When I first started this course, I was nervous and excited since this was the first course to help me through my Master’s. During the first week, it was interesting to see my peers’ opinions about the difference between learning and understanding after reading Bransford, Brown, and Cocking (2000). It broadened my own definition and I often began referring to experts and novices (Bransford, et al, 2000) in my own classroom.
The network learning project was a great opportunity to see how learning can actually be done on the internet. I had never thought to use tutorials and help forums to solve a problem. Instead, I would use Google or play around with a software to figure out how to use it. The tutorials opened my eyes and made the project easier to complete. I am very proud of my final project and achieved all of my learning goals of editing videos, adding music, and adding text.
For many years, I had a Twitter and had no idea how to use it. Completing the professional learning network has made me a “twitter maniac” (or so my friends call me). I am constantly using my PLN and finding great ideas from fellow educators that I am following.
My two favorite assignments during this course were the lesson plan and the cooking with TPACK. The lesson plan allowed me to take all of the information I had learned and apply it. I tried to incorporate the idea of using a technology to encourage learning rather than keep students busy. The TPACK activity also opened my eyes to see the importance of repurposing technology. I had fun making a peanut butter sandwich with just a spoon. I also enjoyed watching my peers and how they “repurposed” their technology to fit their needs.
I fell in love with the technologies that we worked with such as Kidblog, and made plans to use this in the classroom next year. I will definitely be continuing to use my PLN by following Feedly and reading educational Tweets everyday.
References
Bransford, J., Brown, A.L. & Cocking, R. R. (Eds.), How people learn: Brain, mind, experience and school (pp. 3-27). Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
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