The Virus You Want Catch

Porter Palmer, an educator for Discovery Education, presented a Webinair titled "The Needed Virus:  How to Spread 21st Century Technology for 21st Century Students."  The title caught my attention as I pondered What virus is a good virus?''

Viruses, in general, are a bad thing.  We already know it's not good to have a virus in our body and as some of us have learned, it is also not good for your computer to catch a virus

Palmer's presentation on the Needed Virus is to educate the educator about the technology tools available and suggestions on how to implement them in your curriculum.  To support the title of her presentation, Palmer gives us the definition of virus and tells us that "it is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms."  Her perspective of the "Needed Virus" is a positive look at the technology that is available today and how to "spread" the use of tools and make it infectious so that everyone will want to learn.  Spreading knowledge and comments so that they become viral and catch-on.

The approach in Palmer's presentation is a straight-forward review of the tools available and how to use it and suggestions on how to implement it into your curriculum.  She begins her presentation asking the audience, "How do we learn?"  and states that "We are in the age of New Learning."  There is , MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter to name a few.  There are many portals to share information, ideas and comments and Palmer encourages educators to create their own PLN (Professional Learning Networ).  A place where everyone is learning together, where you can connect, collaborate and contribute.


To spread the virus that Palmer discusses, you must be proficient with tools.  You should be comfortable, knowledgeable, able to teach others and know how to create excitement that is contagious. 
 Palmer covers a plethora of tools in her presentation including Diigo  and Delicious, social bookmarking tools.  They allow you to collect, organize and share links.  It is a place where everyone in your PLN can contribute.  You can setup single or multi accounts, create links to share with colleagues, parents, students, and the community.  Palmer specifically points out the Diigo is a great tool for communication allowing  you to create virtual field trips and prevents opportunities for bullying among students.

In closing, Palmer tries to remove the fear of learning new tools and encourages educators to embrace and spread the "Virus" through creating excitement through the use of implementing technology in your curriculum.  Catch the Virus and pass it on!

As a teacher of technology in my school, I am using some of the tools that Palmer talks about in her webinar.  Since I have been teaching for about four months, I am slowly integrating technology into my classroom.  The school already had a computer curriculum that they had purchased called Technology Kids.  Although there are some good lessons, the only real technology that this program uses is the internet.  I am able to access YouTube for videos and can search google for images, however the program does not integrate Audioboo, Voki, Diigo, Weebly, etc.  To add some spice to the Technology Kids program, I have created Prezi's and found videos on the internet to help explain a lesson.  After watching the Webinar I would like to implement Diigo or Edumondo to create a safe place for communicating and developing my PLN.

I learned several lessons from Palmer's Webinar.  In particular, I learned about the 5 stages of learning.  Palmer spends time in her Webinar, discussing her reasons behind the need to spread the use of technology.  I will definitely implement new tools in my curriculum and hope to write a fresh curriculum for the fall using as much technology as possible.  The Technology Kids program is okay, but does not address what students need to learn today. 

Webinars are a great communication tool.  With a Webinar, you can teach a live class while recording it for others to watch later.  I missed the live presentation of this Webinar and watched it when I had free time.  I found no difference in watching the Webinar after it happened.  In fact, I enjoyed it better because I was able to stop, pause, rewind, etc.  I could watch the Webinar at my own pace.  I found many of the sources that Palmer discusses in her Webinar, especially the various technolgoy tools that she describes.  As I pointed out above, Diigo and Delicious, Facebook, YouTube, Edudemic, and many others.

Palmer's Webinar on the Needed Virus meets several of the course learning outcomes.  The Webinar demonstrates the understanding of how technologies can effectively promote student learning through the tools that are presented.  Many of the tools can be implemented in the classroom for many grade levels to use.  The Webinar reflects upon and demonstrates effective use of digital tools and resources.  Throughout the presentation, Palmer discusses each tool, how to use the tool and how you might be able to integrate it in your classroom.  Finally, Palmer evaluates, apdapts and reflects on emerging tools and trends by participating in local and global learning communities.  She identifies these as her PLN (personal learning network).