Instructional Technology

Whatever you call it, social networking, social media or social computing is the ability to connect with friends, family and peers and is growing more popular daily.  What of the ability to connect with students, teachers, specialists and experts you ask? Social networking has many guises, from Facebook and MySpace to Del.icio.us, Ning and Twitter these social media networks consume a vast amount of time and attention of students (and some adults). Understanding the value of these online environments will add a powerful social dynamic to student learning. This page will provide you a starting place to explore the Social Web. 

Did you know that there are a number of educators locally that are writing on blogs?  Last week we shared the Educator Library list that began with those that met at the ITS Town Meeting on June 6th.  Part of that meeting was around reflecting about our own PLN and realizing that they include a wide variety of media.  That variety of media does include blogs and a variety of educators and administrators are taking to the web to share, reflect and learn more about their practice and profession.  Here's just a few to get you started, if we've missed some local folks, please add a comment with

Last week at our ITS Town Meeting we asked that you bring a book or list of books to add to a Summer Reading list for educators.  Well, we've got an Educator Library started on the wiki that you might find helpful when you visit Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.  If you are wondering why the list resides on the wiki, it is because the list will be added to in the future by our community members.  If you haven't started an account on the Model Schools Wiki, here's you chance to contribute.  It's easy.

You've heard about it. You've seen it demonstrated time and again. So what's holding you back from using RSS? Maybe you just don't have time to learn it or maybe you're too busy searching for information on the web. Consider that fact that RSS can do the searching, the filtering, and the storing of relevant and timely information for you. Consider these features of RSS:

During our June 6th ITS Town Meeting we took a little time to map out our current Personal Learning Networks (PLN).  First we brainstormed some ingredients for a PLN recipe:

• People (colleagues, friends, family)
• Traditional Text (books, journals, periodicals)
• Traditional Media (TV and Radio)
• Social Media (weblogs, wikis, podcasts)
• Time (reflective time)

We then took time to actually map out our PLN and followed up with a look at some existing diagrams of other's PLNs that included the use of social media tools. 

The Summer/Fall 2008 catalog of courses for Monroe #1 BOCES Staff Development is now available.  The BOCES ITS have many offerings under the Educational Technology heading including several courses on Blogging, Podcasting, Wikis, Using Digital Media in the Classroom, Community Projects with Technology, and the summer Technology, Learning and Technology Conference.  

We will be meeting again next Friday, June 6th here at 11 Linden Park (get directions) from 8:30-11:30 AM for our regularly scheduled ITS Town Meeting.  In the past, these meetings have consisted of great ideas and projects that members of our community have cared to share, software and hardware demonstrations, and many engaging and thought provoking discussions.  This meeting should prove no different. Please join us in this engaging, collaborative and forward looking agenda next week: