An Important Milestone - #RSCON3

The third Reform Symposium e-Conference has broadened my horizons and expanded my PLN.

It is hard to describe the Reform Symposium e-Conference, but the words ‘inspiring’, ‘informative’, and ‘insightful’ come to mind.

#RSCON3 was a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn and share with new and experienced teachers around the world; and it will have tangible impacts on my teaching and professional learning practice in the months to come, particularly when we launch the Global Classroom 2011/12 project later this year.

And presenting at #RSCON3 was an important milestone in my teaching career, as it was my first ever professional presentation. I’m proud that I was able to share my experiences, and “make my voice heard” on a global stage; and I suspect there aren’t many 2nd year teachers who can say they’ve presented at an international conference! (Thanks Shelly!) 

My Presentation: “What the heck is a PLN?”

I shared my personal ‘PLN story’ at #RSCON3; exploring how my “Personal Learning Network has reawakened my love of teaching, supported me in tough times, and broadened my horizons.”

With the help of my wonderful moderator (and friend) @JoHart, I was able to lead a lively, interactive online session, attended by 33 teachers from around the world (although, sadly few Western Australians). And I was pleasantly surprised at how well it was received.

After exploring the gradual development of my PLN, and discussing some of the online tools / resources I’ve used to build it, I handed over the microphone and whiteboards to my audience, asking them to share how they “connect, learn, share, and collaborate”. They did so with gusto!

Themes and Takeaways

Having a PLN is a rewarding and transformative learning experience, but actually getting “out there”, and building your network isn’t an easy or rapid process. It takes time, patience, and perseverance – but you don’t have to do it alone.

By sharing my story and experiences,  I hoped to demystify the “Personal Learning Network”, and give ‘newbies’ a few ideas about where to start, and who/where to go for help and advice. With the assistance of the my session participants, this message came across ‘loud and clear’. 

Thankyou

I hope my “What the heck is a PLN?” presentation will inspire and assist new and experienced teachers to take that critical first step on their own PLN journey. If I can make a difference for just one person, I will have succeeded in this goal.

So, thankyou to everyone who attended my presentation, and all those people who will listen to the recordings. I hope you find it helpful, and I look forward to reading your feedback.

Recording Links

• Elluminate Recording
• Video (coming soon)
• iTunes (coming soon)

Presentation Slides

What the heck is a PLN?

View more presentations from Michael

Some of my Twitter Feedback

“What the heck is a PLN?” @ #RSCON3 (Video)

Updated 29/7/2011

This Weekend, in fact within a few hours (at the time of writing) we kick off the third Reform Symposium eConference (#RSCON3)!

What the heck is a PLN?: Personal Learning Networks for Educators

About

 

When?

8.30AM Australian Western Standard Time
(Please check the schedule for your timezone – this is just before the Closing Keynote on Day 1)

Where?

Please click on this link to access my Elluminate room – up to 30 minutes before the scheduled start.

(https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?sid=2008350&password=M.25F4EE183D04E394FA038CA714AA9D)

This will be my FIRST-EVER professional presentation, so I’m hoping and praying things go well! I’m really excited, and I hope to see you there!

Don’t forget to check out my video promo!

Am I a ‘Techie Teacher’?

I’m a young teacher with a passion for ICT and modest technical skills; and I’m starting to question how my ideas are influencing my classroom teaching practice.
 

cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo by austinevan: http://flickr.com/photos/austinevan/2296270551/

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I’m a teacher.

ICT and Web 2.0 are part of what I do

• I see myself as a classroom teacher using ICT to extend my teaching practice beyond my classroom walls.
• I want to teach my students how to share, learn and communicate with a global audience.
• And I’m more than happy to share my ideas and expertise with interested colleagues.
• But, does this make me a ‘techie teacher’?

I’m not a ‘natural’ with ICT

• I enjoy using technology, but I’m not a ‘digital native’ … I’m primarily self-taught.
• I’m a learner too, drawing upon the collective wisdom and experience of the teachers and ‘techies’ in my PLN.
• I’m taking significant professional risks, often stepping out into uncharted territory; and
• I’m learning from my mistakes.

