Social Networking Sites and Professional Development

Recently I joined a social networking site for EFL teachers called EFL Classroom 2.0. I was amazed by the variety of resources available on the website. There are forums for hosting discussions with other members and blogs to follow with updates on teaching resources. In addition in your personal profile you can include a link to your own professional blog. Also, there are thousands of links to videos, there are links to educational games, to e-readers and even to some of the resources we have been exploring in our class such as Voicethread.

I am really excited to explore more of these resources and materials. For instance there is a whole page of resources just for phonics as well as a page with materials such as flashcards and worksheets. What I also like about the site is that it is international. This is important to me as a future EFL teacher who intends to teach outside the US. I would like to have access to different resources and have the opportunity to network with teachers who are working abroad.

Connectivism Theory and the Modern Learner

Through reading George Siemens' article on Connectivism, A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, I started to envision learners as modern day hunter-gatherers. I say this because I think learners are constantly on the hunt for information and knowledge on-line, on databases, on social media, etc. This hunt can be seen as a means of survival where the learner must stay current in their field in order to remain relevant and ultimately to remain employed. Siemens states "When knowledge, however, is needed, but not known, the ability to plug into sources to meet the requirements becomes a vital skill. As knowledge continues to grow and evolve, access to what is needed is more important than what the learner currently possesses." The implication for our learners is that they need to develop the skills to hunt for knowledge so that when they encounter something that they do not know the answer to they have the resources to search out the answer.

Unlike some hunter-gatherers in the past, today's learners are not out hunting alone. Instead they can build networks of connections to other individuals and as a result they can increase their knowledge. In a video titled The Changing Nature of Knowledge Siemens discusses "The Network model of learning…the learners themselves, the connections they form with each other, the connections they form with databases, with other sources of knowledge is really the primary point of learning." I like this idea that these connections are learner initiated, that each individual creates their own network which is unique to them and their experiences and interests. If learners are encouraged to build networks while in a school/classroom setting which are relevant to them they can continue to use and expand upon them in their life outside the classroom.

Diigo vs. Scoop.it

Social bookmarking and curation are relatively new to me though I have used Delicious in the past for bookmarking. I found both Diigo and Scoop.it to be useful sites that were easy to navigate. I like that the content that you collect can be accessed from the internet rather than saved to just one computer like the more traditional form of bookmarking used by search engines. Personally I prefer Scoop.it's use of images in the curation topics rather than the list-like format of Diigo. Also I like the Scoop.it feature that offers suggestions of articles to scoop and follow. In addition, it is possible to post comments on your own posts and on the posts of others which makes it a much more interactive forum than Diigo.

There are many similarities between Diigo and Scoop.it such as being able to include multiple tags for each posting, the ability to copy and paste from the original articles, the option for including personal descriptions of the articles and the ability to follow others and to be followed. An interesting feature of Diigo is that you can preview the websites which are bookmarked which does provide a visual reference when scrolling someone's list of bookmarks. Another feature I like is the ability to highlight within the article you bookmark. I think this is a great feature to enable you to reference what was particularly interesting within the article. I think I am more inclined to use Scoop.it on a regular basis because of the visual factor of the curation topics. Also I like that the search options which are suggested are based on the tags and content of the sites you have selected within the curation topic. 

Educating for the Future

While watching the Future Learning Documentary video I was impressed by the numerous innovative ideas presented by the interviewees. They advocated for the use of technology in the classroom including video games and iPads which is not a revolutionary idea itself but they called for a revolution of a different sort. A revolution in motivating students to learn, to present information within context, to blend learning and play, and to make the learning experience less rigid. I think these are all very valid suggestions and that technology can be a tool to help accomplish them. One observation that I really connected with was made by Sugata Mitra who suggests that a skill that students should be learning now to better prepare them for their future is the ability to conduct information research on-line. I think this is a very important skill not only in the forum of higher education but in one's private life in order to be better informed about the world.

Another video I watched was "Did you Know" which presented many interesting statistics about technology, its uses around the world and its role in both education and employment. These statistics and observations help to put the modern situation in historical perspective. The video raised many questions such as how technology has changed the job market and how this relates to educating today's youth. It made me think about how the United States can remain competitive with countries such as India and China who have such large populations. Something else I observed was that the video mentioned the vast quantity of information available through the internet and technology but nothing was said about the quality of this information. This brought to mind the Future Learning Documentary video and reinforced the need for students to learn how to perform on-line research. With so much information available students need to have the skills to determine what is the more reliable source.

Using blogs to Meet Learning Standards

The possible uses of student blogging are virtually endless. The fact that blogs can be adapted to individual student and classroom needs and requirements is what I find so exciting about them as an educational tool. One way I would like to utilize student blogging in a future EFL classroom is as a forum for journaling. Student journaling on a blog can meet several ACTFL learning standards one of which is Communication Standard 1.1 “Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express feelings and emotions and exchange opinions.” I think a blog can be a more dynamic setting for students to journal and share their thoughts and opinions about topics covered in class. They can customize blog entries with pictures, videos or music and add links to other sites that interest them or touch on the same topic.

In addition, journaling on a blog can meet another ACTFL learning standard for Communities Standard 5.1 “Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.” This is accomplished by providing an opportunity for classmates, teachers and parents to communicate and interact through posting comments and feedback. This interaction can occur both within the classroom and outside of it.

In terms of professional development I think that blogging can enable me to build relationships and communicate with other educators. I like the idea of using a blog for journaling about the lessons I teach. I can reflect on what I think went well, what didn’t go well and what I could do differently to improve the lesson the next time I teach it. By building a network of educators who can provide feedback and suggestions I will have access to resources to help me improve as a teacher. Also I will have a means of observing my progress overtime through reviewing past posts.