Personal Learning Networks II

In an earlier post, I indicated that one of my "big three" was to start using twitter. I've been using it regularly for a couple of weeks and through twitter I got a chance to see David Warlick speak at the North Carolina computing educators conference through ustream. Here is a link to his handouts. In the workshop he talked about using RSS to find tools and information that will help one as a professional. In describing how to use RSS to find images and other information that would help put together lessons and classroom activities, David said, "Train the information to find us." I thought that was a cool quote and I understand exactly what he is saying. So much time is spent looking for information, "just in time". If we prepare in advance by setting up feeds, wikis, and other web2.o tools to accept and organize the information, when we need it, it's there for us.

Once again, the impact of blogs as a professional development tool was brought up with his group. David asked his group if they read blogs and then offered a list of bloggers that are widely read by other educators as a way to learn about what is going on in the field. (His blog should be on the top of the list.) As I mentioned before, reading blogs of other educators who are interested and knowledgeable about technology is the single most important professional development activity that I engaged in.

Twitter is coming a close second. Because of Twitter, I was able to attend David's session today. Here's my Big Three for David's session:

1. Set up RSS feed pages on my pageflakes page for topics that I'm interested in including internet safety, blogging in the classrooms, PLN
2. Participate in twitter in a meaningful way, like posting links to good tools and interesting articles - not just posting goofy stuff
3. Participate in my ning networks because I know that the people in my ning group will be knowledgeable and supportive with the issues that I have in my job. I'll learn alot from them.