Techlearning blog

That’s to be expected with the rapid changes in technology. But the most important change that has taken place is that my screen is not necessarily filled with some application, it’s filled with people, people in my network.

Now most of us are aware of the impact that a personal learning network can have on how you think about technology and learning. It can be dramatic. So, here are some thoughts about how learning is taking shape through the use of online learning networks, and how my daily activities online are rapidly changing:

Twitter is beginning to drive everything. It’s become a clearinghouse of opportunity. If you are a Twitter user, how have you changed your mind about Twitter since NECC in Atlanta? It’s a place now for an instant connection, a place to ask a question, a place to learn about new tools, and a place to connect to other learning events. Here’s an example of the types of things that happen there, courtesy of Steve Dembo.

Powerpoint presentations no longer have to be Powerpoint presentations. The emergence of a Google presentation tool enables people to connect in another way, with a presentation and a chat area. I had a chance to participate in a presentation with Mark Wagner in California, and with Kim Cofino at a parent open house in Bangkok, Thailand. Certainly not a perfect tool, and in dire need of voice tools, it has some distinct possibilities. It’s not necessarily about what it is not, but what it can become.

Everyone can have a virtual classroom for learning. Tools like WiziQ open the door to collaborative learning worldwide. If you haven’t seen this, just take a look at the options-and think of the possibilities. How can tools like this, Twitter, and Google presentation contribute to make your classroom permeable, where learning opportunities exist beyond the four walls, and where information, conversations, resources, and learning products flow between students and teachers, globally?

The greatest producer of media is becoming You. Take uStreamTV. Want to stream your own TV show? Well now it’s easy, with a simple account setup, a Web cam and a mike (or just a Mac) and you’re ready to go. I had an opportunity to be on Weblogg-ed TV last night , broadcasting with Steve Dembo and Will Richardson. There were over 40 people who joined us from countries all over the globe, interacting with us through the chat area. And it took about 2 minutes to get set up and start broadcasting. Amazing.

Coming Soon: JOLTV (Jakesonline TV, I can't resist)

Most of all of this is very raw, but these tools will be refined, adjusted for, similar to what happened with Twitter.

The capacities of these tools have enormous implications for schools. Or do they? Try the four tools (Twitter, WizIQ, uStreamTV and Google Docs, which contains the presentation tool) I have listed here-are they blocked in your school?

People are doing what they should be doing and that is taking the tool out for a spin to see what it can do. But that test drive is different now, it’s being done with people from all over the world, learning together, and that has a very different look and feel.