Questions:
Q1. What does it mean to be a connected educator?
Q2. What are the benefits of being a connected educator?
Q3a. How can teachers use social media technology to become more connected?
Q3b. What non-technological ways can help a teacher to become more connected?
Q4. What are your tips for becoming a connected educator?
Q5. One benefit of being a connected educator is being able to expand your PLN. Where do you go/who do you go to for inspiration?
Reflection:
As always, their was lots of lively debate around this topic with lots of helpful tips and advice being offered from experienced educational practitioners from around the globe!. Here is a summary of some of the top answers:
Q1. What does it mean to be a connected educator?
- Sharing ideas with like minded educators from around the world - By being a connected educator you are not hindered by distance.
- Personalised learning for teachers.
- Collaborating with other like minded professionals!
- Globally connecting your classroom - By being a globally connected educator, you are ensuring you have a connected classroom that is socially integrated.
Q2. What are the benefits of being a connected educator?
- Enables you to reflect and question your own practice.
- Results can be almost instantaneous: "I saw something on Twitter last night and used it in the classroom next morning." - @Edubloke
- Ability to connect with a global audience - also gives students a greater audience for their work.
- Gives you a feeling that we are all in it together!
- Gives the teacher an insight into how students are connecting with the world around them.
- One stop shop for personal / professional education.
- Access to a diverse range of people who all share fantastic, practical ideas!
Q3a. How can teachers use social media technology to become more connected?
Suggested ideas:
- Join the @staffrm
- Post to the @staffrm
- Connect with another educator on Edmodo
- Skype with another educator
- Join in an edu twitter chat
- Host an edu twitter chat
- Follow an educator on pinterest
- Create/share an edu pinterest board
- Join an edu group on Facebook
- Follow an educator on Google+
- Take part in an edu Google hangout
- Create and share an edu blog
- Create/share/contribute to an edu wiki
- Use Paper.li / Scoop.it to curate and share edu resources
Q3b. What non-technological ways can help a teacher to become more connected?
As Rachel Orr reminds us - "You don't need shiny tech to be a globally connected educator. Many ways are free or at little cost.". Here are just a couple of suggestion:
- TeachMeets are a great place for inspiration as well as meeting like minded educators - "Can’t beat a good face to face chat with someone after a TeachMeet" - Chris Waterworth. What if you can't find a TeachMeet in your local area? Well, you can always setup your own. There are lots of useful resources online to help you get started. TeacherToolkit's useful guide to TeachMeets is a good starting point: #TeachMeet by Teacher Toolkit
- Dedicated education shows, such as the BETT Show and Education Show, are also great places to meet other educators and to share best practice.
Q4. What are your tips for becoming a connected educator?
- Get on twitter. Attend TeachMeets. Don’t be afraid of Social Media.
- Facebook, edmodo, blogs etc. can offer opportunities for more considered responses – Twitter can be to fast-pace for some.
- Participate in slow chats! Slow chats are a new style of educational Twitter chat. Slow chats are just like normal edu chats except that they usually takes place from Monday through Saturday - Usually only one question per day is asked during a slow chat and teachers can jump in whenever they want. - "Slow chats give you a chance to think, reflect and share." - Julie Szaj (@shyj) Click here to find out more about slow chats: About #slowchated
- Take part in online debates / discussions over a variety of education matters. Share what you have and magpie what you want.
- Use tools such as TweetDeck and Hootsuite to manage / curate fast paced chats
Q5. One benefit of being a connected educator is being able to expand your PLN. Where do you go/who do you go to for inspiration?
Popular hashtags:
- #AussieEd - Weekly #edchat which unites educators from around the world to share best practice and explore the latest educational theories.
- #BettChat - Every fortnight, educators from around the world get together to debate and discuss the most pressing matters in education today.
- #EdShowChat – EdShowChat is a great place to discuss anything related to pedagogy and edtech.
- #SLTChat - Discussions about school leadership (Aimed at Senior Leaders/Managers)
- #UkEdChat - Weekly Twitter based discussion for educators.
- #WhatIsSchool – WhatIsSchool is an award winning #edchat which provides teachers from around the globe a voice in shaping the future of education.
For more Edu hashtags, click here: It’s all about the hashtag: 20 essential #EduChats for Teachers
Credit: Big thanks goes to the following educators without whom this guide would not be possible:
Rachel Orr (@RachelOrr)
Chris Waterworth (@ChrisWaterworth)
Amjad Ali (@ASTsupportAAli)
Dan (@Edubloke)
James Gibbons (@ThatEdTechGuy)
CR (@traveller_123)
Julie Szaj (@shyj)
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