilized in their future. 

 

 

Reference

Rheingold, H. (2008, February). Howard Rheingold on collaboration [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.ted.com/talks/howard_rheingold_on_collaboration.html