While I agree with you that teachers need to find time to participate in the meaningful use of social media and the development of a PLN, I struggle with the idea of “forcing” teachers to do anything with technology. Part of this stems from the fact that I work in a university context where some wear resistance like a badge of honor. I can’t, nor would I attempt, to force university faculty members to use any particular technology. I do however advocate for (and against) certain kinds of uses and practices.

Bottom line for me is this: we need to craft experiences for teachers that make the adoption of particular technologies and practices compelling. To me this means valuing risk taking, building communities that help people overcome the fear of change, and providing meaningful recognition for those who are willing to invest the energy.

Clearly this takes time…often more than we are willing to devote. I don’t think there are any easy answers here.

Maintaining and getting maximum benefit requires this.. when to read blogs, check bookmarks, comment, twitter, and f2f. Tools like spokeo.com or netvibes/pageflake/igooggle or a browser like flock become a necessary, advanced networking tool allowing users to managea series of networks.

I would argue teachers do have time and must make time if they are to become 21st century teachers. It won’t happen overnight but will be a more of an evolution towards more social and connected learning. At my school we are trying to push the issue – We have forced teachers to use del.icio.us instead of firefox bookmarks stating that we do not support the other bookmarks. We are also forcing all faculty members to do some reflection and sharing on an internal Elgg network as we move to a 1-to-1 program. We have several examples of nings on campus. We recently had a faculty meeting that we ustreamed out and brought twitter friends in. My 65 year old division head just started the conversation with the faculty at large about the role of cell phones and tools like twitter and jott as part of a discussion about lock down procedures. (More about this can be found in this post – http://www.guide2digitallearning.com/blog_elizabeth_helfant/overwhelmed_networked)
Our kids are networking and it has the potential to be a powerful learning tool so how can we not network – We recentl had adv chem class put on a Global Climate Change summit that was ustreamed out- to do projects they netowrked with experts by virtue of some connections the teacher, a few kids, and I had from our network. Teachers need to provide opportunities for students to do things like that – Yes, I’d argue developing a network should be a requiremnet!
It can help you get less overwhelmed by acting as a resource and filter for information. http://www.guide2digitallearning.com/blog_elizabeth_helfant/overwhelmed_networked

The twitter conversation about turning off wireless and laptops in higher ed is interesting to me as we are just starting a tablet program. I think its a futile, useless battle not to accept technology and learn to at least coexist with it. As k12 schools adjust their curriculum, because i don’t think laptops enhance the same old traditional lecture driven teaching environment, I woudl think higher ed would feel student pressure to change if you want to keep them engaged…

Thanks for getting me thinking-thinking makes me smarter- without a network, look what I would have missed..Apologies for being rambling and longwinded!

On the other hand: what about connection? I am wondering if we are evolving different kinds of relationships that weren’t possible before, or at least not as easy. For instance, I read many article by Peter Elbow when I was learning Composition Theory. How would it be different now, emailing and skyping with scholars instead of just reading them? But do they have time for that; ) We have to preserve our solo reflection time as well as our communicate-and-contribute time. So I have a broader array of people to choose to be in conversation with, and that allows me to grow more relationships with more like-minded people. But physical space still seems to matter. I have lost touch with friends who I don’t get enough f2f time with, and,on the other hand, the occassional lunch discussion goes a long way in maintaining a real connection!

I think it’d be neat and important to find full-time K-12 educators who are maintaining comprehensive PLNs and document how they manage that.

I continue to think about the idea of whether anyone can really have a PLN. While the access is surely “out-there” I also think that the acces is not really equally distributed. At the very least it takes time, strategic building and plenty of attention…all of these seem to be at a premium these days. Those of us who swim in this stuff every day can seemingly afford to devote the energy. So I think there are many folks for whom the idea of a PLN will simply remain a foreign notion because the demands of their “normal” lives are already consuming.

That said, I think that principals – as school leaders – need to be the folks who can not only model engagement in this environment, but use the development of a PLN to crucially support their work. So…I don’t believe that school principals can afford not to have a PLN. Thoughts?

I think you’re right. In many ways, having a PLN is a bit of a luxury. But, in my mind, a wonderful opportunity that, unlike most luxuries, can be possessed by anyone who wants one…

Questions running through my mind: Are school principals too busy to have a PLN? Can they afford not to?

Forming boundaries has always been important. Current technologies magnify the necessity, due to speed of digital communication and the incomprehensible amount of content which gets generated each day. Choosing all or nothing in regard to technologies is unacceptable to me. Our task is to identify when the technologies are enhancing our lives and our ability to learn, create and share, vs. when they become an unnecessary or undesired drain on our resources. Balance is a difficult act, but with care, diligence and practice, I believe it is possible.

One role we serve in the academy is to sort out our own definitions and share what we feel is of value with our faculty colleagues. Doing this without overwhelming them is the challenge. A former faculty member told me years ago, that she tried to learn one new thing in regard to technology each day. She approached the flood of information one small step at a time. I believe her approach is a wise and sane one; one we should promote. Committing a few minutes each day to read, listen about or try some technology will hopefully inform and inspire teaching and learning opportunities.

Looking at the big picture reminds me of a quote from Carl Sagan,in Contact: “Small moves, Ellie, small moves…”