Day 6: Developing your PLN

Yesterday,  the Day 5 activity  explored the idea of twitter being a large online library.

Today we look at moving from searching and finding information, to building and leveraging people connections. This brings is to a big question – who should I follow?

Creative Commons image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/markwcarbone/23373163706/

In terms of making connections, it is natural to start in a comfortable place,  perhaps by following people in your own organization and/or noting people with similar interests or professional focus.  Over time, you will be strategic about developing your network with some consideration to ‘access’ as noted in our day 2 post – “access to people, their time and expertise, questions, answers, viewpoints, resources, and new ideas”.

Enjoy an opportunity to explore new connections through the day 6 activity.  

Resources:

Tom Whitby has created a valuable resource for educators: Whom Should I Follow on Twitter?

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Day 5: We’ve Arrived! It’s Time to Talk Twitter!

When we mention Twitter, many people think of celebrities and wasting time.  They don’t see the value in being on Twitter.

But Twitter is where educators are.  It is where they are sharing, learning and moving thinking forward.  As a professional, you need to be part of that conversation.

If you are nervous about being on social media, begin by using Twitter anonymously, “lurking” until you feel more confident.

Twitter is a Public Library of information, available whenever and wherever you are connected, and updating every second.  You need to learn how to navigate this library of information, and more importantly, your students need to access it.

Day 5 of 10 Minutes a Day to Becoming a Connected Leader is our most popular resource.  Please take time to use it and spread it.

We need your voice on Twitter.

Day 4 of Connected Learning

If you are just joining us today, please refer to this post where we share what we are up to!

Never before has there been such an abundance of information to contribute to our learning.  At the same time, there is no doubt that our collective plates are brimming over with things to do.  As a positive, we challenge ourselves  to think differently and explore ways to learn on the go.

I thought I would share a couple of ideas that have improved my mobile learning.  Part of my practice is to capture information using Notability on my iPad.  This is a powerful app that allows me to write, record, and insert images in documents that I can refer to at any point in time.  One of the things I like to do is re-listen to my recordings in the car.  You can apply this idea to other mediums too, such as  a  livescribe pen.  

Enjoy Day 4:  Listen While You Work.   We look forward to hearing about your learning on the go ideas too.

Oh yes.  If you know a colleague that might like to participate in the 30 days of connected program,  give them a nudge! 

 

 

Day 3 of Connected Learning!

If you are just joining us today, please refer to this post where we share what we are up to!

We are working together to push and nudge each other to become connected leaders before the end of 2015.

We encourage you – we “nudge” you – to start today!

Today we are beginning to think about what we can learn professionally in online environments (access the learning here).

Please take a moment to also consider what professional learning is meant to be.

Ontario College of Teachers Standards of Practice https://www.oct.ca/public/professional-standards/standards-of-practice

We begin to share the vast amount of learning available online.

We ask you to contribute your favourite sites online for professional learning so that we might share that back with others.

Learning online can start out as a one-way experience, but over the next 27 days, we will teach you how to be participatory in the online learning culture, so that it will be a much richer professional experience for you.

Congratulations on continuing your learning today.  

We look forward to continuing to learn with you.

Day 3: What Can You Learn Online?

 

Day 2 – Considering the Why

Yesterday had the perfect start – a deep dive conversation with Donna Fry about the why — why connect through social media that is.

Something stayed with me after our conversation – the word “access”.  Building connections gives you access – access to people, their time and expertise, questions, answers, viewpoints, resources, and new ideas. This is all part of exploring, learning and pushing your thinking.   Leveraging your connections leads to new learning, new perspectives and change of practice.

Enjoy your day 2 activity as you learn  What Are Other Educators Thinking

~Mark

30 Days to Getting Connected – Start TODAY!!

Today we welcome the leadership of Kim Figliomeni in working together with OSSEMOOC to encourage all education leaders to “get connected”.

Please read Kim’s post here.

