Keys to The Virtual World – Working Smarter Not Harder

Abstract from EQ Magazine Spring 2008, p40 & 41

'Adrian Bruce invites teachers, communities & families to move beyond the school gate to an awe-inspiring virtual place where a person can take almost complete control of their own professional development.

The virtual space is a place devoid of filters. A place where staff politics, ill conceived arguments and small mindedness fall by the wayside to the pursuit of evidence-based "best practice". A world inhabited by passionate educators and "switched on" learning communities. The world I wish to introduce is the modern digital Personal Learning Network (PLN)'

This session explores the issues, logistics and free tools that teachers and staffs can harness to create their own world wide personal learning network.

Tools & strategies to be explored include: edubloggers, podcasts of note, microblogging with Twitter, Putting it all together with Pageflakes or Igoogle or Netvibes, TED, harnessing Itunes, Learning in Virtual Environments like Second Life, Ustream TV, Flashmeeting, Nings, Newsgroups, Skype, Co-learning, video tutorial sites, online conferences, ‘old people’s technology’ like email,webinars,emerging search technologies, time management, celebration of learning and goal setting.

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