Jumping Right In

I have only been reading education blogs for the last year or so, but there is no question that it has been the single greatest influence on my teaching practice of all professional development experiences I have had.  I was struck by the idea of a PLN (Personal Learning Network) the moment I read about it and I have been using Twitter and the eduBlogospere for my personal learning ever since.  Creating my own PLN has enabled me to get professional development when I want it, on topics that I find most interesting – it doesnt get more personal than that!

There have been many bloggers who have inspired me to begin writing my own blog.  Recently, Dan Meyer posted a blog encouraging other teachers to “take up the torch” so to speak, and start blogging.  It was the push I needed.

The name “ideaconnect” comes from a theme that I have been using for my online work for some time now.  My class webpage is “classconnect.ca”, and I have developed Ning networks for my students with the titles  “scienceconnect” and “physicsconnect”.

For me, the best use of the internet in education is to enable students to “make connections” in ways that were not possible before.  These connections could include social/learning connections between students in my classes, or connections with people far outside the walls of my classroom. In Science education specifically, students are required to make connections between the Science curriculum and elements of Technology, Society and the Environment.  The internet and web 2.0 tools have brought those elements into my classroom in new and exciting ways.  I look forward to reflecting on the many of ways technology is opening up my classroom.

I want to use this blog to help me explore my thinking.  As a new blogger, I am fully intimidated and excited by the process of putting my thoughts up for public dialogue.  I have many ideas and opinions about education and technology, some of which I have thought long and hard about, and others that are transient and undefined.  It is likely that I will post opinions which are not yet fully formed and I reserve the right to change my position at any time.  It is my hope that the process of putting ideas down on paper and engaging with the comments on this blog will help me to grow and learn in new and exciting ways.  I suppose that’s all we can ever hope to truly achieve from any of our endeavours.

Image Credits:

Might as well jump…. 2bw
by Adam Melancon on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/melancon/2742142387/

05. January 2010 by Graham Whisen
Categories: Personal Reflection | 6 comments

Comments (6)

  1. Pingback: Thank You | ideaconnect

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