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Check Out These Standards as a Way to Find Areas to Improve!

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Check Out These Standards as a Way to Find Areas to Improve!

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The ISTE Coaching Standards help define the role of the edtech coach and guide coaches in ensuring that learning with technology is high impact and equitable.

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Searching for Improvement is the Best Way to Help others Improve!

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Searching for Improvement is the Best Way to Help others Improve!

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What is a Connected Learner?

A connected learner has a personal interest in a topic, a supportive relationship with their peers and supervisors and is given real-world opportunities to expand their skills. When someone has all three of these available to them, learning becomes alluring and life changing. This is a fundamental change from standardized testing, one-to-many instruction and fixed subject teaching.

Why is creating connected learners important?

The traditional way of training employees is failing to empower a workforce that meets the needs of the business. In a world where most aspects of life are personalized to a person's interests and preferences, why should training be any different?

Organizations need to adapt to the needs of the modern workforce, or they will lose great employees, struggle to attract future talent and in turn lose customers. Creating a culture of connected learners provides the atmosphere current workforce thrives in.

Employees who are actively engaged, allowed to be creative and solve problems they care about will learn skills faster, be more engaged and be more likely to stay with the company. According to Gartner, connected learners are 66% more engaged, learn skills 25% faster and are more than 4x more likely to stay in the company. 1

3 Tips for Creating Connected Learners

Stay Curious

Ask your employees about what they are interested in and be willing to learn along side of them. Perhaps a bank teller wants to know more about credit lending. Be open to connecting him/her to credit lending training opportunities or to shadow a small business credit lender. This isn't just a one and done question. Check in regularly as interests grow and change over time.

Variety of Learning Opportunities

Not all training is effective for all types of learners. While some may be more comfortable learning in a traditional setting, others may prefer a more modern or tech-forward training environment. Having a trusted education provider who can tailor training to the learner's preferences will help make this effortless for your learning and development teams.

Allow Specialization When There is Interest

When an employee shows interest in additional education or certification, such as ACAMS, let them, even encourage them. Give them the resources they need to learn on their own, with their peers and about topics that are of interest to them.

In a workforce where the velocity of change shows no sign of slowing, an industry who is risk adverse needs to make big strides in how they empower their workforce in order to keep their talent. Employers who cultivate a culture that grows connected learners will close the skills gap faster, attract top talent and drive the bottom line of their business.

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Why is a Connected Learner Important in the Workforce? The future of work is constantly changing. Changes include the impact of a gig economy, an aging workforce, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, etc. Organizations who prioritize developing connected learners are gaining a key differentiator against their competition.

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How Do I Get a PLN? What should I be looking for? Where are the most active spaces? All answers are in this article!

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Guest blogger Tom Whitby, a 40-year veteran of the teaching profession and an extremely connected educator, offers some basic, practical wisdom about what a PLN is and how to get one.

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Constantly Be On the Look Out for New Tools to Teach!

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Constantly Be On the Look Out for New Tools to Teach!

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Digital Tools For Teachers To Use In Classrooms

Grabbing students' attention and keeping everyone active during the class is very important, but also very difficult to accomplish. In order to make classes more interactive, fun, and educative at the same time, teachers should pay attention to new teaching methods and tools. These tools can help both teachers and students, allow them easier access to learning materials, faster and more effective grading, etc. For those teachers that are looking for a new way to improve their class, here are 5 tools that should make their job easier and bring additional value to their students.

1. Google Classroom

This Google service allows teachers to organize their class, interact with students, grade their work, check on their progress, and much more. Because it's available on smart devices and only requires a Google account, Google Classroom brings in a certain amount of flexibility to both teacher and students alike.

It works pretty simply; the teacher creates a class and invites students to join by sending them an invitation via Gmail. The students then join the class and they have instant access to all the materials that the teacher provides. Moreover, the teacher is able to create quizzes, assign essays, tests, even create a class calendar with important dates, so students could always stay updated, etc. The teacher has access to students' ongoing work and has the ability to provide insightful feedback. In a word, this tool is a virtual classroom that's always open.

2. Editing Services

Some students are talented writers and have no problem with creating any type of written content. However, not all of the students are the future Hemmingway and often struggle with essays and other written assignments. Editing services can help students with their term papers, book reviews, research papers, proofreading, etc. These types of online services allow students to take some of the load off, in case they have too much on their hands. Additionally, the proofreading feature allows students to learn from their mistakes and get better at spelling and grammar.

However, this tool is not only for those that are not gifted writers. International students can also achieve more and progress faster with the help of online editing services.

3. ClassMarker

This simple tool allows teachers to create an online test that is instantly graded, which can save them a whole lot of time and allow them to focus on more important issues. What's really good about this tool is that it allows multimedia content, so teachers could add pictures or videos to the test sheet to make the whole experience even more attractive and interactive.

