Challenge Week

 Last week was full of many challenges, and it was so much fun! As I was trying out a few of the challenges, I began to question what made these so engaging? Was it the excitement of trying something new? Or, putting into practice some of the tools we have learned about? Or was it just the fact that it was something different than our normal weekly participation?

I would like to admit that I think it was a combination of everything mentioned above! Throughout the course, we have been focusing on all things Web 2.0. We have engaged in many different platforms and created numerous accounts across those platforms, but I think the challenges are what really sparked my interest in all of these tools. Allowing the learner to use the tool in an activity that may not be clearly academic (journal readings, analysis, etc.) allows us to be more hands on so to speak in such a digital world. The challenges allowed us to do some fun stuff in my opinion, while using Web 2.0 technology.

My favorite challenge was the playlist! It was interesting to see the variety of genres that my classmates turned to when creating a 'summer vibes' playlist!

Sutori - My favorite classroom tool!

 I was introduced to Sutori through an ISLT course back in 2021...and it was a game changer. This LMS is a great tool to organize and manage online learning courses. The platform itself has ready made timelines for a plethora of different learning units or you can create and generate your own! 

I have used this tool in my own classroom (high school) and have found it to be very helpful for students in tracking and providing their lessons all in a one stop shop method. Below is an example of one that I created for an ISLT course as well as a direct link to their tutorials section for more information on creating your own!

Sutori Example

Tutorials

Week 9 Reflection

 I can't believe that we are this far through the course! Where have these 9 weeks gone??

This week focused on designing for building a community and how that community can be supported. Naturally, I started to go in depth on the communities that I am apart of and how they function and how they integrate a sense of community. Prior to this course I was apart of maybe 2 or three online communities (maybe more, but I was never a contributor). Now I am apart of about 10 online communities, a few blogs, and Facebook groups that I actively participate or engage in each week. 

Moving forward in the course I plan to fully engage in my PLN and was teetering on a topic to cover. Brett came in and gave me a great idea on how to incorporate the 2 I was going between, so now I am excited to dive in further and find the perfect way to merge those 2 ideas!

Looking forward to the last 3 weeks, see everyone on the Web! :)

PLN - thoughts and ideas?

As I think and begin to plan for my Planned Learning Network project, my brain is filled with many thoughts and ideas. I centered my Knowledge Sharing project based on a significant medical condition that affects me and countless others. Moving forward, do I stick with this topic and build upon it? Or did I shift gears completely and focus on a discipline geared more toward Instructional Design?

The planner in my says to focus on the content idea that I have already acknowledged because I know the topic well and am very passionate about it. However, the learner in me wants to dive deeper into designing curriculum, as that is what my ultimate goal is after completing the ISLT program. Decisions, decisions....

Ultimately, I will continue to project my focus on the network that I have been generating for the past three years. This network came to me in the midst of the pandemic, when as we all know, was not the most opportune time to take on such a monumental task. When I was diagnosed with an incurable condition, I thought "This is it, this is the end"....morbid I know. However, over the years, I have been able to build up a network through social media and research that has allowed me to overcome that thought process. 

Therefore, I want to continue to build upon this not only to help myself but to aid and encourage others. 

Teachers and Social Media

When I first started this Web 2.0 journey, I believed that social media was just your typical platforms; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. However, I now know that that is not the case. As an educator, I shy away from use of social media in my classroom, especially as a high school teacher, but there are ways to incorporate its uses into the classroom setting. With that being said, there are obstacles one must overcome to use some of these platforms based on the platform setting and district policies. 

Since using certain types of social media within the classroom can be difficult, that doesn't mean that there can't be teacher collaboration using these platforms. Across almost every typical social media platform, there is some type of community geared towards educators sharing resources, tips, and tricks. These online communities are beneficial to the educational field because it can allow educators to collaborate on such a wide scale. In the article "What do teachers share within Socialized Knowledge Communities: a case of Pinterest" there are findings regarding teacher generated material on Pinterest. This goes to show that there are these communities within these platforms where educators can use social media to benefit their profession. 

It is interesting to see how much education has shifted in the past 30 years from predominantly paper and pencil, to essentially all digital learning across al grade levels. The implementation of social media has only widened the lenses of technology and resources that can be used in the traditional classroom. 

Hu S, Torphy KT, Opperman A, Jansen K, Yun-Jia L. What do teachers share within socialized knowledge communities: A case of pinterest. Journal of Professional Capital and Community. 2018;3(2):97-122. https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/what-do-teachers-share-within-socialized/docview/2080939172/se-2. doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-11-2017-0025.

Microlearning...How often do we do it??

 Before this course I had never actually heard of the phrase microlearning, nor was I aware that I actually did it and mostly done through social media! Microlearning is essentially the breakdown of a large topic into small sections that can frequently be referenced. This in turn made me first think of  YouTube. I am not sure about everyone else, but I use YouTube for almost everything that I need to know or learn how to do.

This week I gave myself a challenge to track all of my microlearning adventures. Here is a list of everything that I have used microlearning for this week:

YouTube

• Replaced taillights in my vehicle
• Change oil in my truck
• Fix my garage door (it fell off the tracks)
• Fixed the ice machine to my fridge
• Best way to remove stains from clothes and soaking methods
• How to fold a fitted sheet (I watch this once a week, and have yet to master this skill)

Pinterest

• Found 2 new 4th of July BBQ recipes
• 4th of July décor and craft ideas

To me this was a quiet week of microlearning using social media, however, some weeks are more packed than others. Today, we can do or fix almost anything using social media tools for microlearning, which is pretty incredible. Instead of having to hire someone for these tasks, you can learn and DIY it yourself!

Social Media as a Learning Tool

 https://www.pinterest.com/pin/306385580871376108/ 

At first when you think social media, a learning tool does not initially come to mind. Throughout this Web 2.0 journey, I wanted to reflect on my initial thinking of social media. Before beginning this course, when I thought about social media, I only thought of it as a platform to share the pictures, life events, opinions, etc. I never thought of it in terms of a learning tool.

So far in this journey, all of our learning has been based around social media. Learning how social platforms can be used for instruction as well as personal use. The typical platforms such as google classroom, class dojo, and other learning management systems are to be expected for instruction, but it has been interesting to see the use of twitter, blogging, or Instagram be used for learner instruction. Other platforms such as Padlet or Reddit can be used to build and gain knowledge in a variety of content as well.

It has really opened my eyes as to how and where content can be delivered for learning purposes. Using social media as a learning tool can spark interest and engage learners because they can use tools that they are familiar with and usually use for personal use. Finding different platforms to engage learners can bring a sense of excitement and engagement for learning.