Personal Learning Networks

The Skype time with Clarence Fisher on Saturday morning helped me to see the value of Personal Learning Networks for teachers as both educators and learners and for students as both learners and educators. My preconceived idea about blogs was that most were people chronicling their lives on the internet for all to see. I could not understand why someone would be interested in exposing their life to total strangers. After Clarence described his blog as his "voice" not him I began to better understand what a blog can be. As he went on to talk about his blog being a community to try out new ideas, gather, share, talk, discuss, and be challenged, I realized that my concept of blogging was extremely narrow. I am now open to the idea of using blogs to help me grow and learn as an educator. I'm not ready to begin posting on someone else's blog but I am ready to begin browsing the hundreds of posts on my RSS Reader with an open mind. He also made a very convincing argument for the use of Personal Learning Networks with students. I like the idea of using networks to let children know that there is a world outside of the one they live in and see everyday. A world where people and their ideas can be and are different then their own. But, also that there are others out there, near and far, that are very similar to themselves. I also understand that using Personal Learning Networks with students opens up a world of information, ideas, and resources that no one teacher or school can provide within the walls of a classroom without the assistance of the internet. It is wonderful that Clarence's students are able to see the value in their work and ideas by using blogs and that he is able to see them becoming more confident and competent as they work. Of course as a parent the idea of being able to see what my children are working on first-hand and in real time is very appealing. Now fitting all of the puzzle pieces together so that it works for me and my students is my next step. Hearing Jeff say that it's the learning concepts and ideas that are important for us to know and understand and not the ins and outs of the tools that are used - because that's what ISB's tech staff is for - did make me feel that putting the puzzle together might not be as hard as I thought. ;-)