Reflecting on Connected Learning

Educational leaders need to stay on top of developing technologies and be able to use them. The educators in Teacher Education, with whom I work, are varied in their skill level. While some are very tech savvy, others are quite “old school”. I fall somewhere in the middle, but have increased my explorations and comfort level with a little push from recent course work and leadership training. I think the best way to encourage others in one’s school community to become connected is by example. I believe in being a life-long, collaborative learner, and “walking the talk”. I learn from my students, who typically know more about technology than I do, and I also try to model for my students and school learning community is part of this process (Accountability). Twitter and Blogging are both more recent endeavours for me, but I have recently attempted to use Twitter in lessons (Improving Instructional Program).

21st century leadership and learning includes digital citizenship. It is my responsibility to be positive and supportive with my students and colleagues. I can do this by helping to build positive and supporting online learning communities that can further connect to new people (Building Relationships and Developing People) and can co-construct knowledge (Setting Directions). New media technologies allow for connected education and flexibility for do-it-yourself professional development that can empower my students and enable me to grow as a professor.