What my PLN means to me

I just did a video to post to this wiki for Joyce Seitzinger from New Zealand (@catspyjamasnz on twitter and plurk)

Here are the questions I was supposed to answer and my prepared comments (not all of which came out the same way on video!)

• Who you are, where you are & what you do?
• How your PLN has affected your own learning?
• How your PLN has affected your practice?
• Something really neat you learned through your PLN recently
• Which tools you use in your PLN?
• How you use technology in your teaching or educational practice
• How you’re adapting your teaching or practice for the 21st century?
• Your most ‘fruitful’ connection made through your PLN
• Any words of encouragement for educators new to this 21st century, ‘techie’ way of teaching & learning

My name is Laurie Fowler and I am an assistant professor of instructional technology at the University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama. My learning has increased greatly through my involvement in a PLN. I learn all kinds of stuff from my PLN from personal information about their families to great web sites to use in class. In fact, when I introduce this concept to my classes I refer to it as BOTH a Personal and Professional Learning Network. In addition, my practice has changed because when I need to know something, I often ask my PLN before I Google for help. I have recently learned that Google Earth has added a Google Building tool which is very cool which I learned from a friend on Plurk.

For my PLN, I use two basic tools, Facebook is my primary Personal Learning Network and Plurk is my Professional Learning Network site. I also use Skype and Google Talk to communicate in real time with my online friends. I use technology every day since that is what I teach at the college level, but I also try to walk the walk by using technology to manage my time (Google calendar, Blackberry) and to communicate with others (email, instant messaging, blogging, and microblogging).

I am trying to focus more on the pedagogy that goes with the technology instead of just the tools. I do this because I know the tools will change, but good teaching really won’t change very much. We may have to change some of the media we use, but the basics of quality teaching will continue to be the foundation for success in education.

My most fruitful connection I have made with my PLN is hard to say. I learn tons from so many of my online buddies, but I think having two of my online buddies respond on my VoiceThread that I used in my interview to get my current assistant professorship was right up there with VERY fruitful. I presented the results of my dissertation research using VoiceThread and had responses from other technologists I knew in Alabama, but also from people from Illinois and Kansas that I know only through my PLN.

To all you educators, JUST DO IT! The 21st century tools are there to make education more engaging for you and your students. Give it a try and play around with the tools. That is the best way to “get it”!

Google Docs Finally!

Okay, it was me actually. I have had a really hard time teaching Google Docs to my graduate students for 3 classes in a row. Tonight, though, I finally got through! The reason that my class got it tonight was that I explained what Google Docs was for BEFORE I launched into my activity and all the cool things it will let you do.

I discussed collaboration and then showed them a form and a presentation in Google docs. And I reminded the class that they used a Google form to submit personal information at the beginning of the semester. And I saw the light bulbs come on above their heads! Yahoo! They did a great job of creating and sharing forms and adding a slide to the class presentation.

So in the future, I need to remember, it might be me or my explanation. I know what I am talking about in the technology realm, but sometimes I forget to start slow and explain what I want my students to do.

Thanks to all of my real life friends and plurk buddies who sent me great links and supportive messages.

Welcome back to school!

I have just watched President Obama’s speech to the nation’s students via CNN.com in my office. I would generally wait for the sound byte on the evening news, but there has been so much media controversy over this speech, I thought I might want to hear it first hand. Lots of school districts were not going to show it and some parents interviewed on the news said they were keeping their students home from school today because they didn’t want their children to hear the president’s speech. Because of the firestorm of controversy, the White House released the text of the speech over the weekend. Before my 9:30 Technology and Education class this morning, I did a wordle of the speech. The words that appear the most in the speech are the largest in the wordle. What words do you see that are offensive, not American, or otherwise unfit for school children to hear?

But, I digress, here is my reaction to the speech from the position of an education professor. I was impressed by the easy way President Obama related his personal story about getting a good education and about his wife’s educational journey to become one of the first in her family to go to college. These personal stories make a positive impression on all students and educators. President Obama was also able to tell eloquent stories of students who overcame incredible odds to pursue their education. Putting a face on education with these stories is an important part of making us all accountable for making the American education system better.

