Social Media & Education

I have never been a big social media geek.  I would usually post pictures of my kids on Facebook.  I enjoy seeing friends posts and I like that it helps me stay connected with  friends.  But as I mature, I find that I am on my Facebook page less and less.  The busier I am the less time and energy I have for social media.  In my EDU 776 class one of the assignments was starting a Twitter account and getting myself involved in with a PLN (Professional Learning Network). It was exciting and overwhelming.

I recently read an article "6 Tips for Teachers on Social Media In a Connected World".  I found the encouragement for the article very helpful especially for someone like me who is social media wary.  The author made several points that I completely agree with and I thought voiced common sense. 

The main point was to keep personal and professional accounts separate. As teachers we are held to a higher professional standard and we have to be careful about what we share and the possible reflection it can have on our professional self, our school, and school system.

Another point, and the one that I found most helpful was don't be afraid and reach out to other educators.  Don't be afraid to ask questions.  Don't be afraid to connect with other teachers in my specialty.  Bottom line, just don't be afraid.  Sometimes you just need to close your eyes and jump.  I dipped my feet into the pond.  Now it's time to jump in.  I needed that encouragement to keep up with my Twitter and to keep growing and learning through my PLN.

Wow!!!  I can't believe that the eight weeks of my first course  EDU 776: Integrating Technology into Programing, Services, and Instruction is coming to an end.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the course.  It has been a challenge learning how to balance family, work, and grad school all at the same time.  Some weeks I was better at it than others. I feel like I have learned a ton in the few short weeks of the class.  It's funny because I am considered the education technology guru for the program that I teach for and yet I know how little I really know and understand. In saying all of that, I would like to share some highlights and impressions of what I have gained in the past 8 weeks.

First, my love of education technology has not changed.  In fact it has intensified.  I am eager to try many of the new things that I have learned and been exposed to in the class.  On the other hand, I feel frustrated with the lack of technology available in the special education cooperative that I work for.  I know how much my students would benefit from the tools available today. 

It is my belief that technology in general is going to do nothing but advance.  In fact it is advancing at breakneck speeds.  It is no different in education.  Technology is starting to drive how we teach and educate our students. It is exciting to see students engage in their learning in ways that they haven't before.  In my EDU class, I learned more about active learning and how it is changing teaching.  Until recently, teachers have gone from being in front of the class delving out information for the students to digest, to becoming more of a facilitator and guiding the students through, and helping them take charge of what they learn and how they demonstrate what they know.  It's really exciting stuff.

Here is the thing, it is a challenge translating this great concept to special education when your students are still learning at the concrete level.  Especially when you have limited technology available.  Here is the other thing, its not impossible, and I am really looking forward to exploring and getting creative in how to use what I have in ways that I haven't considered before to broaden my students educational experience.

Now onto Twitter.  The older I get the less I am into the whole social media thing.  In the class, I also learned about taking charge of my personal growth as an educator by joining and networking with other professionals in the field through Twitter.  I will say that I found the experience energizing in the way of staying in touch with the latest and greatest going on in the field of education technology and education in general.  It's also overwhelming.  I am really going to have to push myself to stay engaged on Twitter but I think it is important.  It's a balancing act that I still have yet to master

Well EDU 776 and Nicole (my course instructor), it's been great!!!  It was a wonderful introduction into the world of education technology.  I can't wait for more.....

My Digital Tattoo

What is my digital tattoo you ask?  I had to ask too.  In my EDU 776 class we were encouraged to complete a "data mine" on ourselves to discover our digital tattoo.  Here is a definition of  "digital tattoo" that I found on binarytattoo.com which states, "Our digital identity, or tattoo, is the permanent collection of data about us that is available online.  Each time we post a picture, a blog, a status or a tweet, we are adding to that digital identity."  Makes a lot of sense.  I never really thought much about my online life and I wasn't that concerned about what I would find.  I tend to be more of a visitor (see my post from Sept. 14th) online.  I don't post a lot.  I am not necessarily a private person but I am an introvert by nature. My EDU class has pushed me, in a good way, to be more of an online presence. So, I completed a data mine on myself by visiting a bunch of different sites to see what I could find.  Below are some screenshots of some of the sites I visited and the info I found on myself.

I started with a good ole Google search of my married name Bonnie Mattson.

I didn't find much when I Googled my married name.  My blog didn't even show up. I did manage to find my picture.

personal Google search screenshot

I then Googled my Facebook name which includes my maiden name Bonnie Baker Mattson and a lot more showed up including my uncle's obituary from several years ago.

personal Google search screenshot

Here is my Instant Checkmate search.  They found me.  It listed every town I have lived in for Illinois and Indiana.

personal screenshot

Pipl had my current job, old home phone number, towns I have lived in.

personal screenshot of pipl search

On Spokeo is was able to get a street view of my house.

personal screenshot of Spokeo search

Intelius had my parents names, my brother, and my husband.  It also listed my high school that I attended in Cincinnati and my current employer.

personal screenshot of Intelius search

I also searched Peekyou, Beenverified, Rate my Teacher, and Nuwber all of which yielded similar results.  

I wasn't surprised by what I found but it was interesting to see how much information there is available for anyone to find out about me.  This led me to consider just how important it is for parents and teachers alike to educate their kids/students on the footprints they are already leaving online.  I think children need to be made aware as early as they can understand the importance of there digital tattoo and the impact it can make on their lives in the future.

Edmodo Web 2.0 Tool Screencast

I have been curious about Edmodo for a while.  When the screencast assignment came up, I jumped on the opportunity to explore it in more depth. 

I used Screencast-o-matic for the recording which was an easier process than I thought it would be.  Check out my screencast below.

This was my second attempt at recording the screencast. The directions were simple, clear, and easy to follow.  It was cool getting to explore Edmodo too.  I hope that you enjoyed my first screencast and learned more about Edmodo.  

Professional Learning Networks & My Twitter

My Twitter
Bonnie Mattson @Bmattson_teach

Bonnie Mattson - Twitter page

I have recently been introduce to engaging in Professional Learning Networks to take charge of my own growth as an educator.  One of the best avenues for PLN networks is Twitter.  I by nature am not a big social media guru.  I tend to be more of a lurker (or visitor).  I made an attempt about a year ago to actively follow several ed tech leaders in the twitter community and was overwhelmed with all of the notifications and tweets.  After a short time I gave up and stopped following them.  My experience this time is much different in a good way.  I feel educated and empowered to better navigate the PLN Twitter world.  I actually participated in my first #edtech twitter chat and was blown away by all of the great info and resources posted.  Below is a screenshot of when I participated in the twitter chat.

Bonnie Mattson screenshot of #edtech TweetChat

I also want to share a link that I found useful by Shelly Sanchez @ShellTerrell about blended learning.  

http://catlintucker.com/2015/09/avoid-the-one-size-fits-all-classroom/?utm_content=buffer9cbee&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I am a fan of blended learning because it is very applicable in a special education classroom due to its flexibility in being able to differentiate learning activities.  I really appreciated how the teacher in the article explained how she varied the approach depending on the topic or concept being taught.

So my reentry into the Twitter PLN world was a positive one. I have found it to be an energizing and inspiring experience that I plan on continuing throughout the rest of my teaching career.