The teacher has the ability to create groups and give each group a separate test, but also has the option to create a single test and share a link to the test with the entire class via email. The students get the test results instantly, and all of the tests are stored in the teacher's personal database, which is a great way to keep track of each student's progress. Additionally, ClassMarker allows setting a time limit for each quiz and availability dates, which can help teachers in case they have a large number of students to pay attention to.

4. Edmodo

Another useful tool that not only makes the teaching experience easier but also helps integrate teachers, students, and parents in the learning process. Edmodo allows teachers to create groups, quizzes, assign papers, manage students' progress, etc. It's also possible to connect Edmodo with your Google or Microsoft account and transfer files from one service to another seamlessly.

This tool is a great way to keep parents up to date with future events, current grades, progress, etc. Since teachers can allow access to both students and parents, each user has a certain level of access to Edmodo content. This way parents will be able to see where they should jump in when it comes to helping their children achieve better results.

Talking about achieving more, Edmodo also allows teachers and students from all over the world to share knowledge and resources with each other. One of the features of this tool is the ability to share any type of content with other users and get access to materials that others decided to share.

5. Kahoot

Did anyone say that games are not educational? Kahoot is a learning tool that allows teachers and students to create fun games in order to test knowledge and engage the entire class. There is virtually no limit to the number of questions or their format; you could place videos, images, and even diagrams to each question to make the game more interesting.

This type of learning experience can really keep the whole class engaged, as each student joins the game via their smart devices while the results appear on a shared screen for everyone to see. Forming multiple teams can build a competitive atmosphere which students would enjoy. In addition, the online nature of Kahoot allows you to include even those students that are unable to attend the class, but are willing to participate in the game. Furthermore, teachers could assign homework using this tool, and have instant access to results.

Conclusion

With the digital era taking over, it's important to include digital and online tools into the learning process. Students rely on smart devices and internet more than on conventional learning methods. Keeping up with this trend is what allows the teacher to better understand students and their needs. Additionally, these tools make the learning process more interactive and allow easier flow of information, which makes the teacher's job much easier.

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5 Innovative Digital Tools For Teachers To Use - eLearning Industry

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Grabbing students' attention and keeping everyone active during the class is very important, but also very difficult to accomplish. In order to make classes more interactive, fun, and educative at the same time, teachers should pay attention to new teaching methods and tools.

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Take a Peek at This Article for Facts on Learning Networks!

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Take a Peek at This Article for Facts on Learning Networks!

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If you assume students are only learning from eLearning courses, you are failing to leverage a huge part of the learning process.

Ask yourself where do you learn?

Most of us might answer "in a classroom", but, in reality, the majority of learning comes from other places, like Personal Learning Networks. And these networks are personal, meaning there are no two PLNs that are equal; each of us has a unique range of people we learn from including peers, coworkers, supervisors, experts and other professionals. Today more learners use tools like Google and Wikipedia to acquire new skills and knowledge. They subscribe to personal and professional blogs. Or they ask questions through their social media networks to get the most relevant answers from the members of their PLN.

Defining PLN's

PLN stands for Personal Learning Network. It has a range of definitions but here is one that suits our purposes best: "A network of trusted connections with whom an individual interacts (and learns from) on a regular basis." - Jane Hart.

In other words, your PLN is where you gather, collect, communicate, create and also share knowledge and experience with a group of connected people, anywhere at any time. It is developed largely through social media, such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and blogs, helping us form connections, grow our knowledge base and develop ourselves professionally through continual learning.

A PLN is further defined by intention. When someone makes a connection with the particular purpose of learning and gaining information from that person. This differs from merely meeting someone at random who you may form a friendship with. While you can have friends within your PLN, not all people within your PLN are people you would invite over for a BBQ or out to a bar.

PLNs are not new, but technology has, however, changed how we connect to others and have expanded their reach significantly. Social media and technology have, specifically, removed the physical barriers that once existed. Time zones and distance no longer present the significant hurdles they once did. With the multitude of social platforms and communication apps like Skype, GoToMeeting and Face Time there are very few things you can't do long distance.

Relationship Building through Technology

Even though we talk about technology with PLNs, they are much more about the connections and relationships we make.

According to EdWeek, to conceptualize a PLN, you should envision three layers, with ourselves at the center. The closest and smallest ring include friends and personal mentors. The next layer includes groups that share our interests but are not necessarily close friends. The final layers include experts, professionals, and celebrities. People who may not have much, if any personal interaction but who we still look up to and learn from.

What Does a PLN Do?

A PLN must serve three purposes in order to make other events in the network possible. These are:

Connection Building: a PLN adds new people to gain further knowledge resources for when they are needed.