The President also asked our nation’s students to take responsibility for themselves, their learning, and their future. This is something all of the students in the United States need to hear—from kindergarten to twelfth grade and even our undergraduate education majors. Responsibility for one’s self is a trait we, as educators and leaders, all need to model for and encourage in our students. But most of all President Obama asked the students to do their part to make our country great. He asked them to respect their teachers, to do their homework, to get involved in their schools and their communities. He asked them to continue their education so that they can be the people that future leaders will hold up as examples. He asked them to be serious about their education this year and told them he expected great things of each of them.

Now, what was so controversial about that?

Ode to the Tomato Sandwich

Ode to the Tomato Sandwich

by Laurie Fowler









To you, O Tomato Sandwich, I write these words of love . . .

White, squishy Sunbeam bread is ready and waiting

For the real mayonnaise, forget that low fat goo,

And red, ripe tomatoes dripping with juice

Slather on the mayo—both sides please--, make the white bread even whiter

Here a dash of salt and there a dash of pepper

And, ah the masterpiece is complete.

To you, O Tomato Sandwich, go my undying words of praise

For there is nothing like a good tomato sandwich

To let a body know for sure that summertime is finally here.

Just not that into technology

Okay, okay, okay,

I have obviously forgotten what it is like to be in graduate school and taking classes in the summer. My students are always busting a gut to get out of class. Am I really that boring? Probably not, but I am the teacher now, not the student, so my perspective is going to be different.

Let's think about being a student. So, what did I enjoy about taking classes? Meeting new people, learning new things, and discussing new information with others. What did I not like? Reading volumes of stuff or writing long, boring papers. This, however, is not the format for my Technology and Education class, but apparently my project-based learning approach is really throwing them for a loop. Or maybe my students are just not that into technology.

So what is an excited technology professor to do? I have so much stuff I have learned in the 2 years since I taught a technology class and I want to share it! I know that some of my students are still getting used to using technology and they are taking it a little slower; but for the younger crowd, I am terribly disappointed that they don't want to explore or play with the fun tools I share. They just want to know what is the assignment and when is it due. I can't seem to get them excited about anything in technology and I don't know why.

Okay, so maybe it is they are JUST NOT THAT INTO TECHNOLOGY. And it isn't really me!

A Balanced Life through Benedictine Eyes

This talk was presented by Father Peter and Brother Michael from the Holy Cross Monastery in Beaumont, Texas, on June 12, 2009, for the Community of Hope International Annual Conference. I am meshing my reactions with their comments.—Laurie Fowler

Brother Michael first read what he called an urban parable—a story of a man playing beautiful music during the morning commute in the metro Washington, DC, area and getting essentially no response from anyone. This story about Joshua Bell illustrates how busy we really are as 21st century citizens. Apparently that we are too busy with work, commuting, and cell phones to notice one of the best musicians of our time giving free concert? I immediately thought, not me, I would have noticed how beautiful the music was, but as Brother Michael and Father Peter continued their talk, I wondered, would I have noticed? On some days, I would bet not.

The point of this story as an introduction was that we can't afford to miss what is going on around us. We need to find time to be still and quiet, to find the time to be Benedictine, to create for ourselves a spiritual discipline. These questions asked gently but urgently made start to ponder these questions of my own—does my Rule of Life work? What choices am I making when I don't get to things on my daily "to do" list? I definitely need to be more intentional about being Benedictine and be ready to see and hear the unexpected where I least expect it.
There are four parts to a balanced life from the Benedictine perspective. They are prayer, study, work, and leisure. Prayer and study are very closely linked and are about developing an awareness and seeking God and following Christ. We are called as Benedictines and as members of the Community of Hope to be transformed by God in Christ. The opus dei or "the whole work of god", also known as our liturgy, allows us ample time throughout the day and week to pray and to include it as part of our balanced approach to life. It is hard work to be faithful to the daily office readings. There will inevitably be those days when you are too tired or too distracted to think it is doing you much good, but those are the times you need the discipline the most. It is okay that sometimes during prayers or the daily office that we do not make the "aha" connection to God. It won't happen every time, but as we put ourselves into a schedule to allow for this time with God, there will be more and more times that God will find ways to speak to our hearts and minds. A final thought on prayer—Daily prayer is the calisthenics of the soul so that we can be prepared to meet God in our world.

