Personal Learning Network (PLN)

A personal learning network is where you ask a question of interest to you and seek out people, places, organizations and activities which will enable you to learn about it. I asked five different people how they used technology in their classroom and how effective it was for the students and parents.
The first person that I came into contact with was, Ginny Haskins, I asked her what technology she used and how it was helpful to her students and parents. She responded to me and said she was a big fan of facebook. She would give a parent letter to all the parents at the beginning of the school year and have them add her as a friend. This way she could talk to the parents, about student progress and about upcoming events for her class. She stated "It's a great way to communicate and its easy".

The second person that I contacted for my PLN was Jessica Normand she teaches 8th graders. I asked her the same question, how is technology used in your classroom and is it effective for your students and parents? She commented back that her use of technology was using web cam to post assignments and homework for her students. She also stated that her students and parents love it because students who have missed her class can look and find out what they need to make up for the following class day, where those students who missed wont fall behind. She said it's been successful thus far.

The third person I contacted was Michael Stewart, he teachers Literature and had some helpful tips for me of using technology in the classroom. He stated that for his Literature assignments he allowed students to use podcast to do their poetry assignments. This is so that they can express them selves. Parents and students love it. Parents get to watch their children's podcast and see how they did, and students love it cause it's like their on TV. Mr. Stewart also stated that he has received great comments from other teachers that also would like to do the same for their classrooms as well.

The fourth individual I was pleased to contact and ask her the same question was Mrs. Beth Baldree, she told me that she incorporated technology in her classroom by having students do research on different individuals that she assigns. She gives them a list of names and they have to find that particular person and find all the information on them, and when the project is due she sets up a web cam and has that student give all a presentation to the person they were assigned to. She said that the students love it and the parents love it as well, cause they learn so much from doing this assignment because its much more involved.

The fifth person I interviewed was Sharron Hetzel. She stated that she uses technology for the entire class. She commented that she loves to set up video conferences with persons that have are of educational use. For instance she told me one Video Conference was with the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. She also stated that it is hard to get them set up but well worth it;My students love it, it really involves them, they get to ask questions and its as if they were in the classroom with them.

During this PLN, I have learned that technology can be of great use all around the world. These five people have really given me some great ideas to use for my own classroom. I really enjoyed talking with the five individuals and think they were of great help.