What I do is not “amazing”

• ICT, Web 2.0, and global projects aren’t the exclusive realm of young, tech-savvy teachers.
• Effective ICT integration is something that any teacher can do with the appropriate collegial support, mentoring, and training.
• I’m learning how to encourage and support other teachers’ forays into ICT & global projects, and I believe this can only improve our students’ learning and engagement.  

 

I’m starting to define myself as a teacher, as a learner, as an inquirer.

And, I’m not alone …

Reader’s Survey

Dear Readers,

As I celebrate the first anniversary of A Relief Teacher's Journey, I would like to take the opportunity to learn a little more about you, and ask for some honest feedback on my work.

I'd sincerely appreciate it if you'd take a few moments to complete my short A Relief Teacher’s Journey – Reader Survey.

Thankyou!

Michael Graffin (@mgraffin)

Looking Forward to #RSCON3

Six months ago, I’d never heard of the Reform Symposium Virtual Conference; the fantastic, FREE, online global education conference presented by teachers for teachers.

That all changed when I attended #RSCON11 in January this year; an event which attracted 4 100 global participants, and marked the birth of my Twitter PLN.

And, now to my amazement, I find myself presenting alongside some world-leading global educators at the next Reform Symposium (#RSCON3) in late July 2011.

So, what’s it all about?

The Reform Symposium e-Conference is about sharing, learning, and connecting with inspiring educators around the world. You don’t need to pack a bag, catch a plane, or pay a cent. You can even attend in your pyjamas! All you need is an Internet connection.

To find out more, visit the Reform Symposium website; where you can:

• Find the official #RSCON3 schedule for your time-zone
• Meet the presenters, and
• Download the flyer to share with your colleagues and staff.

My #RSCON3 Presentation:

“What the heck is a PLN?” - Personal Learning Networks for Educators

• Are you a new teacher, feeling isolated and alone?
• Are you an experienced teacher looking for new ideas and inspiration?
• Are you interested in sharing ideas and collaborating with other teachers on global projects?
• Are you tired of falling asleep in boring professional learning seminars?
• Have you heard about Personal Learning Networks or PLNs? Feeling lost, confused, wondering where to start?

Then please, join me at #RSCON3, as I

• Share my ‘new teacher’ PLN story, and explain “What the heck is a PLN?”
• Explore the technologies which underpin my global connections
• Explore some of the global projects and learning made possible by my PLN; and
• Facilitate a global discussion about how PLNs have influenced teachers’ professional practice around the world.

This is an opportunity for new and experienced teachers alike to learn, share, and connect.

I’d love to see you there!

When?

For Australian teachers, Reform Symposium 3 runs from July 30 - August 1, 2011.

I will be presenting on Day 1 (just before the closing Keynote) at 8.30AM – Saturday, July 30 (GMT/UTC+8). 

This time and date will VARY depending on your time-zone. Please click here to find out what time this is for you.

Where?

I will be presenting virtually in an Elluminate Conference Room. To participate, you’ll need to click on the (soon-to-be-published) “Webinar Links” in the RSCON Schedule.

In the meantime, I urge you to check out the Reform Symposium website, follow the #rscon3 hashtag on Twitter, and share the official Conference flyer with your Principal and colleagues.

Please, spread the word! This is the only serious professional learning which you attend in bed! And it’s worth it!

I’ll be attending #RSCON3. Will you?

A Connected Teacher’s Balancing Act

Over the past 6 months, I have invested a significant amount of time and effort building my online Personal Learning Network.

In recent times; however, I have come to the gradual (and extremely reluctant) realisation that I need to find a balance in my online interactions.

Attribution: Image from the Daring Librarian.
Image: 'PLN_DimSum': http://www.flickr.com/photos/43666171@N07/4806404770

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This post was written in response to Josh Stumpenhorst’s (@stumpteacher) reflections in “Why I’m Not Following You”.

Too much time online

Twitter & blogs are valuable learning tools, but they can become extremely addictive. I don’t like to admit it, but I’ve been spending way too much time online, and spending too little time having a life.

And I’m not alone. I’m trying to find a balance; trying to put my ‘offline life’ (family, hobbies, and fitness) first. It is just not possible for me to follow 25+ blogs in my Google Reader, and spend 2-3 hours a night online – 7 days a week. 

I already do more professional learning online in a week than most teachers do in a year, but there’s no point wearing myself out. I’m better off curling up with a book, or taking my new camera out for a spin.

