You Need a Personal Learning Network NOW

3 Apr

Do you have a personal learning network (PLN)? Even if you don’t think you do, you probably have one. PLNs are simply informal networks of  folks that you learn from and possibly share some of your own knowledge or experiences. Perhaps right now it’s just a work group or maybe its associated with you hobbies. For today’s learners – which is all of us – PLNs are growing in importance due to the connected nature of our modern culture, the rapid pace of global change,  and the technology that makes it possible to glean and share information anywhere, any time.

Two simple ways to start your PLN:

Twitter – When I want to catch up on the latest in personalized learning or find out what the top innovative educators across the globe are doing, the first place I head is Twitter where I am known as @GWilborn (Scott is  @TheScottFuller). I “Follow” many other educators, authors, thought leaders, publications, and organizations such as the Dept. of Education, Donnell Kay Foundation and the Colorado Legacy Foundation just to name a few. I also retweet and post interesting news or examples of personalized learning so if all you do to get started is “Follow” @GWilborn and some of the other tweeters we’ve linked here, then you will harvest a great deal of news,  information and pondering.

Facebook – Yes, Facebook! Research shows that over 80% of educators are on Facebook. In addition to the millions of online games, memes, and other annoying wall posts, there are actually some great pages on Facebook that can help you build your PLN.  Our favorite, of course, is The Personalized Learning Dudes. Other great pages to “Like” include Edutopia, Mind/Shift, TED, and Mission Monday. So, take a break from Words With Friends and start exploring PLN options on Facebook!

Share with us your experiences with PLNs.

Greg

Making Science Fair, Fair…

24 Feb

Image

Photo courtesy of Richard Bowen via Creative Commons

It’s science fair season! That “sink or swim” time for parents and students to show what they know about erosion, robotics, which type of battery runs the longest, etc.  Wait….parents? Parent involvement in the science fair has always been a bit of a hurdle for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love the idea of students and parents working together to solve problems and explore new learning. However, that is not what I see during most science fair seasons.  Instead, I see a clear division of have and have not’s (you know that parent who is a robotics engineer and incredibly the child builds a fully functioning C3P-O??).  I see parents getting frustrated and even stressed out about their science project…ahem…I mean their student’s project.  In the name of making science fair a relevant event again I propose the following:

1.     Encourage science projects year round. Working inquiry based project time into the actual school day allows students to explore learning topics that interest them, and keeps the work in the hands of the student.  Let the learner become the maker!  Check out https://diy.org/ for a wealth of resources.

2.     Have learners keep an “I Wonder… “ journal (digital or paper/pencil). Model curiosity and what you do with it.  Allow students to stop and ask questions, take pictures, make sketches, search the web, visit the library, and seek out an expert all at point of need.

3.     Take yourself out of the equation a bit.  We need educators and parents that model exploration, but we sometimes forget that this isn’t about us. Play “dumb” and let the learner seek out the information needed.  Provide choices for pathways that include appropriately leveled research and access to experts in the field like architects, NASA employees, zoologists, and marketing experts. Technology allows this like never before!

4.     Make peace with the fact that sometimes the product won’t look all that great.  This is not an excuse to put out sub-standard work, but rather an opportunity for students to learn from mistakes in process, time management, and resource acquisition. Let’s teach about self-reflection and perfecting processes so that a goal for improvement is established.

Whether your student is interested in how long the flavor of certain gum lasts, about whether grass can grow on a sponge with the absence of soil, or in building an actual C3P-O robot, remember the opportunities that can be lost when we limit pathways and take ownership of the project ourselves are numerous. Encourage, support, and guide, but avoid making this your project at all cost.  Let’s make science fair a fun and meaningful experience for all!  

-Scott

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Personalization in the Classroom

16 Feb

What exactly does personalization look like? This is a question that we get all the time!  Although there isn’t a canned answer or program, The Dudes along with David Gregory from G&D Associates (http://www.gregorydenby.com/) have come up with a list of things to look for in a personalized classroom. We hope this list gets administrators, educators, parents, and learners thinking a bit about the strengths and needs or their current learning environments.  Click here to view the list!

- The Dudes

 

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Who Should We Expect To Lead The Way?

