Introduction+and+Chapter+1

How do the problems on pp. 8 & 9 reflect conditions in your school district?
In the introduction of the text __Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education__, the authors state two problems that most educators make that hinder change in our schools. First, educators are the products of an outdated system are thus are not as open to changing that system. For me personally, I was a well behaved, bright student in class and was very successful in our current education system. It is hard for me to image teaching in a different way then I learned. From what I have observed, many teachers were wonderful students and have a hard time letting go of this current educational system. I believe in my district we find uses for the current technology to fit into what we are already doing in our classrooms. I have been guilty of this in my own teaching. Second, while some teachers, administration and parents notice there is reason for change, no one is asking for it. In my district, I definitely notice some teachers making efforts for changes but they are a minority. Teachers are not as willing to make changes for fear of ruffling feathers or having a failing result. As for parents in our district, I believe that many times parents are the most resistant to change for various reasons. Some parents have the prospective of being products of the system and resist change. Others don't want their students’ education to be a product of an educational experiment. I believe that until there is a clear, proven step process to change, changing our current system will be difficult.

Is your school district reforming the way it presents education? How?
For my school district, there are some overall changes that have been put into place to assist teachers in making the changes such as technology equipment and some individual training. for teachers and administration. With these tools, teachers are entrusted to make the changes on an individual classroom basis. With encouraging changes, there is always the resistance from some of the teachers. I believe that my school district makes knowledgeable efforts to combat resistance to ensure the best for student learning.

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The isolated to connected shift in education is one of the most interesting and influential in my teaching. As the only middle school art teacher in my town and only one of three art teachers in the entire town, I am very excited about introducing more opportunities in my teaching to broaden the opportunity for more information and resources. Sites like livebinders and prezi have been great starts to finding resources for my classroom. There is a new art teacher social network called Art Education 2.0; I would like to begin using this as a resource more in the future.=====

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The consumption to creation shift in education is a very exciting shift for me as an art teacher. For a long struggle, art education has tried to secure its position in the education world. With this new shift in education, the creative process is becoming more and more essential to learning. I am constantly putting my students in situations where they are using their creative thinking skills in using materials and imagining creative ideas. These are the skills our students and country will need to excel in the next century. In the future, I would like to use more computer based creative thinking projects instead of always using traditional art materials.=====

In reading Chapter 1 on "Understanding the Power of PLNs" (Personal Learning Networks), discuss two reasons why you believe PLNs are important in schools today.
First, one of the most important reasons why I believe PLNs are influential in schools today is that students are better prepared for life and work in the 21st century. Once students learn and practice the PLN system, students can apply that to their own learning later in life. As teachers, we cannot possibly prepare our students for every career but a PLN system of learning enables students to seek out knowledge in their own interests and passions. My dream as a teacher is that every student finds a passion to exceed in and PLNs begin to structure these students to learn that passion in the 21st century. Second, PLNs are important to schools today because they make classrooms more engaging. I believe that PLNs enable teachers to learn right along with students. PLNs offer resources for teachers to widen their knowledge on the subjects that they love. In addition, through conversations and discussions students become more connected and influential in their own education.