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Community Corner

Creating Personal Learning Networks for Your Students

Internet and social media use among children has significantly increased over the past few years, with new devices, applications and tools emerging on a seemingly daily basis, particularly in education.  We’re now living in a culture where one in 10 high school students have tweeted about an academic topic and 46 percent of high school students have used Facebook as a collaboration tool for schoolwork.*

 

While new technologies present a vast array of educational opportunities for youth, it’s important to recognize that they are also wrought with potential dangers and unintended consequences.  Fortunately, these dangers and consequences can largely be avoided through parental involvement, education and the promotion of safe online habits. This generation’s open arms to technology presents an opportunity for us to guide them toward using these powerful tools to enrich their own personal knowledge.

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The summer months provide the perfect time for families to learn about many of the new technologies available to children and to create a ‘Personal Learning Network,’ a personalized collection of websites, tools and resources that can be tailored to a child’s individual areas of interest, creating a safe environment in which they can learn and explore.

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As a principal of a virtual school, I’m well-acquainted with the assortment of teaching tools and online resources available to reach students in ways that are effective to them. Our school model includes virtual instruction with features like webcams and both voice and text chat, and we also encourage our students to look at the Internet and social media as building blocks for their own personalized learning network.

 

As a first step, parents should have an open conversation with their children regarding safe Internet habits and the reality that online actions have real-life consequences. While the Internet and social media create vast potential for learning, they also come with concerns about privacy, software viruses and even cyberbullying. Several organizations, such as the National Cybersecurity Alliance and the iKeepSafe Coalition, publish practical tips to arm your child with the knowledge to safeguard themselves and the family online. 

 

Once students are well versed on the guidelines for safe Internet and social media use, and depending on the child’s age and maturity, the time may be right to create the child’s personal learning network and instruct them on how the Internet and social media can be used to educate and explore in new and exciting ways.

 

In addition to classroom instruction or while school is out this summer, students can keep learning alive by exploring educational websites. Online assets that can be included in a child’s personal learning network include YouTube tutorials and presentations, Pinterest, activity sites like BrainPop, and academic resources like PubMed. The accessibility and interactivity of many of these formats creates a level of engagement where they often don’t even realize they’re learning.

 

For example, the MinutePhysics YouTube channel boils down complex scientific concepts, such as gravity and radars, into engaging and short videos with succinct learning takeaways. Many educational institutions have Pinterest pages and blogs with creative ideas to facilitate learning in the home and during the summer, such as historical road trips and writing tips for aspiring teen authors.

 

PBS KIDS has a variety of games available online featuring favorite characters from PBS programming teaching topics like math, rhyming and healthy habits. Education World even has tips on using the new social networking app Vine as a learning tool in the classroom. For history buffs, many museums offer great online games and learning tools, like the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History’s online Panoramic Virtual Tour feature, where students can take a peek inside the iconic and massive museum, without even stepping foot in Washington D.C.

 

The quest for educational growth online can be intimidating, but through responsible guidance, students can use this new cyber world to propel their own success, independence and passions.

 

James Brauer, Ed.D, is principal of Iowa Connections Academy, a tuition-free virtual public school serving students in grades K-12 in Iowa. The school gives students the flexibility to learn at home with a curriculum that meets rigorous state education standards. Brauer has more than nine years of education experience in administration and teaching. As principal of Iowa Connections Academy, he leads the school’s dedicated staff of licensed teachers, administrators and support staff in delivering to students Connections Academy’s proven, high-quality curriculum and individualized approach to education.

 

*Project Tomorrow’s Speak Up report, Mapping a Personalized Learning Journey – K-12 Students and Parents Connect the Dots with Digital Learning

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