So, I may not follow you on Twitter. and I may not read your blog.

Please, don’t be offended or put-off. It’s nothing personal. I’m human.

I can’t read, process, or bookmark EVERY interesting website, blog post, tweet that comes up on my screen, although that hasn’t stopped me trying in my early days.

Finding a balance

I may not be online as often as I used to, but I’ll still be around. I will continue to learn, share and connect – just at a more reasonable, steady pace.

I want to invest my time online talking and collaborating with the real people in my PLN. I don’t want to spend countless hours bookmarking interesting websites and reading too many blog posts. I’ve found friends all over the world, and I’ve been able to tweet-up with a few over lunch.

It is these quality relationships and conversations which underpin the power of my PLN, not its size and scope. It means I don’t have to follow everyone – I follow experts who can put me in touch with other experts - when I need help. This is what it means to be connected.

So, please, if you feel like a chat, give us a shout on Twitter (@mgraffin) or on Skype (mgraffin). I’m a real person too.

Why I Connect

I’M A TEACHER

I was once an idealist. Now I’m more of a realist.

I once believed that our political leaders could positively change the face of education in my country. No longer.

I have dreams. They’ve been shattered – twice.

My first year of teaching left me feeling alone and disillusioned.

BUT, 2 YEARS ON …

I once believed I could make a difference. I still do.

I’ve rediscovered my passion for teaching.

I believe that effective literacy teaching and ICT integration is critical to prepare my students to communicate and interact on a global stage.

I’ve finally had the opportunity to practice what I preach

I’m a blogger, with a supportive global audience.

I’m becoming a more competent and effective teacher.

My teaching and learning is changing because of my global connections.


MY FUTURE

Is unclear.

I’ve yet to have a class of my own.

I’ve got a lot to learn.

I’m not an expert teacher … yet.

That’s why I connect, learn, share, and collaborate with experienced, expert teachers around the world.

My PLN has reawakened my passion for teaching

For this, I thank you.

What’s the Point of a Personal Learning Network? (Guest Post)

I’m proud to announce the very first guest post on A Relief Teacher’s Journey, written by Pooky Hesmondhalgh (@creativeedu) in response to my PLN Voicethread Project. It was first published here.


About our Guest Blogger

Pooky Hesmondhalgh (@creativeedu) represents Creative Education:

the largest independent provider of training for school staff in the United Kingdom, … which specialises in working with schools facing difficult circumstances  (from website).

She blogs at www.creativeeducation.co.uk/blog.

What the heck is a PLN?

I’m a new teacher, returning to relief / substitute teaching after 3 months in (several) classrooms.

My PLN has changed the way I learn, and the way I teach, for the better. Yet, I am still to meet a new teacher in my part of the world who’s ever heard of, or has a PLN.

Perhaps this post will help to change that.

Why you should begin your own PLN —Ashley Azzopardi (@ashleyazzopardi)

“Connecting Globally” (@clivesir)

Casting an eye over my Twitter feeds this morning, I was mightily pleased to see an old ‘PLN friend’ and mentor back online.

Clive Elsmore, or @clivesir as I’ve come to know him, has spent the past few years working in India and Sri Lanka as a volunteer teacher, training local teachers in the use of ICT technologies and Web 2.0 tools like Skype. (He’s now back in the United Kingdom.)

As a very special member of my PLN, and someone with whom I have many educational interests in common, I wanted to take a moment to share @clivesir’s thoughts on how global connections impact on teaching and learning in today’s world.

Twitter™ – What a Wonderful (Wired) World! (Challenge #8)

Well, here’s my final post in the best professional learning experience I’ve ever undertaken – my reflections on using Twitter™ to build blog readership in response to the final Edublogs™ Kick Start Your Blogging Challenge.

Flickr CC Image: 'Yahoo Censorship Still Sucks, Part Four'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/420604426

Designing My Online Identity (Challenge #4)

I send emails, I blog, I tweet, and I leave comments on other people’s blogs. As I conduct my online activities, I am conscious of my digital footprint, and endeavour to promote a consistent, positive image of myself online.

I have generally been reluctant to share my own image online, a key reason why I found this challenge difficult to undertake.

The Teacher Challenge #4 encouraged us to consider our online avatar, a critical component of our online identity which represents us to the world.

