Distance Learning

I am sometimes amazed at how far technology has actually taken us. For me, I could not have gotten my masters degree without distance learning. I finished my M.ed and never even saw the campus. It is amazing the relationships you can build just by using online tools such as blogs, wikis, or educational tools such as moodle or blackboard. I even had one teacher teach the entire class via a wiki (Thank you Jeff Utecht) and it was amazing. We got to chat when needed, see revisions in real time and all of our projects were listed with clear directions. With email being more relevant than telephone we were able to use that medium as well. Skype was also very helpful. When I took the class, we had arranged times to talk on skype to touch base and have questions answered. I am a true believer in distance education and wonder how well it would work out for say, middle school students. What traits would they need be good distant learners? Just a thought..

Project Based Learning Reinvented

Well as blogging time comes and goes, my love of reading and the web 2.0 movement has remained the same. I just can't get enough. With that said I just had to say how amazing , Reinventing Project Based Learning by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss is. What an enlightening book to teachers young and old. I highly recommend it. I think project based learning is truly authentic and helps our students to "own" their learning. Something that I think becomes more and more important as we try to teach 21st century skills. I also had to give Kudos to two bloggers I have been following since I was introduced to web 2.0. blogging and readers. Ms. Vicki Davis "Cool Cat Teacher" has an amazing blog about teaching and PBL and is always willing to share. As well as a very wonderful professor and international educator that I had the pleasure of taking a class with through Plymouth State University (the one class that truly opened my eyes to web 2.0 and all of it's many tools and rewards) Mr. Jeff Utecht. He updates his blog frequently and is always sharing not only his work experience and passion but also other cool pieces of information regarding PBL,web 2.0 and technology. To my delight and surprise, I have just past page 14 and they are both mentioned for their wonderful work on blogs and PBL. I wonder if they knew when they started blogging that all of their sharing and communicating would land them on the 14th page of a great book (that is so far, there may be more :) Kudos to both of them!

Thoughts on Second Life

Well I'll be honest, I thought second life was just for kids. I really did. My 15 year old son borrowed my laptop last week and was shocked to see second life loaded. Before I knew it, he was showing me all of the functions, how to talk, transport, fly, buy items. Great, I thought, so why am I trying this again, oh yes, social networking, virtual worlds can also contain a strong social network. Having interest in ISTE and guidelines from my instructor, Jeff, I head to the ISTE island. I've already made my character, so I look around. Within ten minutes there are at least eight other's in the room, some librarians, some technology teacher and some graduate students. Wow, I was literally amazed at how friendly everyone is. It's almost like the virtual world gives you more of a connection that twitter or your blog, you can't always guarantee a reply or post, but in second life, the forum is more open, people respond to your ideas quickly and are quick to expand upon the subject material. I liked it so much that I have become a volunteer in the ISTE area as well as the NECC 2008 area. What a great way way to network and create a social network. Thanks again, Jeff. Feel free to look for my avatar: Sherry Dawner.