Connect, connect, connect.

Connect, connect, connect.

Four years ago, FedEx identified Access—the idea that greater connections between people, businesses and nations create a virtuous cycle. “The ability to make wider connections spurs innovation and entrepreneurialism, and enables gains in productivity,” said the first issue of this magazine. “Businesses are born and expand, communities and nations reap the benefits, and a thirst for still greater Access results.” http://about.fedex.designcdt.com/access/WhyAccessMattersNow

E.M. Forster wrote in Howard’s End, “Only connect.”

Seventh/eighth grade teacher Clarence Fisher has an interesting way of describing his classroom up in Snow Lake, Manitoba. As he tells it, it has “thin walls,” meaning that despite being eight hours north of the nearest metropolitan airport, his students are getting out into the world on a regular basis, using the Web to connect and collaborate with students in far flung places from around the globe. The name of Clarence’s blog, “Remote Access,” sums up nicely the opportunities that his students have in their networked classroom. http://weblogg-ed.com/2011/personal-learning-networks-an-excerpt/

I read many blogs and follow many tweets that suggest we should all connect, share, and collaborate more often. I agree. However, many times we say it and it sounds good, but we never get to see examples while trying to keep up with the real time tweet deck. It quickly turns into platitude chat. So I decided to welcome you, the reader, into my classroom and showcase what a typical, connected class looks like. http://www.edutopia.org/blog/connected-classroom-information-literacy

Frankly, if you are not a connected educator at this point, you may not have an awareness that we are at a critical juncture in education. These driving questions must be answered. If you are not a connected educator, how can you support your own professional growth and the success of your children if you are not constantly questioning, re-evaluating, and striving for improvement?
http://lynhilt.com/getconnectedmakeadifference/