1.edWeb– I joined EdWeb because it has a wide variety of educational groups to join. Since I teach more than one subject, it was helpful to find several topics and educators to connect with. I joined the following groups:
- STEM Learning: Full STEAM Ahead
- Preserving the Planet
- Tech Tools for the Classroom
- Self Sustainable Community
Here are my comments on edWeb:
- STEM Learning: Full STEAM Ahead
and…
- Preserving the Planet
and…
- Tech Tools for the Classroom
2. Edmodo– I have been a member of Edmodo for a few years and have used it with my students. I did not, however, realize that Edmodo has an educator group community as well. I joined the following groups on Edmodo:
- #growthmindset
- #flippedclassroom
- #environment
- #digitalcitizenship
- #leadership
- #science
- #projectbasedlearning
- #technology
Here are my comments on Edmodo:
- #growthmindset
- #flippedclassroom
- #environment
3. Code Academy– As an educational technology student, I have learned the value of understanding code. Code Academy has helped me in my website design class and throughout all of my MET courses at Boise State. I have posted the following comment:
4.Flickr– I joined Flickr originally for earth science phots but I found other photo groups on there that would be useful for my math lessons and all subjects. These are the groups I have joined and my comments:
- Land of Landscapes Magazine Group
- Circles| Most of a Circle
I am also part of these online educational communities:
Reflection
What did you learn about yourself when looking at your PLE?
By joining and connecting with different online communities, I have learned there are like-minded people out there who share the same interests, ideas, and resources. It is promising to find online educational groups that are thriving with up-to-date resources and information to share. I did not realize how many online communities I could sign up for and feel so connected. Being an educator can sometimes feel isolating. Knowing I can connect with an online community to gather ideas, support, resources, and even professional development has been a great eye-opener. Also, being able to share the knowledge I have helps me feel like I can be a valuable contributor to an online community.
Joining some online communities, however, has also shown to be not as helpful. One online community I found seemed very promising, but when I joined the group, I saw the most recent post was from 2012. I could not find any other members engaged with that group since 2012. Also, I have noticed that some discussion boards were challenging to navigate, not user-friendly or outdated.
I have learned it is important to “listen to” a variety of online communities before joining the one that is right for you. There are many resourceful groups out there, but make sure to choose wisely. Listen through the noise of the online world to find the right tune for you.
Amie Heatherton 