Technology for PLC’sThoughts, Tips and Tools

Because what we do matters& what we don’t do matters too

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Let’s use a TOOL to collaboratively share:

What is the purpose of PLC’s?

https://todaysmeet.com/fsplcs

Why we became teachers and our now still supporting teachers…• Believed in potential• Believed in greatness• Believed in making a difference

We have the opportunity to make a difference every single day

Every single day we have the opportunity to change the world…

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From the guideline: The Role of the Districts (DTDCs) in the PLC:

• To support PLCs with resources and expertise on facilitation skills, video analysis, development of teaching resources, the use of ICT etc.

• To highlight issues for discussion at provincial and national level.

• To function as a hub for exchanging PLC practices within the district.

• To create opportunities for follow up via PLCs in other professional development activities, such as workshops.

• DTDCs provide annual progress reports of implementation of PLCs to the provincial level.

• To develop synergies between PLCs and district subject committees.

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The aims of the workshop will be to:

Create awareness of the potential of ICT to support the role of leaders in PLC’s

Experience the value of collaborative tools first hand

Critically discuss the potential values and pitfalls of each tool with reference to building supportive and sustainable PLC’s

Set norms for the use of ICT tools for collaboration Identify ways to address challenges such as lack of resources and internet access when using ICT for collaboration within PLC’s

A fast variety of tools are available when using ICT for collaboration.

The tools illustrated, used and discussed during the workshop, can be divided into 6 categories:

1. Communication and messaging tools2. Collaborative writing tools3. Collaborative search and research sharing tools4. Data collections tools5. Collaborative audio and/or visual creation tools6. PLC management tools

Tech

nolo

gy

Let’s use a TOOL to collaboratively share:

This will become our platform

http://www.edmodo.com

The code will be shared in class

We need to frame our [technology]

conversations around educational problems

Let’s use a TOOL to collaboratively share:

What are the challenges you face daily in your work?

http://bit.ly/1EwqVIx

Why not start bydiscovering what tools PLC participants are using?

You can use various TOOLS to collect data from your students:

Online Excel Survey or Google forms (both free)

You can use various TOOLS to represent your data visually

Wordle http://www.wordle.net/

Tagxedohttp://www.tagxedo.com/app.html

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It doesn’t matter how many resources you have.

If you don’t know how to use them, it will never be enough

When integrating technology,focus on the learning and the teaching,not on the technology

…because

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technologybad teachingexpensive bad teaching

Pedagogy is the driver,technology is the accelerator

~Michael Fullan

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A fast variety of tools are available when using ICT for collaboration.

The tools illustrated, used and discussed during the workshop, can be divided into 6 categories:

Communication and messaging tools

Collaborative writing tools

Collaborative search and research sharing tools

Data collections tools

Collaborative audio and/or visual creation tools

PLC management tools

Whatsapp Padlet Symbaloo Kahoot Youtube channel Edmodo

Twitter Todaysmeet Pinterest Google Forms Camtasia OneNote

Facebook Google Docs Diigo Poll

Everywhere Voicethread Doodle

Instagram Office 365 (Google like a pro) OfficeMix

Sway

The number one benefit of Educational technology is that it empowers people todo what they want to do. It lets people be creative… productive… learn thingsthey didn’t think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential

~ Steve Ballmer

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Example 1: take PLC participants on a virtual learning journey using TOOLS such as

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https://edpuzzle.com/content

Example 2: allow PLC participants to choose the most appropriate TOOLS to present a project or idea

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Example 3: use PowerPoint with OfficeMix to create videos for or by PLC Participants as a TOOL

Example 4: use OneNote across platforms to create powerful, collaborative notes - 1 of my favourite TOOLS

“Unlimited choice produces genuine suffering. The more choices we have to make, the less certainty we seem to have” ~Barry Schwartz

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Life is like riding a bicycle.

To keep your balance, you must keep moving. ~ Albert Einstein

New and feel overwhelmed? Here is my suggestion: 1. Start by adding technology to a current

lesson or project 2. Do not try to master it all… pick one TOOL

at a time3. Is there one tool here you could use on

Monday? Which of the other tools are for Someday?

Like the conductor of the orchestra, you don’t have to be able to play all the instruments. You don’t have to be a master of all the tools and technology.

Have PLC Participants learn the tools, then they can offer support.

You are the artist/director who orchestrates the learning; the PLC participants should be the ones using the technology.

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Oh, and yes, technology may fail you at times!

So, I always check it again just before the session start

Teacher are creative problem-solvers…Have a back-up plan

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There is nothing like bad weather… it’s bad equipment

If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants ~ Isaac Newton

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I daily find giants via my Personal Learning Network using TOOLS such as Twitter, Linkedin, Pinterest, Educatornetwork.com

Setting your Social Media up

Your profile• Every social media network offers opportunity to create a profile• can just complete the required fields, • Take your profile seriously and do your best to fill it out completely. • The rules vary widely across social media profiles

• Twitter: 160 characters• LinkedIn: a lengthy bio +any kind of media

• Use the keywords most relevant to your profession to enable others to find you via search.

• Be professional, but personable• Be humble, but confident

Your photo• Simple headshot• Is it for personal or professional use?• Rather: Do not use family photos, pets, landscapes, etc

The journey

Step 1: Start following others - lurk• Follow others - their updates will appear in your feed when you sign-on. • Don’t overthink this process. • You can reverse your decisions later by unfollowing, so fear not and simply begin

following folks. • Start by following people you know. • Networks suggest people to follow based on your profile - Go for it. • Keywords in the search tool to find people with common interests. • Follow influencers and bloggers in your niche.

Step 2: Listen = look• Don’t immediately post• Observe • Pick up on nuances of the network. • Form conclusions about what is good and bad protocol. • No formula for how long or how much listening you should do, but you will

indeed learn a lot by watching from the sidelines to begin with.

Step 3: approve/ENDORSE/Like• It’s easy• Just one click• Slightly less significant than sharing, but thoughtful, won’t go unnoticed.• Just when you mean it

Step 4: SHARE • share content you discover and enjoy

Step 5: Comment• It’s all about conversation• Express yourself. • Agree. • Disagree. • Answer questions.

• Ask questions. • Cite examples. • Offer links. • Say thank you

And Step in-between: Join groups• Social media is a big, big network with hundreds of millions of members.

Who can you consider to follow?

Shelly S Terrell – @ShellTerrell

Steven W. Anderson – @web20classroom

Larry Ferlazzo – @Larryferlazzo

Eric Sheninger – @NMHS_Principal

Tom Whitby – @tomwhitby

Edutopia – @edutopia

Richard Byrne – @rmbyrne

We Are Teachers – @WeAreTeachers

Kyle Pace – @kylepace

Steve Wheeler – @timbuckteeth

Shawn McCusker - @ShawnMcCusker

Ok, so I’m giving technology in my class a go, but how do I manage it?In short, the same why you would manage pen an paper.

With a hammer, you can build cathedrals, but . with the same hammer you can break its windows

http://www.superbwallpapers.com/artistic/cathedral-windows-14264/

The purpose of integrating technology should not be about entertaining PLC participants nor should it be about impressing them.

The learning experience you create with, it is everything. ~Sean Gerety

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Let’s not focus on what we can’t do, but lets rather see what we can do

and just do it

Because time is running out….

In your community, your PLC holds potential

Every flood starts with a single drop of rain.......

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Thank you

Because what you do matters & what you don’t

do matters too