Musings, Inspirations and Passionate Possibilities

So often, we see technology as being the solution in education – engaging learners, increasing reading scores, finding world peace.  Inherent in this thinking is that there’s a problem and that technology, in and of itself, is the solution.  What if we began our thinking about the role of technology in learning from a “the battery is half-full” perspective?

What if we assumed that students were learning, and were progressing, and that any tool that is used would only serve to deepen or heighten that learning?

What if we assumed that parents questions about social media were merely steps toward embracing all learning opportunities, rather than an impossible hurdle?

What if we assumed that questions from our colleagues about technology comes from a place of genuine inquiry and not critical evaluation?

How might these assumptions better frame our shared understanding of the role of technology in learning?  What if the battery is half-full – and we were the ones leading the charge?

Melissa

I’m a big fan of the RSS feed.  It’s like my own personal, ever-changing combination of a library, Amazon recommendations and Twitter – I learn things that I wasn’t sure I wanted to learn, when I often didn’t know I wanted to learn it.  And now I’m hooked!

What is RSS?  Is that a new app I haven’t heard of?

As WhatisRSS.com notes, “RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a format for delivering regularly changing web content. Many news-related sites, weblogs and other online publishers syndicate their content as an RSS Feed to whoever wants it.”  Common Craft has a simple, fast video overview of what RSS feeds are.

A page with an RSS feed, that you can subscribe to, is indicated by this symbol:

To begin subscribing to a RSS feed, you first need to create an account with a (free) RSS Reader.  This account essentially acts as the collator of information – the one-stop shop/library/recommendations that all the information YOU’re interested in is sent to.

RSS Readers

A number of free RSS Readers are available, including Google Reader, and Mozilla Thunderbird, to name just two.  Choose a Reader that works for you and create an account.  Then, get ready to do some heavy-duty surfing!

Bloggers and RSS – a match made in (networking) heaven

As a blogger, you can add a “RSS” feed widget (option or part of your blog home page) to your page.  This allows your growing legend of dedicated readers to know the moment you’ve shared insights that could change the world (no pressure) – what better services to offer loyal readers?

So – do you have a RSS feed on your blog?  If not, you have a little work to do.  And remember to visit other people’s blogs and add them to your RSS reader account!

Melissa

A Few of My Favourite Things

I have been reading blogs for several years (despite my late entry into the blogging world) and the insights from my colleagues around the world are instrumental in shaping my own learning and thinking.  Here are a few examples that may inspire you as well:

Lorna Jackson Public School Blog – written by Greg Collins, the Principal at Lorna Jackson, this blog serves as a powerful tool connecting the community and the vibrant learning that’s happening in the school

The Spicy Learning Blog – written by colleague and friend, Royan Lee, this blog offers insightful reflections, challenges and often a call-to-action from a teacher who “likes spicy food”.

Wright’s Room – as my own journey into inquiry-based learning deepens, I’ve been reading Shelley’s experiences with great enthusiasm.

Do you have great blogs you’d like to share?  Please let me know!

Melissa

I consider myself new to the blogging world but, as the song says, “I’m a believer!”

And now I’m sharing my growing appreciation for this way of “going public” about my learning with colleagues.

At the recent ECOO 2011 Conference, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach celebrated the learning that Ontario teachers are doing, while inspiring us to “go public” and share our insights and reflections.  I’m taking her call-to-action to heart, and will hopefully inspire some of my colleagues to be an active part of knowledge creation by sharing with the world how their practices as teachers are changing.

This blog is written using WordPress, an online tool that allows great flexibility in how you share, and great insights into who is learning with you.  Blogger is another blogging tool from Google.  Both require creating an account; Blogger will also allow you to connect to your Gmail account (should you have one).

Once you’ve created an account, learning about the options the tool provides for you is key.  WordPress has a 10-step guide to getting started and Blogger offers a tour of it’s tool.

After “making it pretty” (a very necessary step that needs to be celebrated), it’s on to the hardest part – writing your first entry and officially adding the title of “blogger” behind your name.

My suggestion?  Find inspiration in something that you have read or experienced, and use that as your inspiration.  Your insights and reflections on this “provocation” can help clarify your own understanding and offer powerful thinking that may influence others.

Finally, you have to share your work.  One great way?  Comment on this blog posting sharing your own blog site – and be confident that you’ll have at least one visitor who is eager to learn with and from you.

Melissa

I ended the 2010-2011 school year on an incredibly high note: attending the 2011 International Standards for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. I found myself inspired by the stories of teachers from around the world, most often through the casual conversations in between presentations and even better, when sharing an excellent meal.
While at dinner with some amazing Canadian colleagues, I was asked what I was doing to give back to the global educational community. More specifically, did I have a blog? My efforts to skirt the question were ignored and the question was posed again – what was I doing to “grow thinking”? My initial response was my most honest one – who cares what I have to say?
The question stayed with me throughout our three days of incredible learning and I realized that I do have a responsibility to actively participate in building knowledge with others. So, here it is: my first blog posting, on my new blog. I’m hoping to use this forum as a place to share my musings, inspired by the amazing people I work with, talk to and learn from and propose possibilities to consider. For what purpose? To create passionate learning opportunities for both students and teachers.
I welcome feedback (in fact, leaving a comment will do a great deal to boost my shaky online confidence). I’d like to dedicate this first posting to Mark Carbone, the man who pushed me into action. Thanks for the inspiration, Mark! Hopefully, I’ll give you, someday, something interesting to read.