This document summarizes Jo and Lesla's journey through a 12-week Personal Learning Network course on using Web 2.0 tools. Over the course, they learned about blogs, communication tools like Twitter and Ning, professional learning resources, teaching tools, research tools, presentation tools, gaming for learning, and digital storytelling. Both found the networking and sharing of knowledge invaluable. They felt more confident in their skills and saw how the tools could be used educationally. The journey opened their eyes and minds to new ways of engaging with students using technology.
1. THE JOURNEY BEGINS
“The computer is more than a machine that
gets us online, it is a studio, stage, and
community”. MarcoTorres.
2. Web 2.0 – Week 1
Personal Learning
Network for
Victorian Schools
Blogs
Feedly
Firefox
Google
Chrome
Our goals
“There is a lot that I don’t
understand.” Jo
“Oh my goodness, where
to begin?” Lesla
3. Week 2 – Communication Tools
Twitter
Tweetdeck
#Hashtags
TwapperKeeper
Ning
Skype
“Love the Ning, not so sure about
twitter.” Jo
“Wow, this is a whole new world.
I think the Ning is exciting.” Lesla
4. Week 3 – Professional Learning
TED talks
FUSE
State
Library of
Victoria
TLVirtual
Cafe
First
elluminate
session
Anne
Mirtschin
Interaction
with
students
and
teachers in
other
countries
“My first experience with an
elluminate session. Great way of
becoming involved. LoveTED
talks” Lesla
“TheTED talks are so inspiring,
will be checking these out
regularly!” Jo
5. Week 4 – Learning & teaching tools
Google
docs
Google
earth
Google
sites
Google for
Educators Flickr
Gliffy
bubbl.us
Essay Map Wallwisher
Publicity
Accelerated
Reader
Evernote
“I have set up Wallwisher to use
in publicity. No more sticky
notes. So many sites to
investigate .” Lesla
“ So many great tools that I knew
nothing about until now.” Jo
7. Week 5 – Digital Citizenship
Jenny
Luca
Creative
Commons
Managing
online
risks
Cyber
Bullying
Tim
Kitchen
Budd:e
Smart
Copying
eSafety
Copyright
Agency
Limited
Safer
internet
ThinkUKnow
Cyber(smart)
Richard Byrne
Wizard of
Apps
“Digital citizenship is such an
important part of our lives today.
This week’s sites are very
informative.” Lesla
“We need to teach our students
to be responsible digital citizens.”
Jo
8. Week 6 – Learning & teaching tools 2
Digital
Learning
Objects
in FUSE
edmodo
Teacher
Tube
YouTube
Teachers
TV
Shelfari
“Help! Brain overload. FUSE
looks really useful and Shelfari is
a lovely way of keeping track of
books and networking.” Lesla
“FUSE has some absolutely
brilliant resources, will definitely
recommend this to teaching
staff.” Jo
9. Week 7 – Research Tools
Ergo
Diigo
Google Search
Posters
Collection
Resource
Guides
Library Press
Display
Google
Custom Search
Engine
Google News
Timeline
Jon Herford
“Diigo well worth joining. Many
great sites to investigate further.”
Lesla
“Lots of terrific research tools
and sites to discover this week.”
Jo
10. Week 8 –Presentation Tools 1
Animoto
Glogster
Voicethread
ToonDooWikispaces
Wordle
Tagxedo
“Oh this is such a fun week.
Tagxedo intrigues me.” Lesla
“How much fun isToonDoo –
check out the next slide.” Jo
13. Week 9 – Pedagogy or Technology
Anna
Maria
Menezes
Life
Feast
blog
It’s not
about the
tools, it’s
about
skills.
Sylvia
Tolisano
Jenny
Sargeant
Whated
said
Technology
shouldn’t
drive, it should
empower!
“Technology shouldn’t drive, it
should empower.” I couldn’t
agree more.” Lesla
“We shouldn’t use technology
just for the sake of it, it needs to
be relevant to the lesson.” Jo
14. Week 10 – Gaming for learning
Jane
McGonigal
TED talk
Social
Gaming
Computer
Games
Video
Games
Wii for
learning
Nintendo
DS
“This week has opened my eyes
and mind. I was so sceptical
about gaming. A great tool to
use educationally.” Lesla
“I love the idea of games in the
classroom, what a great way to
engage our digital students.” Jo
15. Week 11 – Presentation Tools 2
Slideshare
Scribd
Storybird
Google LitTrips
“Storybird is a winner and I love
Google LitTrips . It could be used
by many faculties.” Lesla
“These are all great tools, I
particularly like Storybird – a
great resource for primary
teachers.” Jo
16. Week 12 – Digital Story
Lesla’s story
I was quite apprehensive about starting theWeb 2.0
course. After all, my computer skills are not
great, I’m not a teacher, would I be able to
understand anything? The Personal Learning
Network has been the start of a wonderful
journey of learning and sharing. As the weeks
went by, I found that I was progressing and
becoming more inquisitive and more
confident. I have found the networking to be
invaluable. The sharing of knowledge is
wonderful. My role is changing and evolving
and I now feel that I have better skills to be
able to meet these new challenges. I would
like to thank Judith and all the mentors for
your endless support.
Jo’s story
I had thought that I was reasonably well informed
about the resources that were on the web.
After all I have four children and have been
involved in their discovery of new technology.
How wrong I was.There is so much to discover
and being part of a Personal Learning Network
is a great way to start. I have enjoyed every
part of this journey and fully intend to use
what I have learnt whenever and wherever
possible. My role over the next few years will
involve a lot more interaction with both
students and teachers and hopefully I can
share my knowledge with them and they can
share their knowledge with me.
THE JOURNEY NEVER ENDS....