Journey
Creating a Professional Learning Network (PLN) online has taught me a ton. While the tools I learned weren’t necessarily new to me, my mindset has definitely shifted from the beginning of the semester to now. I started the semester thinking that online tools and digital networks were good for connecting professionals, period. As in, I thought that tools like blogging, Twitter, Delicious, Wikispaces all were so that teachers could connect and share what they were doing/what they know. This idea always made me a little uncomfortable because I have never felt like I had/have much to contribute. I wanted to see what others were doing, and I wanted to learn new ideas... that seemed obvious to me. I just didn't want to really share my journey. So, I kind of wrote off the whole PLN idea. But, I have found this semester that I am more interested in what I can find; meaning, I am more interested in Professional Learning Networks as a means to teach myself. I've learned that I don’t need to be connected to the most awesome teachers to ride their proverbial blaze of glory. I can use podcasts, YouTube, Twitter, and Feedly to learn about new trends, research new tools, and consider their application in my own classroom. The shift in my thinking went from, “copy what the pro’s do” to “try that theory or tool out in your own way” and I think this will make a huge impact on my practice.
Reflection
When reflecting back upon this semester and this course, I find that the one central idea that I will carry with me for years to come is an idea about leadership. A 21st century leader must embody a whole slew of dispositions and carry with him or her a plethora of skills. EDL 7510, “Improving productivity and practice with technology,” has been a great experience for me to see those skills and traits in action.
What does 21st century skills & traits mean? According to Hidden Curriculum (2014), it “refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed—by educators, school reformers, college professors, employers, and others—to be critically important to success in today’s world, particularly in collegiate programs and contemporary careers and workplaces.” Sounds incredibly vague, I know. However, through this course I think it is clear that a 21st century leader must not only know the ins and outs of several key tools in order to be personally productive, but they must embody a collaborative spirit in order to bring people together to accomplish a goal or task.
In EDL 7510, the assignments that required me to demonstrate the skills of a 21st century leader were the “Professional Productivity” module and the “Personal Learning Network” module. In the PP module I worked to learn the ins and outs of using digital tools that help with productivity in the work place. I used the Microsoft Excel program in ways I hadn’t before, and I made a presentation that I would be proud to give to any one of my colleagues on an emerging technology tool. In the PLN module I worked very hard to broaden my online horizons. I connected to a variety of online tools, made profiles, contributed to digital communities, connected with peers, and felt the power of a great web of online professional resources at my finger-tips. I believe that I will spend the rest of my career broadening my network, and I don’t mind that idea one bit. It’s refreshing to think that I can continuously learn so effortlessly.
Beyond being a productive professional and competent in not only basic digital tools but also savvy in online networks of information, the dispositions of a 21st century leader are essential. Through the “Virtual Teams” module of study I felt that these dispositions and abilities truly came into play. Llopis (2015) notes that there are key traits that every 21st century leader must embody. He cites the importance of having a shared “sense of the reality you are approaching” and how this can “[bring] people together to share a journey and a vision [and] lead to infinite possibilities.” In the VT module, I worked with individuals in another country to develop a project, from conception to production, that could be implemented to improve my school. Our shared sense of reality came easily through the use of collaborative media in order to establish a realistic and achievable goal. In this case we used an online survey to learn about our shared reality.
In a White Paper published by Gap International, Yeramyan (2011) notes that 21st century leaders “focus on connecting people to purpose and aligning multiple groups from every direction. They are authentic and open. Leaders like this bring out the best performance, creativity and expression in everyone.” In other words, leaders must be a master at communication, bringing out the best in others, and aligning individuals to reach a shared purpose. In our Virtual Teams we worked hard to collaborate online. We met once a week to talk, review our central purpose/goal, and we collaborated to make sure that each member was able to make a unique contribution to the end goal that, ultimately, played to their strengths. If any one member couldn’t meet their individual goal the other members helped out. While Yeramyan may be referencing successful business leaders, my Virtual Team undoubtedly fell under his definition of success.
It’s hard to think how these skills and dispositions won’t help me in future endeavors. Truth is, education may not always be in my future. I may not always be nose to grindstone in my classroom. I may not always be in a position to lead my peers. But I will, for as long as I’m living, be alive in the 21st century, and it is for this precise reason that I believe the dispositions of a 21st century leader will stay with me forever. Microsoft Office may be replaced by something bigger and better tomorrow. Those skills that I’ve gained will be fine tuned and then replaced with new and more relevant skills. Collaboration; bringing out the best in others; being authentic and open: these are traits that won’t be replaced. They won’t go out of style. I will carry them with me into whichever endeavor I take on.
