"It takes two flints to make a fire."
~ Louise May Alcott, author
ReflectionOne can be such a lonely number. Typically, there is only one media specialist in a school, thus making it challenging to team or collaborate with fellow practitioners. Another barrier that often complicates networking is time. Teachers may not share the same planning time. Many teachers want to work together but become frustrated with the rigid structures found in their buildings. Digital tools, however, enable us to connect with others across buildings, counties and even international boundaries.
Before I took McDaniel’s Learning Technologies course, I had only a vague awareness of networking tools, such as wikis, blogs and bookmarking sites. I used these tools for the self-centered purpose of collecting information for my own needs. After being required to explore more deeply the different uses and audiences of these tools, I realized how powerful they were for engaging others in the meaningful sharing of ideas and solutions. One of the most interesting digital tools I discovered was VoiceThread. VoiceThread is a multimedia collaboration and presentation tool. I not only could develop a presentation sharing information, but I also could include questions and ideas that viewers could respond to using different methods. For example, in one VoiceThread I created with a group of other media specialist students, we opened a discussion about the use of questioning in the classroom. Viewers could type, record or videotape a response, depending upon preference and learning style. We were able to model lessons and receive feedback from others right on the presentation. Instead of just using VoiceThread as a repository of information, I learned how to employ it as a multidimensional learning and networking tool. Although it may take longer to set up, I realized that its unique interactivity tools appeal to many users. While I had used blogging and wiki tools previously, during my media specialist courses I saw how I was not encouraging others to interact with them or add information. My first wiki contained numerous pages of resources I had collected. I was seeing the wiki as a digital notebook, not taking advantage of its networking tools. But during my McDaniel’s technology and other courses, I completed several projects forcing me to incorporate more interactivity with readers or viewer. I took this knowledge and used it when I was charged with developing a series of professional development sessions for my school. I knew staff wanted to work together so I developed a wiki that would enable teachers to collaborate on selected issues and share ideas, despite not having the same planning times. Groups successfully interacted with one another, and we all learned together in our own space and on our own time. While the wiki worked well for most people, I recognized that it did not fit the needs of all learners. Providing different delivery options may have improved these sessions. It used to be considered almost heroic for educators to work alone solving the issues we all face. Now, it’s considered inefficient and ineffective. No one person can have the answers to all of the questions and problems. Working together, we can accomplish much more than alone. Media specialists, I learned, play such a critical role in the school community that it is essential to develop ways to work with as many people in and outside of the building. I realized I can’t work in isolation and instead, must model ways to use different tools to engage all stakeholders, not only so that I can learn from them, but so we all can learn from each other. |
4.1 Networking with the library communityCandidates participate and collaborate as members of a social and intellectual network of learners.
ARTIFACTS |