If you are someone like me, you can find the internet to be kind of intimidating because there are so many websites that could potentially benefit myself in the field of education. What websites are better than others? Will this website help me portray myself as a true professional? Those are just some of the questions that pop into my mind. Chapter five was very insightful because the author explains many different web tools that can develop you into a stronger connected learner. Most of websites that the book explained seemed very user friendly where many people would have the ability to use them and succeed. The chapter goes on to explain what each website is for, how exactly they are used, and how it can be beneficial for your social network. The Connected Educator states that when going on each of the following websites that they have listed for the readers, it is important to create an account so that you can save and bookmark certain information so that you can go back and find it with ease. The number one tip that the book has stated is to use the same username and password for each website so that it is easy to remember! (You know we all use that same middle school password that we created when we were 13 so that we do not forget it!)
Going through and reading Chapter five, I have realized how important is to save all the information that you find on the web that is useful for you. Social Bookmarking is a way where you can organize and save websites that you have found while exploring the web and you can share them with friends and colleagues. One of the websites that the chapter has listed was, www.delicious.com . During my college career in the education department, a few of my past professors have shared this tool with us. The website is very user friendly. Say when I become a teacher and I want to look up new lesson plan ideas or ways to include flexible seating into my classroom, I would search in google first and find some interesting websites and blogs that I would like to save and later read again. Each time i find an interesting webpage, I could include the web address on my delicious account and add tags so that I would be able to find that webpage again. This will help save you tons of time searching for the same article. Web tools can also be used to create and collaborate with other people in your career field. That is why people create blogs! Blogs can be done daily and are very easy to write! You can write really whatever comes to mind. I personally follow a few educators blogs that I have found through Instagram and I find them very useful. I read the blogs in my free time to see what works for some teachers and what does not work for others. Then I think of ways to adapt that idea into my own for my future students. I have not yet gained the confidence to comment on someone's blog, but I will get there one day! Baby steps of networking. The provided link is one the bloggers I follow today, he is a kindergarten teacher and has a lot of innovative ideas, https://thekindergartensmorgasboard.com/2016/04/my-favorite-classroom-management-tool.html.
There are many web tools out there where you can socially network yourself. It is a trial and error system to see what web tool you like the most. Every website that I have explored has been very user friendly where I feel like I have the confidence to try them out and begin networking more. It is amazing how much is out there for you to succeed in your field. But remember, it is the internet, people can see everything, so present yourself the way you want to be seen by future employers. Always be your professional self!
Hi Heather!
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that you included that social networking is a trial and error system with finding the web tools you like most because it absolutely is. For example, a lot of people like Twitter, but personally I don't like Twitter but I love Instagram. I love being able to the pictures other people are posting and when I get a good picture I like to post it as well. Although I like to post, I do no post inappropriate or unprofessional things because I know eyes are everywhere. Great summary of the chapter!
Heather, I love the way you have your blog set up! The chapter recommended a lot of useful, user friendly websites to help expand your network and organize all of your information for which ever topic, future career, school, home decor, etc. Having a website be "user friendly" plays a large role in how efficient you can utilize the website! I did check out the Delicious website, and I absolutely loved the layout of that kindergarden teacher's blog in your post! My favorite site the chapter brought up us wikipedia and google docs! When sharing google docs or slides for a group project, like you said, its extremely important to stay professional and always leaves a good impression of yourself!
ReplyDeleteHey Heather, very nice blog post. I really like that you included an example of one of the blogs that you read. I also find it interesting how you reference all of these things with the mindset that we aren't all completely proficient with these tools. You are so right. With baby steps and learning one step at a time, we can use these tools such as bookmarking, blogs, and other things that we may not be completely comfortable with doing or interacting with because we have never done it before. Although, once we do learn how to use these tools well, then they are really great assets to our learning and can help us in great ways! Once we get proficient enough with these things such as reading blogs, consistently reading one bloggers blogs, and even interacting and commenting on them, we can move towards bigger steps such as creating our own personal blogs and growing in our personal learning.
ReplyDeleteHi Carol. I couldn’t agree with you more on the importance of archiving and saving information from our learning networks. Whether it is something simple, like bookmarking your favorite artists, or its creating an archive of useful websites or professional articles to help us in our career fields, it is just as useful and important. Thinking of it like a library is a great idea, we are gathering our “books” of information and are shaping our library to better serve us while we develop our skills in our respective fields.
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