Rebora, A. [11 October, 2010]. Change agent. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01richardson.h04.html?cmp=clp-edweek&intc=bs&sms_ss=delicious&at_xt=4cb7dc75d0303b73,0
This interview with Will Richardson on how we should bring the classroom in-line with 21st century technology coalesces under two main themes: (1) making teachers more comfortable with building an online presence in order to share and collaborate with their peers and students and (2) to focus on learning rather than on knowledge within the context of using IT to channel how information can be utilized in a relevant way. Richardson argues that what is needed is not a technology course added to a school’s curriculum but a shift in the mindset and culture within education that is still in a traditional framework. We must rethink the way teaching and learning is done within the context of today’s technology. For teachers, being connected and searchable with others is paramount in their use of IT and it goes hand-in-hand with both breaking away from the closed-off mentality concerning the way their handle their classroom and the way a teacher can model the use of technology for their students. For student’s, incorporating technology into the classroom is beneficial in that since they are already familiar with technology outside of the classroom, but use it mainly for casual/social purposes, learning how to use it in the classroom with make their use of it more efficiently and for incorporation of the learning process. Technology can enhance qualities in students that focus on the learning process such as collaboration with other students online, creativity using computer programs, and critical thinking skills.
Question 1
How might “G-portfolios” and Personal Learning Networks be useful especially for first-year teachers?
Answer 1
One of the biggest reasons why most new teachers quit the profession within the first few years is because of a lack of support and collaboration from other teachers and administrators at their school. Creating strong connections with other teachers at a school might take time to develop especially if those teachers are more closed-off in terms of the things they want to share, but since there is a low-barrier to entry with PLNs and they are connecting with people who are already ready to share their knowledge, PLNs for new teachers are a good tool for finding support where it is absent in their school.
Question 2
In what ways are PLNs important within the context of teacher development and today’s budget crisis in education?
Answer 2
PLNs have been growing along with social media sites and the fact that more and more teachers are creating them also dispels the myth about teaching that once you get a bachelors degree in your specific subject and once you’re a credentialed teacher that you have nothing left to learn about teaching once you enter the classroom. So if students learn in classrooms, PLNs are a way for teachers to continue learning. PLNs are really important especially today when there are huge budget cuts in school funding across the board, a lot of schools can’t afford to give additional training and development programs to teachers to get them to a higher standard that the school needs them to be in. So in this case PLNs are important for development and training because they connect you with people who might be in a position to help, especially if they‘re teachers who have been in the profession for a long time.
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