In addition to the prayers and services from the prayer book, there is study. For Benedictines, this study is called lectio divina or "holy reading". This means that we read a passage of scripture through three times and focus on what seems meaningful to us. It is actually a process that has four steps and these steps may take up to 30 minutes to an hour so it is not a discipline that we can cram into some available moment we find in our day. No, lectio divina is best when it is planned for and time is made for it as a critical part of our daily study. I find that I am able to do this best with passages from the gospels or from Psalms. In addition to lectio divina, we should find study that will help us improve our ministry. For example, we should learn more about aging and spirituality if we find ourselves caring for seniors, we should learn more about cancer care and treatment if our ministry is on the oncology floor of a hospital, or we should read Same Kind of Different as Me and Take This Bread if we are planning a food ministry.

Besides prayer and study, there is work that is necessary to bring us into a balanced life. Work, in the Benedictine sense, is that which gives us meaning and contributes to the community. We must do the work we have been given to do in the community in which we live. Do we do work that is meaningful? Certainly as members of the Community of Hope, we do, but what about the rest of our lives? I will think about this as I see if my next job can also lead me to my true vocation.

Finally, there is leisure. Ah, leisure. Sounds nice, doesn't it? There are really two kinds of leisure at least in Benedictine terms. The first is our American idea of leisure—time off from your responsibilities, vacation, relaxation time, respite from the world. For this kind of leisure, Benedictines have feast days on which they are given time off from responsibilities and a chance to rest. But do we really have this kind of leisure in America? How many of us checked our phones, email, and other messages during the COHI Conference? Were these contacts necessary for business or for us to feel needed? As citizens of the 21st century, we are indeed a people who seem to have trouble enjoying leisure at all.

In addition to this version of leisure, there is holy leisure. In the spirit of the Benedictines, holy leisure is that which allows us to take stock of ourselves. It is the examen or critique of our lives. What have we done? What have we left undone? How can we adjust the parts of our lives to bring them back into balance? If we never stop long enough to reflect on where we have been and where we are, we miss many opportunities to grow and blossom.

Grace and beauty are God-events in our lives. Will we be too busy to see them and acknowledge them? Can you live today focused on the present moment? How refreshing those first drops of summer rain are? How painfully blue the summer sky is? How the wind sounds right before a thunderstorm? How that fresh tomato bursts with flavor on your tongue?

We must be ruthless in our showing up for God so that the Holy Spirit can do its work within us. So go and be fully alive. Reach the potential for which we were created. Amen.

Technology Class Overhaul

I am so excited about technology. . . And maybe that is not a good thing. I am getting to teach my first graduate level technology class this summer and in my zeal to share my love of technology I think I may have overdone it! I decided to use wikis as an electronic portfolio format, so I created my own wiki as an example. But in my haste, I created a wiki, a course calendar, and assignment sheets that don't match each other! ARGHHH! I hate it when that happens and I REALLY hate it when I do it.

So here is my dilemma, how to share my love of technology with my students, meet the state department of education standards for the course, and make reasonable assignments all at the same time? My students suggested that I make a check list for each class of what I expected them to accomplish so they would know if they are on the right track. This sounded like a good idea so I will try it. I also realized that I had them take learning style inventories last week and then completely ignored those results. Most of my students are visual learners with kinesthetic being the second most common mode of learning. Yet I am using basically an auditory approach to teaching technology. So I will change the way I present my material and find some tutorials to share with my students.

Last but not least, how do show them how to communicate and collaborate with tools of technology even if I don't grade them on it? I want to instill in my graduate students a love of technology and a willingness to explore and play with new tools.