How Blogging Has Helped Me Build My Personal Learning Network

I’m often asked why I blog and why anyone would even want to blog. The reason is that unlike previous generations I am able to connect with thousands of other educators, parents, and students around the world who share my passion and interests. I call these people, my personal learning network and we were brought together in large part as a result of my blog. Born in March of 2008, The Innovative Educator (http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com) is the heart of my personal learning network with Twitter, Facebook, discussion forums, and Face-to-Face connections serving as life blood that runs through it. While my main thoughts and ideas (educating innovatively, thinking outside the ban, passion-based learning) reside in my blog these other venues allow me to disperse and converse about them. As a result of these connections I’ve had opportunities to have powerful conversations, make meaning and deepen my thinking. While that is fantastic for my personal learning growth what is even more powerful is that as a result of my blog posts, and the connections I’ve made because of them, I’ve been able to help affect positive change in education.

I’ve connected educators working to harness the power of technology, lift the cell phone ban in their classrooms, schools, and districts. I’ve encouraged and motivated educators in supporting the authentic publication of student work and establishment of their own and their student’s digital footprints. I’ve found and connected teachers and educational leaders interested in harnessing the power of social media to positively impact students. I’ve helped schools and districts save thousands by learning to avoid unnecessary purchases and instead accomplish the same outcomes for free using tools like wikispaces, blogger, and Google apps or not purchasing unnecessary hardware like interactive whiteboards.

I feel fortunate that unlike my parent’s generation who screamed at a deaf TV/radio, or waved a newspaper at unseeing eyes, I have a digital voice and a means to share it. Today, through my blog I can speak back to the TV or radio, the newspaper, the corrupt business owner, or a policy maker through my blog and magnify the message, and sometimes call to action through my personal learning network. Unlike the frustrated adults of my parent’s generation and those that came before them, if I want to start a movement, share an idea, or convey a message, I do so on my blog and tap my PLN on the shoulder through digital and face-to-face (which is sometimes virtual) means and ask them to join me. As a result, we do indeed have the means to spread a message, affect change, and make the world a better place.

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Blogs, Wikis, or Google Docs - Oh My!

I’m often asked by educators why I use wikis, blogs, AND Google docs. “Why not just pick one?”. The answer is because I use each in different ways. Each of these platforms can be used for numerous purposes. Here is how I use them.

BLOGS
Use: I use my blog to share original information that I feel will be useful for a wide audience. I can place links in other platforms as appropriate to my blog posts.
Ownership: I am the master of my blog along with contributing editors and readers can participate by leaving comments.
Service I Use: Blogger
Cost: FREE for Everyone!
Example: http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com

WIKIS
Use: I use wikis for group projects where multiple people are collecting and growing information. Wikis provide a very easy way for all of those involved to contribute. Wikis serve as containers that hold information that would be useful to those working on shared projects. My wiki has links to blog posts and Google docs. Another nice feature of the wiki site I use is the “discussion tab.” This enables contributors to discuss items related to the wiki page they are contributing to.
Ownership: There are administrators and contributors. The administrator(s) establish settings for contributors. Generally everyone has access to add and contribute information.
Service I Use: Wikispaces
Cost: FREE for Educators!
Example: http://21cpd.wikispaces.com

GOOGLE DOCS
Use: I use Google docs 1) just as others might use MS Word 2) to write collaboratively. I am writing my book using Google docs which enables my co-author and I to collaboratively provide input into the book chapters. I also use Google docs to collaborate with others who write guest posts for my blog. One of favorite uses of Google docs is to bring people together from around the world to contribute on a shared piece of work. Here are some examples of that:

• Innovative Ideas for Getting Teachers Excited About Building Their Personal Learning Networks Real Time from Hunterdon Central Regional High School
• Hiring the World to Be Your Professional Development Provider (free of charge)
• The PLN Matures. The Progression of the 21st Century Personal Learning Network
• Last Day of Free Ning Networks - What Should You Choose?

