What have I learned in Ed Tech?

1. PLN: A Personal Learning Network. A PLN is a way to connect with other people who are in the same field and share information. A PLN can include many different types of people, organizations, and companies from around the world. Typically, the PLN is set up on social media on sites like Twitter, Blogger, and YouTube. A PLN is very useful for teachers because new ideas are always being shared on how to help students in the classroom. There is always something new to learn and having a PLN will help learn about new research faster. Teachers should always be looking to add to their PLN and trying out new ideas and then share what is learned with others. I use Twitter and Blogger as my PLN sites, I am always looking for new people and blogs to follow.

1.1. My Twitter: https://twitter.com/hannah_teske

1.2. My Blog: http://hannahteske.blogspot.com/

2. Ebook Publishing: One of my favorite topics this semester was about publishing ebooks. We watched the video of Jon Smith a special education teacher. His problem was that his students just hated school and everything related to school. He wanted to get them excited to read and write and he did that through ebooks. There are many sites that allow anyone to write and publish a book for free like e pub bud, Book creator, and iBook Author. After Mr. Smith's students found out they were writing a book and anyone in the world could read it, they became so excited and the couldn't wait to write. I will never for get this because it shows that something so simple, like writing for people other than the teacher, can encourage and motivate students.

2.1. Here is another video of Mr. Jon Smith and he explains how he uses ebooks to motivate students.

3. Digital Learning Spaces: This is one of my other favorite topics to learn about. This topic was about how schools and classrooms are changing. I learned how classrooms are becoming centered around the learner and not the teacher. Gone are the days of desks all lined up in a row. Some schools are using desks and chairs with wheels so it is easier for students to move around and work together. Students need spaces where they can move around and be creative. This week also focused on how learning spaces need to accommodate digital devices. Smart phones, tablets, and laptops all need to be charged, schools should be building spaces where electrical outlets are available to everyone. I would love to work in school that puts an emphasis on open and creative learning spaces because I did not have that experience growing up and more importantly, I learned that students are much more motivated in these types of environments.

3.1. This videos gives an example of a school district that moved to a more flexible learning environment. I love the bright walls and open spaces!

4. Moral Sharing: Social Media allows us to share anything and everything at anytime we want. Most of us have smart phones or devices where everything known in the world is at our fingertips. We no longer have to spend hours looking for the right books at the library, the "library" is on our phones. However, with the ability to share everything come responsibility and from taking Ed Tech, I believe now more than ever that teachers should be held to high standards. It is the responsibility of teachers to sift through all the information to find the right ideas that will have a positive impact on students. Teachers also need to be mindful of what they are sharing on social media, teachers need to still be professional online. One mistake online can be costly. This semester I learned teachers must be diligent in searching through shared information, there has to be a purpose if a teacher is going to use something in the classroom.

4.1. We watched this YouTube video by Dean Shareski about social media sharing and it is very interesting.

5. TPACK: TPACK stands for Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge. TPACK is very important for teachers to understand. Teachers should be knowledgeable about how to integrate technology in into teaching. Technology should not be used just because it's technology. Technology must be used for a purpose to enhance learning. Technological knowledge is knowing how to use digital tools. Pedagogical knowledge is knowing how to teach the subject and content knowledge is what the teacher is teaching. Now that technology is more accessible than ever before, it is important to know how to integrate technology into teaching to enhance the learning. Technology should not be teaching the student, the teacher still has to teach but technology can make the learning come alive. Teachers should be on the lookout for more ways to integrate technology, there are new tools and apps popping up everyday. In TPACK, teachers have to first know the content thoroughly, teachers then have know how to teach the content, and then thirdly, teachers should use technology to excite and motivate students to learn.

5.1. One of my favorite TPACK videos