For some months now, I have used one of my all-time favourite photographs, entitled Sunset over the WA Maritime Museum, Fremantle Harbour, as my avatar. It reflects my love of photography and Fremantle Ports,  which is one of my favourite photographic destinations.

Now, after reflecting on the implications of Challenge #4 and @brittgow’s advice, I have decided to use a more personal avatar, reflecting my efforts to build professional online relationships with teachers around the world.

Prezi – Writing Effective Blog Posts (Challenge 2)

Blogging. What a word ...

We blog for different purposes and audiences. Yet, to be truly effective, bloggers need to ensure that their posts are relevant, informative; and perhaps inspiring, motivating, or informative for their intended audience.

After reflecting on the Probloggers “Nine Signs of an Effective Blog Post, and examining several Edublog™ Award exemplars, I created a Prezi presentation on the topic. 

Check it out!

Tips for Writing Effective Blog Posts on Prezi

Reflecting on my own blogging practice

As I recently wrote in I’m Not Talking To Myself Anymore!, A Relief Teacher’s Journey is starting to attract significant international readership; and this is having a fundamental impact on my writing process and online professional interactions.

As my Twitter™ conversations and recent blog comments may suggest, I’m moving away from blogging at my audience, towards interacting with and learning from them. This openness and mutual sharing of ideas will, no doubt, take time to develop; however, it marks an important evolution in my blogging journey.

For this evolution to occur; however, I’m going to need some help. I don’t have much experience with meaningfully inviting readers’ suggestions and constructive feedback; and I’d like to move away from the repetitive line: “Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated”.

I look forward to reading your suggestions and advice below, as I continue my participation in the 2011 Edublogs™ Teacher Blogging Challenge. Thankyou.

The Big Interview! (Advanced Challenge 1)

Today, as part of the first Advanced Teacher Blogging Challenge, I will be “interviewing” my blog; sharing some insights into the writing processes, inspiration, and experiences which underpin A Relief Teacher’s Journey.

Here goes …

Image- Flickr CC: 'Pioneer Unit at FunX, Amsterdam'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32068310@N00/3490292855

 

Twitter™ for Teachers

A very informative video for Twitter™ newbies like myself – I wish I’d found this earlier, as I contains many of the lessons I learnt by trial and error … as usual …

 

Twitter for Teachers

My First #EdChat

Today marked an important milestone in my ongoing efforts to build a Personal Learning Network via my blog & Twitter™. At 8AM Perth time, I joined in an international #edchat conversation on the topic of participatory / inquiry learning.

Following the conversation via Tweetdeck™ (for Google Chrome™), I started out by retweeting other teachers’ ideas, and throwing my own experiences / questions into the mix. I soon found myself conversing with several teachers (including a fellow Aussie in the US!) about rubric assessment, science teaching, and curriculum differentiation for seriously at-risk students.

I was really surprised with the intensity and quality of the Twitter™ #edchat conversation, and marvelled at teachers’ willingness to share their ideas, resources, and insights via their Personal Learning Networks.

Twitter as a Professional Networking Tool

I’ve been using Twitter™ for less than a month, yet it has already started to transform aspects of my professional knowledge and practice. Aside from collating an incredible range of educational weblinks, I have found an empowering medium for sharing my ideas, and learning from experienced educators around the world. 

Twitter™ has made me a more collaborative teacher. I have always been happy to share my teaching resources & relief teaching materials with other teachers; which are generally ‘borrowed’ from, or politely shared by the amazing colleagues I meet on my relief teaching travels (See Learn to Steal on the Success in the Classroom Blog). Today, I had the opportunity to share my recent differentiated science project – Energy Sources Investigation (Year 6) with several teachers on the other side of the world … in America!

stumpteacher blog–Twitter Tutorial

Twitter™ & Me – Read, Learn, Reflect & Share

I have often said that relief / substitute teaching is an amazing professional development experience, as it enables me to explore & learn from other teachers’ practice. I now know, that when I eventually have my own class, I won’t lose the learning experiences and networking opportunities my day job provides.

I won’t feel so isolated, shut away … too busy to talk about teaching with my colleagues. I’ll have my PLN, which continues to grow day by day. For a graduate teacher, this is empowering and really exciting!

