Thursday, August 04, 2011

The Virtual Staffroom: sharing across the ethersphere

On Friday 5 August did a short presentation and workshop for ATESOL ACT on harnessing Twitter, Facebook and other Web 2.0 tools to increase teacher PD 100-fold. I shared my passion for networking with other English language teachers across the world to discuss ideas and issues, share lesson plans, solve problems and more.  I also introduced teachers to just some of the FREE online conferences, seminars, and workshops for ESL teachers - there is at least one EVERY week!  My aim was to whet the appetite of teachers in my local area and get them started on their own explorations of the vast learning environment out there on the World Wide Web.

 

I am posting here the links I shared in the presentation, but remember, these are only the start of your online PD journey and building your own Personal Learning Network! ...  

Twitter
Don't forget to tweet using #ATESOLACT so we can connect and share.  If you don't feel confident to share more widely just yet, that's fine, I'll retweet to my PLN so anything you share will be spread to English language teachers across the world.
    #ELTchat
      Facebook
      Blogs
      There are too many wonderful ELT blogs for me to even attempt a list!  Here is a great place to start to find some of them and keep up with new posts:
      Managing the flow of information
      Webinars, conferences, etc.
      Networks and Communities for ELTs
      Check out this video for more ideas on how to start a PLN:



      Someone asked me yesterday about PODCASTS and PODCASTING - this might be of interest: Podcasting with English Language Learners - a video presentation by Shelly Terrell

        4 comments:

        jenny rae said...

        Thank you so much; I missed the Virtual staffroom session unfortunately but this is great!!
        jenny Rae, Canberra

        jenny rae said...

        Thanks so much; I missed the Virtual Staffroom session, and this is so useful!

        Robyn Hammond said...

        I too couldn't get there Lesley so appreciate all these links - now just to get the time to follow them through.

        Lesley said...

        Hi Jenny and Robyn
        Thanks so much for your lovely feedback! Sorry you couldn't make the session on Friday, but good to know you haven't missed out on all these fabulous links.

        I know there's a lot here, so suggest you just dip in and out when you get some spare time. I think you'll find it worthwhile. As Chuck Sandy, one of the presenters at RSCON3, urged us, Spread the I CAN virus!

        If you're on Twitter, please use the hashtag #ATESOLACT to connect with the teachers who signed up to Twitter on Friday and are just starting out developing their PLNs. And please follow me at @cioccas so I can follow you back.