A future goal...

...tap into the true power of the network.

Image by: Nimages DR @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/11452351@N00/2048034334

One area my teaching and use of social media has lacked in this year has been enabling a self-sustaining and independent learning network to develop in my classes. Now, I believe I've facilitated my students becoming more active learners - they seek answers and ask questions, but my weakness is that they are still looking to me for those answers. Next year (since these particular classes only have two weeks of school left for the year) I want to change that.

All weekend I've been fielding emails from students filled with questions their peers could answer for them - if we had an active online network happening my inbox may be less full and they may feel more supported (faster answers, given by peers that are going through the same thing).

In order to make that really happen I'm going to have to overcome some inherent resistance in the system - try and push some of those walls back a little and that sort of thing. It'll be a challenge, but one that will be so worth it.

Doors of Opportunity

Last week I participated in my first ever OZ/NZ Educators net meeting. I was a bit timid at first - honestly, it seems strange, but I think I am more video/audio shy online than I am in person - but towards the end I said hello and started to get more comfortable. This week I actually found myself looking forward to the meeting, just being able to listen and share what other people are doing is awesome.

It was a relatively small meeting tonight only between 6 and 8 members logged in, but still it was well worth taking the time out from Australian Idol to log in. Especially given that within the first 15 minutes I'd connected with someone working on a project a colleague wants to do. Straight away there's a support person I can offer and the possibility of a global connection for them both.

Since getting involved in building a Professional Network online through Ning, Twitter, Skype, etc I've learnt a lot of things - new tools, new ideas, solutions to problems, new systems, and the list goes on. But the most powerful thing I've learnt - the smallest connection can open up whole new worlds of opportunity.

Every person I meet online, every tool I find, there seems to be at least ten more attached to it. It's totally mind blowing...and totally awesome as a teacher!

The depth of our online connections

I remember when MySpace and Facebook first become popular there were media reports of the negativities of forming "friendships" online. It was suggested that these friendships were somehow less authentic, less powerful, than friendships formed "in real life" (irl).

I've always disagreed with that notion - I have connected with people from all over the world online and some of those have become incredibly close friends who have shared intimately the ups and downs of my life. But I always struggled to express that - it's not something openly spoken about in our society and there still seems to be the "nerd" stigma associated with forming online friendships. And because of my own hesitation to confess my secret method of forming friendships I was never able to explain what I find so captivating about the social networking potential of the net.

Recently I stumbled upon this video on YouTube.

It says it all really, doesn't it?