A big thankyou goes to @clivesir, @enrichingkids, @Edu_Traveler, @nykat, and @franklin_h, amongst others, who have actively supported my tentative forays into the online educator community.

Why not join me as I continue to read, learn, reflect and share via my online PLN?

Recommended Weblinks

Twitter for Teachers: A Guide for Beginners (Creative Education Blog)

Do Something: Twitter 101 (Stumpteacher Blog)

Connect to the World Through Twitter (Teacher Reboot Camp Blog)

Twitter as a Professional Development Tool (Social Media for Working & Learning Blog)

2010 - My Journey So Far

Well, 2010 has been an incredible year. It was a year in which I passed some significant milestones in my fledgling teaching career, and it was a year of immense, transformational change in my personal and professional life.

As my year draws to a close, I am finally starting to realise my aspiration to become a knowledgeable, connected, and reflective 21st Century educator.

Looking Back

I’ve learnt some valuable lessons this year - 

• Relief Teaching is a professionally and personally rewarding career option.
  • I have the freedom to experiment, develop a collegial network, collect resources, learn from my mistakes, and celebrate my successes. 
  • I am now able to teach K-7, and work in a variety of Government, Independent, and Religious schools. 
    
    
• In my line of work, experience & a positive reputation mean a lot.
  • As I became a more experienced, and I hope, well-regarded relief (substitute) teacher, I noticed a dramatic increase in my work bookings over the course of the year.
  • This enabled me to actively experiment and improve my teaching practice, as I moved away from my relief ‘time-fillers’ to actually teaching and assessing students’ learning.
  • I am extremely grateful to those relief coordinators; (Hans, Deb, Sue, Jane, Cathy, amongst others), whose long-term support helped facilitate this empowering evolution in my teaching practice. 
    
    
• Writing merit-select job applications is an incredibly useful way to reflect upon and share your teaching practice with prospective employers.
  • On a personal note, I realised that while I can clearly articulate my practice through written mediums, such as my blog, I need to work on my ability to ‘sell’ myself in interview situations. Practice makes perfect, and I’ll have another go next year.
    
    
• The Personal Learning Network (PLN) – Every teacher should have one
  • I believe the PLN is one of my greatest discoveries of my (short) career. I am an increasingly active member of the OzTeachers network, and have more recently realised the value of educational blogging and Twitter™ as professional learning tools.
  • My forays into this ‘connected’ world of global educators are still in their early days, and I will blog more extensively about this topic in 2011. 

Image: 'Arrival on my Way'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16230215@N08/4722297430

And Looking Forward …

While I don’t really know what 2011 will bring, I hope it will be a better, more productive year.

I enjoy my job. It is a wonderful feeling to walk into a school in the morning, and have students (and staff) greet you by name (or in my case, various derivations of it!). I hope I will have the opportunity to build upon the personal and professional relationships which I have worked so hard to foster during my relief travels in 2010.

I will also be working towards several important professional learning goals, which I have decided to share here -

1. To continue to build my instructional toolkit; learning how to apply teaching and learning strategies, and reflecting upon my performance.
2. To further investigate, and hopefully experiment with, the practical implementations of Web 2.0 technologies in the classroom.
3. To build and contribute to my Personal Learning Network through my blog, Twitter interactions, and the “Blogs I Follow” via my RSS Reader.
4. To revisit my First Steps™ informed literacy and numeracy planning approach, seeking feedback from experienced educators on my planned literacy block organisation model.
5. To familiarise myself with the new Australian Curriculum, and rearrange my Curriculum Resource Bank (now containing over 4000 documents!) to reflect its’ structure and organisation
6. To begin working towards my Accreditation to Teach Religious Education.

A New Year Begins …

Well, that’s it for A Relief Teacher’s Journey in 2010. I have quite a few posts in the pipeline, and I’ll be back to my regular blogging endeavours in January 2011.

I wish to thank all of my readers, around the world, for your readership & support over the past six months. A big thankyou goes to Veronica Chase (Substitutes FTW!) who made the first (and to date, only) comment on A Relief Teacher’s Journey. Also, thankyou to all my new Twitter™ followers – I look forward to talking to you next year.

I’ll be participating in the 2011 Edublogs™ Teacher Challenge, starting on Jan 10.

Happy New Year!

Image: 'Happy New Year !!!'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22017189@N00/341866875