Educators are busy people.  30 Days to Get Connected is a 10 minutes per day program to help you learn to connect with other educators and self-direct your professional learning.  Working through this with others helps you to stay motivated to dedicate a bit of time each day to your own learning.

Begin today with Day 1 of the challenge: Dedicating Time

We welcome your feedback through comments on the blog, or on Twitter under the #ossemooc hashtag.

(Follow the OSSEMOOC blog to get email updates when there are new posts to the site.)

 

From Brian Harrison: Fair is Fair, Or Is It?

Brian Harrison’s recent blog post begs of us to watch a video (TED Talk by Bryan Stevenson) which will challenge us to think about our “Code of Conduct” policies in schools.

“Bryan Stevenson explains how and why it doesn’t ‘work’ with much more eloquence, authority and urgency that I ever could-I won’t even try (so watch the video-please).”

Please take some time today to watch, and to read how Brian connects the video with his deep thinking about how we need to help our kids, particularly those “in the margins” to thrive in school.

Brian Harrison: Fair is Fair, or is it?: http://brian-harrison.net/2015/11/18/fair-is-fair-or-is-it/

Two New OSSEMOOC Mini-MOOC Courses Start Today! You are welcome to join in!

This fall, #OSSEMOOC has been facilitating some mini-MOOCs to help educators become connected.

So far, we have posted a 3-week course called Twitter for Absolute Beginners and a second 3-week course called Twitter for Self-Directed Learning.

Today, we start Twitter for Education Leaders, and a second iteration of Twitter for Absolute Beginners.

You can sign up for all of our courses here.  You can also just work through the resources at your own pace on the sites.  They will remain up for anyone to use at any time.

If you are starting courses today, you will receive an email before the end of the day outlining how to get started.  The message will come from ossemooc at gmail dot com, so please watch for this in your junk mail if you do not receive it.

Congratulations on starting on the path to becoming a connected learner.   Please share this information with colleagues who want to get connected.

 

#OSSEMOOC at #BIT15

Welcome to #BIT15!

Be sure to follow the #BIT15 hashtag and the #OSSEMOOC hashtag over the next few days as we lead learning here in Niagara Falls.

Today, @OSSEMOOC is at Minds on Media, supporting educators in learning to connect and self-direct their learning in online environments.  Please drop in, have a chat, and share some learning.

Thank you to Brenda Sherry and Peter Skillen for inviting us to take part in their amazing learning event.

OSSEMOOC will also be supporting a blogging cafe at #BIT15.  Drop in and visit for a chance to have some quiet time to share your learning or to get some personal support in learning to blog.

We look forward to learning together at #BIT15!  Please drop in and make the f2f connection with your “online” PLN.

 

#OSSEMOOC Twitter Chat

This week our learning and connecting opportunities include an OSSEMOOC hosted twitter chat on Tuesday November 3rd at 8:00 p.m. (EST).

New to Twitter chats?  Here are a few resources that explain the basics.

1. Demonstrating twitter chats (OSSEMOOC resource)
2. Day 8: Peeking inside a Twitter Chat (OSSEMOOC resource)
3.  Beginners guide to twitter chats
4. How to participate in a tweet chat

Our topic this week is learning through curation, and will use the  #ossemooc  hashtag.  We hope you will take some time to join in! 

Sharing Our Learning: Timing  and Guideline (Revised) 

8:00  Welcome

8:08  Q1:  Share something that you are currently reading for professional learning (book, blog etc.).

8:16  Q2:  Share something that you learned on Twitter that was relevant to you.

8:24  Q3:  What tool has worked best for you to curate information online? What did you like about it?

8:32  Q4:  Share one tool that you would like to learn more about.

8:40  Q5:   What is one thing that you would like to explore by the end of 2015?

8:48 Q6:  Share with the group an event that you would like to attend virtually. (#hashtag or conference link).

8:59  Wrap up