Blog Assignment #6

Wendy Drexler: The Networked Student

I absolutely loved this video! I think the possibilities of being a networked student or teacher are endless and exciting! If students will enter these opportunities with open, determined minds I believe only good could come from this. As I watched this video and other ones that we have watched this semester, I can only help but think "what if?" What if I would have had these opportunities when I was in middle/high school? How would I have handled it?

I know that discipline would probably have been a problem for me. BUT in my opinion this somewhat answers the question, "Why does the networked student even need a teacher?" Discipline, Encouragement, and Direction! That's what the teacher is needed for! To help guide the networked student and encourage them to keep going. Like the video said, the teacher helps the student weed out bad information. The teacher shows the way when the student reaches a dead end and doesn't know where to turn. The teacher can show the networked student how to communicate properly and celebrate with them when they make amazing discoveries. I believe that I am ready to be a teacher to a networked student if or when the time comes. My goal as a teacher is to help students learn in the best way that I can. If that way happens to be mostly through a computer, that's fine with me!


A 7th Grader's Personal Learning Environment (or PLN)

I thought that the girl in the video did an amazing job! I can't believe that at the time of the video she was only in the 7th grade! There were actually a lot of similarities between our PLN's(PLE's). The major similarity was the way that things were organized. I have a lot of my things organized by line and top to bottom like she does. More than looking at just her PLN, I was amazed by how organized and efficient she was. I can only hope that the children I will be teaching will be as mature and organized as she seemed!