Beyond The Piece Of Paper:

Five Methods for using networked learning spaces online in the classroom: 
1. Connect students and teachers inside the classroom
2. Publish student and teacher work locally and globally
3. Connect students and teachers outside the classroom
4. Connect with experts around the world
5. Collaborate with others to create and share knowledge (p.71). 

As mentioned in the book, I would love to incorporate a healthy mix of all five in my classroom.  I want my classroom to have unreachable walls.  I want my students to make connections beyond the 4 walls in every classroom they sit in.  I want to have a classroom where I am learning AND my students are learning. Balance, safety, and ethics should be balanced with healthy interactions.

To find connections globally, I was surprised to see that teachers use Facebook to connect personally with other educators.  I have never thought that would be an option.  The more I think about it, the more realistic it sounds.  I have to say I am scary good at finding people on Facebook, especially people I've never met.

I loved to see that Gina Hartman's (MoBap professor) wiki was included in our book.  It makes me feel like I can create things that can be published elsewhere as well as make a difference for other educators.  

Out of all the positives, I had to reflect on the online safety precautions (listed on page 75).  They share the need for: safety and ethical use, transparency, ownership and rights, and parents.  When I think about these categories, bullying comes to mind.  This all relates back to being prepared for the precautions and how I would execute them.  Another route is making sure students are using technology appropriately & understand the consequences.  Having parents on board is huge for privacy reasons.  Parents would also have to understand that when their child is irresponsible, they are on trouble as well.  

My final thoughts are on assessments.  How in the world do I assess literacy within technology?  The book clearly solved my confusion.  "The goal is not sharing for the sake of sharing; it's sharing for the sake of connecting and learning".

Some fun pins I found on assessments: Cool Tools for 21st Century Learners: Open School ePortfolio for Authentic Assessment and 

21st Century Pedagogy

I think this will be the hardest way thing for me but I am open and willing to learn more!

**** I wanted to also mentioned that having technology for ESOL students is amazing.  I had a student last year who only speaks to her friend. She can use technology to speak to us,even when she is afraid! I thank my lucky stars we had ipads to give her a voice! ****

Twitterholics

🎶🎶Were all about that tweet, bout that tweet, the twitter!! 🎶🎶

 As I mentioned in my post before, I have been tweeting since college. I've actually started a couple relationships through twitter messages. I never realized the power Twitter held in my life until I saw how it helped my life on the go.

Now for my educational Twitter. 

(@missashburton) It has taken my life to a different level! I signed up a couple weeks ago (because frankly I was just too excited to wait for this week).  I started out by finding my teacher for EDET543, then used the "suggested" button. I found my school district leaders and technology department/programs. I even followed the twitter handlers in my book I am reading for class. I guess you could called me HOOKED!  

Within one week, I was already receiving follow backs from different classroom teachers and other educational stakeholders .  A couple of them direct messaged me nice things!

I am just blown away with how easy building my PLN via Twitter, really is. I am finding myself on Twitter more, reading articles and looking at tweets. My guilty pleasure is reading them on the bike during my workouts. 

I started using tweet deck a few days ago. I have to say, it's AWESOME!  The way the columns are laid out, to the fact that I can customize both my twitter accounts in one spot, is great. I used to have the problem of having a tweet that's too long, but now my problems are solved!

One thing I kept searching was for the mobile app! I was sadly disappointed that I didn't see it. Did anyone else see it?

I'm hoping I just overlooked it! 

On the other hand, I tried it another twitter account friendly app called TWEETCaster! It's a great alternative for friends on go. It's very user friendly. I like the way the app moves smoothly. 

I suggest this App for my friends on the go! It isn't as awesome as TweetDeck but it gets the job done! 

Another App I downloaded on my phone was HootSuite. It was extremely easy to set up and I enjoyed the fact I can message multiple people at the same time! It was nice to see how many messages I missed. You can slide to see your other tabs lime mentions and inbox! You can translate easily too!  I give it two thumbs up! 👍👍 I will for sure be using this app a lot!!

I am familiar with hashtags.  I use them quite often.  I am ready to dive into educational conversations with other educators. It will be nice to have a say and to be heard. 

To wrap up my thoughts.  I can't wait to dive more into Twitter. I found a wonderful resource on ways to use Twitter in the Classroom. I hope you find this as resourceful as I did! 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Kv-Z9SXIDuw0mmpPhFOqmAtFEdKuwF5XxqGrjUfY5vA/present#slide=id.i0

I will catch you on the tweet side! 

