1. Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Do you currently have PLCs in place? Do you see benefits for them? Do you see negative features? How would online-only PLCs differ from face-to-face PLCs? Which model do you see using more? Include any benefits you see for having face-to-face PLCs in your building and potential online PLCs that you are starting to setup. Be sure to include your experiences if you use PLCs currently.
I do not have any official PLCs in place but I certainly have an unofficial PLC in my peer group at Roberts as well as in my professors. They are beneficial in a number of ways to include a means for sharing lesson plans, teaching strategies, encouragement, and so much more. A negative feature is that it has the potential to become stagnant if no new ideas or people are introduced to the PLC. PLCs exist is many forms to include personal face-to-face groups in addition to online only groups. Online-only PLCs differ from face-to-face PLCs in that they are much less personal. It may be easier to speak your mind online with someone you don’t have to interact with personally. However you don’t get to know your PLC as intimately through an online group and it may lack effectiveness and productivity as a result. I can see the merit to both PLCs and believe that the most effective PLC will strike a balance between online and face-to-face resources.
2. What tools that we have examined so far (Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Docs, Moodle, WordPress, RSS Feeds, etc…) provide the most usefulness to PLCs? (and of course, why?….)
Of the tools we have utilized in class I believe Google Docs and WordPress to be the most useful. Google Docs is a great resource allowing peers to collaborate at the same time, on the same document, from completely different locations. WordPress is an excellent resource for individuals to display their ideas, plans, and professional profile. Twitter has potential to be useful if the right people are followed. LinkedIn appears to be more of a hiring tool than a resource for a PLC. Moodle works nicely for an administrator or teacher but lacks the ability for student input. RSS feeds are useful but limited in that all they do is offer up to date information.
3. How do “learning organizations” apply both teacher communities and student communities? What is your role within each community (teacher community and student community)? How does a digital presence impact each community?
Learning organizations apply to teacher communities in that they act as a means for the cooperative sharing of ideas and encouragement. Your role within a teacher community is that of a giver and a taker. You are meant to offer ideas and resources for the benefit of all and in return can browse what others have to share. A digital presence provides a platform to easily upload and share digital resources. As a student they provide an opportunity to work together on an assignment as well as connect with peers and the teacher outside of class. Your role as a student is to participate and work together with others as facilitated by the teacher. A digital presence makes it very easy to share videos, articles, websites, and more digital resources that cannot be easily replicated in person.
Steve Metzger 