Where Are We in Getting Our School Connected?

Through this course we have read and discussed many things from where the importance of how to get our staff connected in their own Personal Learning Network (PLN).  Our final chapter and last Twitter discussion has shown me that as a district, we have a strong beginning to making that happen.
The first step necessary is providing the equipment necessary to be connected.  As teachers, we all are provided with both computers and iPads along with access to the internet.  Additionally, the majority of us have Smartphones so we have continual access to our PLN.  The rest is fairly easy, just seek out sources that help us to collaborate and learn from each other.  We are also given free access to Google drive which serves as our Cloud.  By utilizing our Cloud, we have all of our gathered resources at our fingertips no matter which device we may be utilizing.  We are rapidly making the transition to a paperless education system.  Parents are able to access tools to the progress of their child, see what is coming ahead in their learning and to communicate with their teachers.

I feel that as a district, we are probably "ahead of the game" in not only being connected as staff but also supporting our students and parents connectivity.  The advantages to this are abundant.  I strongly feel that by being having a strong PLN, we as teachers are opening ourselves up to a variety of teaching lessons and tools.  Every student has their own individual style of learning and a PLN allows us to be diverse in teaching to those individual learners.

Byron prides themselves in meeting the needs of the 21st Century Learner.  I am proud to be an active part of that mission.