My Digital Footprint
I do a lot of reading. People recommend books to me, I follow the blogs of inspiring educators, I run across incredibly stimulating articles on Twitter, and don’t even get me started on Pinterest. There are so many opportunities to become a connected educator that there's really no excuse not to be. The resources available are so abundant that everyone should be able to find something that suits them. Except when they can’t. Many people don’t know where to begin. The world of connectivity can be a scary place and many teachers tell me that they can’t afford the time to learn about their choices. But in a world where children have been listening to iPods since before birth, 3-year olds are learning to read using their tablet computer, and 4th graders are creating podcasts to teach other students about the Revolutionary War - we can’t afford not to. It's important that we prepare our students to become responsible digital citizens. This page will help me highlight my own digital footprint and how I try to contribute to the strong educator community that connects through the Internet. Please click on any of the green highlighted links below to connect with me through any of the pages listed.
THE PAGES
Twitter - This has been an extraordinarily useful social media tool which has allowed me to connected with many educators across the globe. Twitter has been the best professional development tool that I have ever been associated with. My PLN is full of educators who are passionate about bettering the learning of their students. You can see my Twitter feed on the right. Pinterest - This site is a visual bookmarking site... that I love. I use it not only to collect and organize professional sites and ideas, but for personal interests as well. Facebook - Although I use this site for my own personal connections, I believe that knowing and understanding Facebook (and other sites like Tumblr) is an important practice for educators who want to ensure that they understand the world that our students are growing up in. We should do our best to understand the tools our students are using to connect to each other and friends in our quest to help them become strong digital citizens. PTO Facebook Page - I am now the facilitator of our school's PTO Facebook page, which shares events happening at the school. Instagram - Instagram gives me the opportunity to share images of not only things that happen at school, but also within my own personal life. Weebly Blog - I think it is important for all educators to be reflective practitioners. I use this platform to house my professional blog, which I use to reflect on my personal learning and teaching beliefs. about.me - This site offers a great way for people to learn a bit about you (and your teaching philosophy) as well as some of the places you show up on the internet. Skype in the Classroom - Check out by blog post on how to using Skype in the classroom! Diigo - A social bookmarking tool that helps me organize and share web resources with other educators, or anyone else who is interested in education. Google+ - This is a social networking site similar to Facebook. Although I am not very active on this site, it is a free natural extension that's included with your gmail account (as is Google Drive). There are some neat features like Google hangouts and making connections through "circles." |