Professional Learning Plan

Below are the text version and the link to the Voice Thread I created for my Professional Learning Plan:
http://voicethread.com/share/2178659/

My professional learning plan includes the use of Video or Presentation Web 2.0 tools. It’s almost an extension of the goals I made when I took CEP 810. I wanted to do more with young students building with Web 2.0 Tools. I have reached most of the goals since I have had students use Glogsters, Wallwisher, PhotoStory, etc. to complete projects. It was a great learning experience for my students and for me as well. However, I’ve learned a great deal about the use of video tools throughout this course, that I’m interested in continuing in that area and applying it to my professional setting. I will begin teaching in a high school this Fall, which is a big switch for me since I worked at a K-1 setting last year. With this change, I would like to change some of my teaching styles and I think Video Web 2.0 tools will definitely have a place in my library media center. My first real exposure to tools such as; Jing, Screencast, VoiceThread, etc., were from assignments in this class. I learned about many of the capabilities these programs have and how well they can help you teach and learn. There is still more I wish to learn. Jing was a little difficult for me to grasp, so I want to push myself to practice using that more, so that I can use it in the field. However, I think high school students are the perfect students for this goal because they were brought up in the digital age and will be more than capable to experiment with these tools with me. It will be a change from my K-1 experience where I needed to guide the students through all steps and assist in almost every aspect. High school students will be able to move on independently and freely use their creativity.

I plan on using tools such as these in my classroom and I would like to use scaffolding as my pedagogical teaching strategy. When I begin this new year at the high school, I would like to create some of these interactive videos within my library to help guide students in whole groups, small groups, or individual learning experiences within the media center. For example, I would like to use these presentation tools as an introduction to the library media center, introduce new books and authors when students go to the OPAC cataloging computers to locate books, and as tutorials on how to use or locate other resources within the library. Fortunately, the high school library media center has many student computers and I would like to set up these videos on the desktop of the computers to easily help assist students when needed. Also, when I’m teaching research lessons or other units of study, I would like to incorporate these tools where needed. Therefore, as the year goes on, all students will hopefully have had exposure to these videos as learning tools. Next, I would like students to create videos of their own by becoming the “teacher” in the videos. I will instruct students on how to use these tools. Then, I would like them create their own videos on specific topics of study. Projects are created using PowerPoint or writing an essay all the time, but I think it would be more engaging for students to use other programs to present their findings. This will be a great learning experience for students and a more meaningful route to learning material. I also believe this will be helpful to students with their future endeavors.

Those are my goals for the upcoming year at my new job placement. If all goes well, I hope to continue to use Video Web 2.0 Tools as a learning and instruction tool and add on to it. Who knows, maybe I can begin conducting distance learning courses for students in clubs or groups in the following years. I feel excited and ready to begin this goal.