References
Hidden curriculum (2014, August 26). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum
Llopis, G. (2015). Six Characteristics Define 21st Century Leadership. Forbes. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2015/04/01/six-characteristics-define-21st-century-leadership/
Yeramyan, P. (2011). 21st Century Organization: Being Competitive and Leading Edge (1st ed., pp. 1-5). Springfield, Pa: Gap International. Retrieved from http://www.gapinternational.com/assets/base/gap/pdf/21stCent_WhitePaper.pdf
What does 21st century skills & traits mean? According to Hidden Curriculum (2014), it “refers to a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits, and character traits that are believed—by educators, school reformers, college professors, employers, and others—to be critically important to success in today’s world, particularly in collegiate programs and contemporary careers and workplaces.” Sounds incredibly vague, I know. However, through this course I think it is clear that a 21st century leader must not only know the ins and outs of several key tools in order to be personally productive, but they must embody a collaborative spirit in order to bring people together to accomplish a goal or task.
In EDL 7510, the assignments that required me to demonstrate the skills of a 21st century leader were the “Professional Productivity” module and the “Personal Learning Network” module. In the PP module I worked to learn the ins and outs of using digital tools that help with productivity in the work place. I used the Microsoft Excel program in ways I hadn’t before, and I made a presentation that I would be proud to give to any one of my colleagues on an emerging technology tool. In the PLN module I worked very hard to broaden my online horizons. I connected to a variety of online tools, made profiles, contributed to digital communities, connected with peers, and felt the power of a great web of online professional resources at my finger-tips. I believe that I will spend the rest of my career broadening my network, and I don’t mind that idea one bit. It’s refreshing to think that I can continuously learn so effortlessly.
Beyond being a productive professional and competent in not only basic digital tools but also savvy in online networks of information, the dispositions of a 21st century leader are essential. Through the “Virtual Teams” module of study I felt that these dispositions and abilities truly came into play. Llopis (2015) notes that there are key traits that every 21st century leader must embody. He cites the importance of having a shared “sense of the reality you are approaching” and how this can “[bring] people together to share a journey and a vision [and] lead to infinite possibilities.” In the VT module, I worked with individuals in another country to develop a project, from conception to production, that could be implemented to improve my school. Our shared sense of reality came easily through the use of collaborative media in order to establish a realistic and achievable goal. In this case we used an online survey to learn about our shared reality.
In a White Paper published by Gap International, Yeramyan (2011) notes that 21st century leaders “focus on connecting people to purpose and aligning multiple groups from every direction. They are authentic and open. Leaders like this bring out the best performance, creativity and expression in everyone.” In other words, leaders must be a master at communication, bringing out the best in others, and aligning individuals to reach a shared purpose. In our Virtual Teams we worked hard to collaborate online. We met once a week to talk, review our central purpose/goal, and we collaborated to make sure that each member was able to make a unique contribution to the end goal that, ultimately, played to their strengths. If any one member couldn’t meet their individual goal the other members helped out. While Yeramyan may be referencing successful business leaders, my Virtual Team undoubtedly fell under his definition of success.
It’s hard to think how these skills and dispositions won’t help me in future endeavors. Truth is, education may not always be in my future. I may not always be nose to grindstone in my classroom. I may not always be in a position to lead my peers. But I will, for as long as I’m living, be alive in the 21st century, and it is for this precise reason that I believe the dispositions of a 21st century leader will stay with me forever. Microsoft Office may be replaced by something bigger and better tomorrow. Those skills that I’ve gained will be fine tuned and then replaced with new and more relevant skills. Collaboration; bringing out the best in others; being authentic and open: these are traits that won’t be replaced. They won’t go out of style. I will carry them with me into whichever endeavor I take on.
References
Hidden curriculum (2014, August 26). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum
Llopis, G. (2015). Six Characteristics Define 21st Century Leadership. Forbes. Retrieved 26 April 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2015/04/01/six-characteristics-define-21st-century-leadership/
Yeramyan, P. (2011). 21st Century Organization: Being Competitive and Leading Edge (1st ed., pp. 1-5). Springfield, Pa: Gap International. Retrieved from http://www.gapinternational.com/assets/base/gap/pdf/21stCent_WhitePaper.pdf