Reflections...

Tonight is my final night for my grad class Social Learning, as well as my final class for the Doane College Program.  We have been asked to blog our reflections of the class, as well as answer a few questions.

We were asked if social networking has made a difference in our classroom, and for me it has been significant.  The first thing I did, with my administration's permission, was to set up a Facebook account for my classes.  As a music educator, I deal with hundreds of students every day.  My initial intention was to cut down on paper use.  Not necessarily to "go green", but when sending so many newsletters and fliers home for schedules and upcoming events, it does involve a great deal of paper, not to mention there is no guarantee that those newsletters and fliers will even make it home.  (Can you imagine middle school students losing such things?  It was a surprise to me.)

Of course the results have been wonderful.  This is how today's students work in their daily lives, Facebook, Twitter, IM and on and on.  Just the simple fact of having a Facebook account for my different ensembles also allows my students to take a more pro-active role in our programs.  They advertise concerts, post performance videos and pictures.  They share websites of other programs and ensembles that are related to our subject.  Of course I have the power, and responsibility, to oversee all before any of it actually shows up on the account.

My plan is to continue to work on expanding my personal learning network as well as taking advantage of so many of the open source educational technology programs that are offered and being developed as we speak.  I also want to include my students in not only the use of these programs, but their input on how we as a class will use them.  Again, this is their world and I truly believe in the "Wisdom of Crowds".

Online education education is going to continue to expand and flourish.  I feel strongly that online education is not going to change what we learn, but how we learn.   This means education, as a whole, must change it's approach and overall philosophy.  I feel fortunate to work in a district where they are embracing this new wave.  I still hear educators and administrators who talk as if all this is a passing fad, which I find very upsetting.  Education is all about evolution, sharing, communication and continued learning.  Teachers must take the approach that yes, we are educators, but if we ever stop being students at the same time, we will not be effective as teachers.