Journal #4 NETS-T #3

Ferguson, H. (2012). Join the flock!. Learning and Leading with technology, Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading/issues/june-july-2010/join-the-flock!

McClintock, S. (2010). Enhance your twitter experience.Learning and Leading with technology, 37(8),Retrieved from http://www.learningandleading-digital.com/learning_leading/20100607?pg=16&search_term=enhance your twitter&doc_id=-1

 Summary: Join the Flock! is and article in Learning and Leading with Technology about how to use Twitter to build your PLN.  It took me a while to figure out what PLN stood for because of Hadley Ferguson's poor writing style and failure to clearly identify the acronym PLN and what it stands for.  PLN stands for Professional Learning Network and is what the author seeks to develop by using Twitter to network with other educators.  Mrs. Ferguson's article gives a step by step account of how to get on to Twitter and begin looking at posts from other educators and build a community of educators who share thoughts and posts about developments in education and technology. In Enhance your Twitter Experience,  the author talks about all of the great experiences and activities that became available to her and her class by joining and developing her Personal Learning Network.  She gives tips and ideas about how to use tools like Tweet deck to manage and filter tweets and to increase functionality.  In her article she also highlights how much twitter has helped her come in contact with other educators who want to share ideas about educating and inspiring learning among youth.

Question 1:  How might I use twitter in the classroom?
    As an educator I could use twitter to find information and links to new and relevant social activities that could be used as a teaching tool for youth.  Twitter could allow me to stay up to date with info and activities that could be transformed into learning activities and information that can help me better reach my students. It could also be a way for students to communicate and bounce ideas related to school topics around.  It could also be used to do activities as a class outside of the classroom that could keep everyone involved.

Question 2:  What are the benefits of developing a Personal Learning Network?
    A Personal Learning Network can help educators build personalized communities where other educators can share thought and ideas about the latest advancement in technology and education and how to transform those things into a positive learning experience.  PLN's are a way to allow people who are interested in the same topics to share info and improve education as a whole.