Journal #7 PLN Reflection

The PLN that I chose to join is within the website of LinkedIn, the affinity group I joined is called Books and Writers.  It's dedicated to providing helpful resources for those just entering the world of publishing early works.  There are some established professionals also involved in the group and they help with creating a collaborative space for helping others with becoming new published professionals themselves.  I think that this group has been beneficial because I have been looking for online work spaces that are geared to helping those trying to begin a career in publishing.  I was slightly unguided when I began the EMM program and it the process of taking a few courses I have come to the conclusion that I want to assist in the business of education by providing new and modern learning techniques and resources.  I would like to be a part of the population that creates new learning resources and materials.  The exposure I've had to PLNs has made research readily available with instantaneous results. For example, Books and Writers has helped me get closer in achieving the goal of learning how to become a successful published author (in all fields) because there other individuals out there seeking the same professional advice.  I've seen many others posting about works they've already created and are now in search for the right avenues to pursue.  And if nothing else, the Books and Writers group serves as a great free advertising for many people.  

I feel that with the advantage from the particular courses I've been taking in the EMM program and the additional "real life" expertise from those in my PLN, I can develop the kinds of new learning materials I aspire to create.

Journal #6 Self-Reflection

This class has opened up my eyes to the unknown intricacies of the Internet.  I knew the basics of how to navigate through the web and different websites and pages, but I lacked an understanding of how to develop any of what it takes to create a functional webpage.  I appreciate this class because now I can say that I know to work the beginnings of fundamental website creation.  So far the hardest lesson has been the most recent lesson plans we've been working through.  For instance I understand how apply the basics of setting up a work-up document, but the difficulty comes in when trying to figure out which rules to apply to CSS styling.  There are so many attributes for particular functions, that it can be slightly overwhelming when trying to figure out which to use properly.

Though I'd have to say the chapter explaining how to create table charts was the most productive lesson for me so far.  I plan to incorporate this particular feature in my final webpage design.  Considering that I want to showcase a multitude of information and how it cross references each other at one time, it makes sense to utilize a tabled chart to portray all that info.  I hope that I begin to get even more comfortable with the CSS so that my chart will exemplify exactly what I want to showcase on my webpage.

For someone who has not had any prior experience with working fundamental web development, I can honestly say that I am improving every week that we go through.  And I'm looking forward to what I can complete in the near future.

Book Exercises html link:
http://www.csupomona.edu/~naeverett/512/books/work_table.html

Journal #5 Twitter in Education

In searching for positive reasons to incorporate Twitter in educational settings, I found some of the background information about Twitter.  Some facts state that Twitter was launched in 2006 and it's funny that I basically went on for the last 8 years having never been at all interested.  I can definitely understand the benefits of use in terms of social connections and why people love to feel easily accessible to celebrity life--yet I still could not find any reasons for why Twitter and education would go hand in hand.  

Through the class readings, I now see why today's teachers would be interested in incorporating Twitter and other social media tools in class.  Especially for the younger grades (middle school and up to 10th grade, maybe).  It inspires students to become engaged in modern platforms and allows them to increase their use from just social reasons but for academic achievement as well. 

Q1: Would the use of Twitter take away from any "traditional" teaching techniques?

A1: If anything it should be accompanying typically used techniques.  The use of Twitter can reinforce learned material and also serve as extra learning resources. It would keep the students updated at a constant pace and provide them with other skills on how to connect and obtain more information beyond what they could achieve in only the classroom.

Q2: Should the classroom eventually become all modern technology, or should it stick to the basics?

A2: We are nothing, if not a an advancing society.  So I believe it would be nearly impossible to move forward and not comply to the modern technology that comes with it.  The classroom does not have to necessarily become entirely a "smart" room, though it is definitely a true possibility.  But for the time being, involving Twitter in the classroom to change the student perspective on being engaged learners does not hurt.