Connection Maintenance: a PLN keeps you in touch with relevant people.

Connection Activation: a PLN activates connections with select people to allow for new learning. (Nardi, et al., 2000; Nardi, et al., 2002).

What a PLN is Not

PLNs and CoPs (Communities of Practice) are often used interchangeably; we could be forgiven for thinking that they are more or less synonymous. But, a PLN is not a CoP. With CoPs, the people who make up the community have a profession or professional field in common. A network though is markedly different in that it is made up of individuals who form individual connections that are not based on a single profession.

PLN connections are random and mostly informal, while CoP connections are more formal or structured since they require the common thread of professional expertise. CoPs are a resource about the shared professional field where members can give and take the info to benefit the group as a whole. PLNs are less focused, typically because they involve a much broader range of people with varying levels and kinds of expertise.

Further Reading:

PLN is not PLE

A PLE or Personal Learning Environment is not the same as a PLN either. PLEs are self-directed learning spaces, which contain tools to gather, organize and create knowledge that is specialized to an individual's goals and needs.

A PLN is a part of a PLE when a person has a group within their professional network that has a unifying factor such as common interest, project or goal. Social media and networking helps create these connections and furthers the spreading of information.

A PLE, in short, is much broader than a PLN including all the people in a PLN and the content that is generated through it. It is also more than the various tools that students use to research, write, access, and spread content with.

A PLE can be created when an eLearning course's VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) adds tools or applications that allow students to control their learning. So, in this way, a Personal Learning Environment is what comes about when a Virtual Learning Environment is personalized for users to direct themselves within the environment. Adding social elements where students can interact with each other within a PLE, turns it into a PLN.

Image Source: The Anatomy of a PLE

Why Building a PLN is Increasingly Important

The way we learn and interact in our current era of networking is defined and theorized upon by Connectivism. Connectivism shows us that a PLN is a person's way to get a continuous stream of knowledge and space to exchange thoughts and ideas while receiving validation of their contributions to the network and the challenges they rise to.

This is relevant to organizations because it is impossible to provide training for every single required skill that will be needed to perform a task or job. Training can only be provided for known duties but for all the unknowns, innovation and the ability to adapt, are the only ways to success. To makes this possible PLNs:

Give members several information sources and pathways.

Constructing your own PLN is a new way to develop yourself professionally with a network that caters to your needs and is available when you require it.

Help you stay up-to-date by providing the most current information from experts within your field

Provide a continuous stream of learning, resources and ways of thinking about topics that matter to you.

Help you find answers and advice when you need it because your online network always has someone available.

Increase your reach due to the technology involved in PLNs. Even persons who live and work remotely can make connections across the country or globe.

Allow you to gain information from things like workshops and conferences even when you are unable to physically attend them. Technology allows many of these learning events to be streamed live.

Expand your thinking by engaging in active discussion.

Acquire expert advice almost on demand since you are no longer limited to getting info from infrequently published texts and scholarly articles. Professionals and thought leaders in your field are continuously providing insights through their PLN and social media.

Want to start building your own PLN? Watch this video.

REFERENCES:

1. Learning in the Modern Workplace by Jane Hart. http://www.slideshare.net/janehart/learning-in-the-modern-workplace-43899391/19-mobile_content_mobile_rstmicro

2. I Believe in the Importance of a Personal Learning Network by Tom Spiglanin http://tom.spiglanin.com/2014/12/i-believe-in-the-importance-of-a-personal-learning-network/

3. Personal Learning Networks: Learning in a Connected World. ID and Other Reflections Blog http://idreflections.blogspot.com/2015/01/personal-learning-networks-for-ongoing.html

4. How to Create a Robust and Meaningful Personal Learning Network [PLN] by Online Learning Insights https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/01/22/how-to-create-a-robust-and-meaningful-personal-learning-network-pln/

5. The Future of Work and Learning 1: The Professional Ecosystem by Jane Hart http://www.c4lpt.co.uk/blog/2016/05/08/the-professional-ecosystem-the-future-of-work-and-learning/

6. Learning Design and Personal Learning Networks by Joyce Seitzinger http://www.slideshare.net/catspyjamas/rmit-what-onearthaug2014

7. Seek, Sense, Share: Understanding the Flow of Information Through a Personal Learning Network http://www.lifewideeducation.uk/blog/category/personal-learning-networks

8. What is a PLN? Or, PLE vs. PLN? http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/1156

9. Personal Learning Network Model http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131

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If you assume students are only learning from eLearning courses, you are failing to leverage a huge part of the learning process. Ask yourself where do you learn? Most of us might answer "in a classroom", but, in reality, the majority of learning comes from other places, like Personal Learning Networks.