8 Feb

I can’t help but notice the seeming consensus that we may be putting too much weight on standardized tests and not enough on other ways to demonstrate growth and learning (I do realize that this may qualify for understatement of the century). The change will not happen overnight, but it can begin now. No amount of spending or influx of technology  will lead us to a more personalized learning model without real systems change. So, who can we expect to lead the charge toward significant change in our schools?

AppleSchool Boards:  Politics are all about local gov’t, and school boards can make a huge impact on a community. Is it too much to ask that board members be up to date on personalized learning techniques and philosophies? This entity is who drives your administrative employees and could send a loud and clear message that they believe in a better way.

Central Administration: From the superintendent, executive directors, and curriculum facilitators to human resources, IT personnel, and data specialists; it is an obligation of this group to not only be up to date on true best practice, but to model that practice as well. Central administration can help set expectations for deliberate planning, purchasing standards, drive professional development, open access to appropriate pathways and resources, and provide support to schools who are pushing a more personalized model.

Principals: A principal plays a key role in the tone of a school. An innovative leader is not one who jumps at each new fad, but one that continues to learn about shifts in the education field, asks questions about implementation of best practice, and models expectations. We need school level leaders who create environments that support high standards for all students, innovation, risk taking, and collaboration. Do not accept or assume that because test scores are ok, no change is needed.

School Staff:

Be the change you wish to see in the world” –Ghandi (paraphrased)

School employees are great about finding little inspirational quotes like this. Almost all teachers and support staffs want to create environments that will help their students get where they “need to be”. Many have settled into a role of compliance however that, despite their beliefs, supports a system of standardized testing culture. Worksheet based activities and defined singular pathways for students based on a textbook company’s product with very little choice leads to passionless teachers and learners. It is time for teachers to take risks, ask questions, and propose solutions to the problems we can so easily point out.

Parents:  Much like leadership, I encourage parents to be diligent in seeking out best practice for preparing your student for the real world.  Be informed about the decisions being made by the groups above, and ask questions about process and outcomes.  What does an “A” on a report card really mean? How do your schools’ policies and systems support expected outcomes beyond a proficient rating on the state test? Push us, keep us honest, and help us reflect on our own practice.

Students:  Although you feel powerless at times, it really can be up to you. Take opportunities to teach your teacher something new. Show your parents what’s happening in school. Share ideas you have for improving your own learning with anyone who will listen! Use your technology to set an example. Be patient with us….but not too patient.  Reciprocal respect and learning is key.

- Scott

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Jumping In The Pool

15 Jan

The web is buzzing with tweets, posts, and links regarding Personalized Learning. An abundance of ideas and opinions about how best to personalize education to meet the needs of learners exists around every corner. The problem is most of these brilliant ideas are just not catching on! How is it possible to have so many great thinkers out there, but so few at the classroom level that are willing to dive head first (or in my case a less graceful cannonball) into the “pool” of Personalized Learning?

Of course there are many factors people will point to; lack of leadership, standardized testing, socioeconomic factors, and the list goes on.  All of these certainly create risk factors and have their place in the discussion.  However, the main reason that I see is plain and simple…fear.  Much like the fear we have of parading around in a bathing suit before those New Year’s Resolutions kick in, we as educators seem to fear branching out away from the norm.

I get it, we are the educators, the fixers, those doing the work to make the world a better place so there is little room for failure. But what if we went out on a limb and really did what was best for each and every learner? What if we did begin to stick a toe in the water and be the self-reflective idealists that we all were as educators in training?  Yes, others may be exposed to our weaknesses, but also our passion! We could truly model what learning looks like to our students, colleagues, and communities!

We need those at the classroom level to help us move Personalized Learning from theory to practice, to understand that there is no canned answer or perfect way to do this (and be ok with that), to say “No more!” to the status quo, break a few rules and run toward the pool.  Deep end or shallow end…makes no difference to me.  You will have support; you will find others, just get in!  The water is fine.

Scott

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Ed Chat Radio

15 Jan

See on Scoop.it – Personalized Learning Leadership

Bam Radio Network

Greg Wilborn‘s insight:

How did I miss this nifty site? Some of my favorite Ed bloggers recording sessions here on Bam!radio. I’ll be checking out some of this content in the coming weeks and be sure to tweet the best @gwilborn.

See on www.bamradionetwork.com

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