Virtual Learning Network

http://likeahoginmud.blogspot.com/2011/12/smarter-not-charter-how-to-run-our.html

I learned a lesson today. I helped a teacher learn a task on his laptop and realised that I'd forgotten what it's like to be right at the start. The embarrassment about not knowing, the difficulty of asking someone who can do it, the obvious hard work trying to remember the steps...indeed, I need to tip toe through the tulips and take time to smell the scent of others' success, be it ever so subtle.

But I went ahead and did it anyway.  I feel like my 15 year old collecting friends on Linked In.  I even found my seventh cousin! Yes, he's the secretary to the Minister of transport.  Great fun! So my next step? Install Tweetdeck so I can "socialise" all in one space....in my spare time...

This looks like a great idea - the next thing would be to be able to filter it, so actually a group in the VLN would be cool -

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Teachers-Website-of-the-day/264535373593833?sk=wall

A small success on Friday...our music teacher commented how easy it was to control the YouTube videos on his laptop which I had downloaded to help him with school wide singing. Up to now, he has stated a preference for CDs and OHPs. He wants me to teach him how to download the videos - so he can use his laptop.  Small, but a start.

This is taking me a while - because I'm side-tracked playing with all the widgets and thinking about how to maximise use of this network.

I've been thinking about reflective journals...what tools to use with teachers to reflect on their elearning.  I've thought about Wordpress, Blogger, wikis, myPortfolio...then CLICK!...why not use the blogs attached to our profiles?  Here we have a neat little page where we can add photo albums and other widgets.  Lightbulb moment!

Have a look in the Rotorua Lakes Cluster group site. 

We will still use our wiki to upload our evidence but our cluster summary can go here. You might like to make a sub group for your school. As I am the creator of this area, I will make our lead teachers into organisers.