What is nice about Google docs is that you can see the cursor where other contributors are on the page and there is a chat feature so you can chat about your writing. There is also a revision history so you can see how the document has grown and who has contributed what.
Ownership: There is the document creator who can invite others to contribute.
Service I Use: docs.google.com
Cost: FREE for Everyone!
Example:


Over at the Free Technology for Teachers blog, Richard Byrne shares some more useful information for those wanting to know whether they should use a blog or wiki for a particular class or project. He shares Blogs, Wikis, or Docs: Which is right for your lesson? This is a great chart from Dr. Mark Wagner that outlines the features of each platform, each platform's drawbacks, and examples of each platform in use.

You have read this article educational blogs / google docs / wikis in education with the title educational blogs. You can bookmark this page URL https://benncam.blogspot.com/2010/09/blogs-wikis-or-google-docs-oh-my.html. Thanks!

Don’t Silence Students. A Resource to Support Students In Developing Their 2.0 Voice

I recently engaged in a mini debate over whether or not students should have the ability to authentically comment in social media. The company I was talking to said their site didn't allow this. Instead students pick approved (aka canned and boring) comments from a drop down menu. This was the decision made because they felt educators and administrators believed students might write comments that were inappropriate.

Well how on earth will that ever change if students aren't commenting in the presence of teachers who can guide and support them on appropriate interaction when engaging in social media. That’s the big deal when it comes to social media. Commenting allows students and readers/viewers to make meaning. Have a conversation. Use their voice. Furthermore, what about the outside world of experts and others who share an interest and passion in student’s work. But, nope, this site was safe which meant one and all is relegated to being Stepford commenters. A further concern was that teachers might not know how to support students in appropriate commenting or have time to teach them. Aaaarrrgh! This is an essential 21st century literacy. Engaging appropriately in social media is exactly the type of real teaching we need to be doing.

So, with this conversation fresh in my mind, fortunately a smile was brought to my face by this tweetweb20classroom The Educational Blogging Wiki: http://bit.ly/cTXLt5

Phew a breath of fresh air. The link takes you to the wiki of Mrs. Yollis a third grade teacher who, among other things, provides commenting lessons for those interested in having students engage in authentic social media platforms. The heart of the wiki is helping teachers who want to start a blog with their class. The site is a treasure trove of smart information that I've often verbally shared with other educators, but never captured in writing.

Here are some links to the nuggets she shares:

• Why Have a Class Blog?
• What Do Students Write About?
• How To Teach Commenting Skills
• How Do Your Third Graders Know How to Type?
• Curriculum Examples
• Things to Consider

In addition to her great commenting lesson and ideas I just love her advice about Things to Consider. There, she articulates nicely thoughts I agree with (and was just discussing with a group of teachers) about having a class blog rather than student blogs.

From the site...

A class blog? Individual student blogs? What is right for you? I decided that giving every child a blog was not something I wanted to tackle at this point. First of all, I wanted to teach directed lessons about posting, creating images, and composing quality comments. Having a class blog allowed me to direct all my lessons at one site. Controlling the lessons and the publishing allowed me to work at my own pace. If I wanted to publish once a week, I did. If I felt like I wanted to publish more, I felt free to do so. Having several individual blogs to proofread and moderate would have been overwhelming for me.

To me this seemed smart. Before a student should even consider blogging, they need to read and participate in blogging and Mrs. Yollis does a smart job of ensuring students are taking a hard look at this interactive writing format.

Next, she shares an idea I just love! She requires interested students to earn their own blog. How great. I always had an issue with teacher-assigned blogs. What happens after the class? I feel blogs should be student driven. It brings me back to Alan November’s question of “Who Owns the Learning? Here’s What Mrs. Yollis does.

Currently, I allow students to earn their own blog. They can earn their own blog by contributing ideas/writing to groups posts and by demonstrating consistently good commenting skills. Once a child is ready, I let his/her parents set up the Blogger account at home, and I will link the child's blog to our classroom site. The parents must be the administrator and comments must be moderated. If problems arise, I remove the link from our class blog. Allowing children to earn their way to a blog is powerful. They want to be linked to our class blog to increase their readership. In addition, it encourages parents to take an active online role with their child.

Wow. How smart! She just addressed so many issues here. Students own their learning. Parents as partners. Self/parental ownership for moderation. Fantastic!

Thank you to Mrs. Yollis and all the others like her who are helping prepare our children with voices to use them in important ways in school and in life.

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