Shambles Newsletter: May 2009

Shambles Termly Newsletter: May 2009 ... only 3 a year ... for (international) educators http://tr.im/kpvx

Personal Learning Network PLN

With growth of the internet, technology and especially with web 2.0 tools it is now easier for each of us to build a unique online Personal Learning Network (PLN).

These networks often grow organically as we ourselves evolve both needs and skills ... with the increase in available information worldwide and easier access there comes a time when it's advisable to pause and reflect.

Not only is this an exercise in time management but also one related
 to keeping sane under the rapid growth of information available.

With this all in mind I created a webpage

to identify and visualise my own PLN.

www.shambles.net/csmith/pln

It is critical for us to take control of our own learning ... lifelong learning ... we owe it to ourselves not only as a survival strategy but one that contributes to the quality of our own life and also those whose lives we touch and who, in turn, touch us.

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Building this page is also an interesting exercise to reflect on .... it's a web1.0 page with lots of web 2.0 hanging from it. 

A Forest of Theme Blogs (Videos and PPoints)

I'm supposed to be a switched on ICT Educator but if you look at the date between these postings you'd think I was switched off or my time management skills were minimal ... so apologies of course.

The only subject in this posting is to let you know about a project I started in March 2007 ... building a "Forest of Theme Blogs" around Shambles in much the same way as a forest might grow around a township.
These Blogs showcase online (free) videos and PowerPoints that support a particular theme.
So why use Blogs rather than the regular webpages on Shambles for this particular growth?

• mainly because of the social aspect of Blogs which allows visitors to leave comments and suggestions on any or all postings
• also for the ability to subscribe to individual Blog pages using RSS in order to be automatically informed of new additions ... and eventually save you time

I both hate and love this project .... love because it's fun and I know it's going to be relevant and useful to teachers and will save them time ..... hate because although it is technically easy to grow (build?) it is both addictive and very time consuming. I suspect that online video addiction will be a topic appearing in the future for students and teachers even more so than the time wasted through poor search engine skills.

If you would like to see all of the Theme Blogs then go to the full list at http://www.shambles.net/blogforest