LAN44

What does it mean to be an educator in the 21st century?

 *  [|The Typical Teacher Network] - This diagram attempts to visualize the typical network of teachers.
 * [|The Networked Teacher] - Increasingly more teachers are developing rich personal learning networks (PLNs) through the use of social media (sometimes called [|Web 2.0 tools]). Great examples of networked teachers include [|Kathy Cassidy] (Grade 1), [|Clarence Fisher] (middle years), and [|Darren Kuropatwa] (high school). There are thousands of others.
 * PLE Diagrams - Scott Leslie has compiled comprehensive list of individuals who have visualized their personal learning environments.
 * [|What Does the Network Mean to You?] - I asked the question of my network, "what does the network mean to you?". As a result, dozens of people responded via [|Voicethread] (through text, audio, video) to explain their thoughts on networked learning and professional development.
 * [|2009 Horizon Report] - The Horizon Report (through the work of the New Media Consortium) is a qualitative research report that identifies and describes "emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, research, or creative expression within learning-focused organizations." This report focused on the next five years and included mobile technologies, cloud computing, "geo-everything", the personal web, semantic-aware applications, and smart objects.
 * [|Future of Online Learning: 10 Years On (2008)] - Stephen Downes has done an excellent job describing the next 10 years of online learning in this essay.
 * [|Critical History of ICT in Education] - Teemu Leionen describes the history of ICT in education, from programming/drill & practice to today's state focused on social software and free and open content. [|This particular diagram] is useful in visualizing the shift.
 * [|Networked Learning Manifesto] - John Pederson has compiled a list of points describing the "networked learning manifesto". Many of these are powerful, and were inspired by the [|Cluetrain Manifesto].
 * [|RiP: A Remix Manifesto] - A wonderful open source film available through the National Film Board of Canada. It details the relevance and intricacies of remix/mashup culture. This is an important film to watch.

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Isn't being "open" problematic?

 * [|Online "Predators" and their Victims (PDF)] - Scholars at the University of New Hampshire studied the publicity around "online predators" and concluded that there is no evidence to suggest incidents of inviduals "who prey on naive children using trickery and violence". [|Dean Shareski] does a good job at highlighting key points of this article.
 * [|Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies] - A report from the Berkman Centre for Internet & Society (Harvard) debunks mainstream media hysteria and concludes a much narrower sphere of risk; the risks that exist today predate the rise of social networks. The report also concludes "bullying and harrassment, most often by peers, are the most frequent threats that minors face, both online and offline". The following [|explanation by Art Wollinsky] is not directly related to the study, but describes some of the same conclusions in a visual, interactive manner.
 * [|Taken out of Context: American Teen Sociality in Networked Publics] - Danah Boyd's recent dissertation describes the types of activities in which teens are now engaged, and their implications. Boyd suggests that teens are now "public by default, private when necessary", and this contrasts and challenges the standard definitions of privacy of adult culture.
 * [|Online Safety: Dispelling Common Myths] - "At NECC 2008, a panel of safety experts agreed, Education is the best tool to keep kids safe online." So what does this mean when we block access to sites such as social networking services in school? Are we missing opportunites to educate? What are our responsiblities as teachers and adminstrators? And how can we help educate parents?
 * [|Creative Commons] - One of the advantages of being open regards to one's work is that others can share & benefit from the knowledge. The Creative Commons allows individuals and groups to release content in open formats/copyleft licensing.
 * [|MIT OpenCourseWare] - MIT was the first major institution to release courses via copyleft licenses through systematic processes. Many other institutional and personal projects have followed related to open content, open textbooks, podcast lectures, etc. Open content remains one of the easiest ways to share.
 * [|Teachers Who Share] - Dean Shareski proclaims "teachers how share are the best teachers". This blog post details some of the many K-12 teachers who have benefited their students and others by opening up their classrooms and sharing.

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What is the path forward?

 * [|Visualizing Open/Networked Teaching] - I have been doing some thinking lately, in the open, about open/networked teaching. I have also [|revisited my thinking] with the help of others. Visualizations developed include the [|network sherpa] and a [|process for supporting learners as the walls of the classrooms are thinned]. In the end, it is [|not important that we find a new metaphor for teaching and learning], rather, we should always continue the search.
 * [|The Networked Student] - Wendy Drexler has taken pieces of Connectivism ([|Siemens] & [|Downes]), my concept of the networked teacher, and [|Common Craft style] to produce a short Youtube video depicting the interactions of a networked student.
 * [|Did You Know 3.0] - Scott McLeod & Karl Fisch present important stats on learning and technology in this viral video, seen millions of times. Huge changes in society & education are imminent, and there is a need to respond to these changes appropriately.
 * [|Vision of Students Today] - A video from Michael Wesch (Kansas State University) outlining some of the important characteristics of students today. This video inspired the video, [|A Vision of K12 Students Today].
 * [|2020 Forecast]: From Participation to Creation - "Over the next decade, the most vibrant innovations in education will take place outside traditional institutions. This //2020 Forecast: Creating the Future of Learning// presents a critical dilemma facing these institutions: how to reconcile bottom-up developments in education with the traditional top-down hierarchy that is currently in place."
 * [|What if? Technology in the 21st Century Classroom] - This is a discussion paper from the Ontario Public School Boards' Association that describes a vision of 21st Century students and teachers, and what is needed to support the imminent changes.

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Places To Start

 * **Tools** - There are hundreds of free, easy, and powerful tools available. Here's a partial list of some tools and resources to explore.
 * **Blogs** - There are hundreds of thousands of edublogs, so it is intimidating to find a place to start. Scott McLeod has put together a list of the[|top 50 edublogs for 2008] which may be useful. Browse through some of the blogs, if you like them, subscribe to them using an aggregator like [|Google Reader]. Read, follow the links to other edublogs and articles, comment and participate. Lurking is OK, but eventually you may want to create your own blog (if you haven't already). Many of these people are passionate educators, excellent and reflection and network.
 * **Online PD** - There are a number of places where you can participate in online professional development. Two established communities that would be a good place to start include [|EdtechTalk] and [|Classroom 2.0]. Both are very friendly and passionate communities where you are likely to be welcomed with open arms.
 * **Get Personal** - If one is to develop the technical and content knowledge related to technology integration, I would strongly advise participating in activities that are meaningful to your personally. For instance, I participate in the [|365/2009 project (photo-a-day)] because 1) I want to be a better photographer, and 2) I want to share and capture memories with my family. As a result, I have been able to experience unintended consequences related to my outlook on teaching and learning and an accrual of relevant social capital.
 * **Connect,Create, & Share** - Whether it is through [|Facebook], [|Twitter], or another social network service, you will find a number of passionate educators willing to connect. If you are looking to connect via Twitter, take a look at [|Twitter for Teachers] as a starting place.
 * **Consume!** - Get to better understand the wealth of solid academic content on the web. Start with something like [|TED Talks], an amazing resource of inspiring lectures from some of the most intelligent people on the planet. Or, read some of the many books or articles now available on the topic of technology, schools, and change. [|Disrupting Class] may be a good place to start for your summer reading.
 * **Start Small** - Try not to attempt to many things at once. Start cautiously, experiment, and do not fear failure ... we all experience it. Most of all, ask people for support. I'd love to offer mine ... [|contact me] or connect to me via [|Twitter]. I'd love to help you get started.

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