PLN WEEK ONE

Hey all!
Sorry for my late post!  I have had a crazy week and figuring out where my debit cards went.  Of course it was a fun time figuring out my rentals for the books! Which leads me here.

I am writing this blog unsure of what I am exactly doing.  I will tell you...this is exciting!   I have never written blogs that classmates will read and actually care about what I have to say.
The book I am reading for EDET543 (Online Applications for Collaboration) is WONDERFUL.

I will have to admit, the last time I read for pleasure was for 50 Shades of Grey & that barely even counts as reading.  That book did not make me feel any more intelligent after reading.
The book by Will Richarson (@willrich45) and Rob Mancabelli (@RobMancabelli) (whom I just added on twitter to follow) is AMAZING.  I feel like I can conquer the world or at least start my path to making digital dreams come true.  Some of the words just spoke to me.  They made me feel empowered.

One thing about this book I that spoke to me was that they asked the readers (educators) to disconnect from their current views of teaching.  They asked us to focus on growing and developing us and our students will be thankful in the long run.  I currently do not have a classroom in which I can quote unquote disconnect from.  I think this book is speaking to me at the correct moment in my life.  How awesome is that?  I will be ready to teach in a broader view when the world is ready for me to be blessed with my own classroom.

I can say I enjoy technology.  As far as I can remember, I was always one of the first people in my social life that fiddled with the new technology.  I even remember having only one friend to text using that awful t9 text mode.  It is crazy to think back to that first text message and how different texting means to me now.  Its how I speak and connect almost all the time other than Facebook.  I was one of the fist to get Facebook (back when you needed someone from high school to invite you with a link).  I remember being on Instagram and had maybe ten friend to follow as well as celebrities.  Twitter was the same idea.  I had it when I was 16 in 2006.  I personally LOVED that people were adding these apps and networks, and I was already on it waiting for followers.

Developing my PLN seems a bit daunting at first.  Little did I know, I was already in the loop.  I have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Delicious, Google+ and all the apps within, Feedly, and Diigo.  When I researched the top websites for teachers, I ran across an even bigger list that our book does not discuss (beware its 2014) but if you want to check it out: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2014.

As the book states: "If you have the ability to grow your connections by choosing trustworthy and believable people to interact with in the first place, that network can help you edit and vet the new connections you make."

  I understood when I started adding people on Twitter that it seemed like no one would care.  I was proven wrong when not even a day later I had a nice educator by the name Sue Gorman (@sjgorman) Direct Message me this:

How cool is that?  This motivated me to jump on the PLN Twitter bandwagon and get started. As chapter one wants us to begin participating in our learning and practice the survival skills, I am realizing the opportunities I have been taking on.  I am excited that I can be selfish right now in devleoping my PLN.  I know in the long run I can benefit my students so they can take on the seven survival skills created by Harvard education profession Tony Wagner:(http://www.tonywagner.com/7-survival-skills).

To close out my million thoughts I wanted to share a list I read in Chapter Two on page 35 (eBook version).  To clarify learning networks we should follow:

• Passion to learn
• Sharing
• Quality, not quantity
• Well-developed sense of self-direction
• Balance
• Reflection
• Face to Face Networks

The hardest part for me is balance.... what is yours?

My name is Ashley Burton.  I graduated with my Bachelors in Elementary and Early Childhood Education at MoBap in 2012.    I played 4 years of Women’s Soccer.  I graduated as a All-American Scholar Athlete & was nationally recognized in the NAIA.  I am currently working on my Masters in Educational Technology at Missouri Baptist University!

One of my favorite jobs is being an Aunt!  Mary Emma is in fourth grade, Trey is in First grade, Charlie is going to be 2 in July & McKenzie in September!!! I'm currently teaching at Spoede Elementary in the Ladue School District.  I was the ESOL Teacher's Assistant and this year I'm a regular TA.   I am still interviewing for my dream job of a general education classroom teacher.  I also used to coach the St. Charles West High School JV Team!  I have one season under my belt.  I am looking forward to coaching more in my future! I am waiting patiently for my world to be figured out but I believe I am where I was supposed to be learning more each day what kind of teacher I am!I love technology and what it has to offer within the classroom.  I am so pumped to be able to hear from other and learn new strategies to help me in the classroom.   My favorite app is Blackboard Mobile!  I highly suggest if you are always on the go! It has helped me a lot especially for discussion posts!