After reviewing my colleagues’ mindmaps about their digital identities, I was not too suprised to see a lot of similarities in our thoughts. Many of my fellow students in the IT&DML program have included sources of information such as Google+ and Twitter in their mindmaps. Several also included colleagues as I did in my mindmap. One difference in our mindmaps is that several people included specific tools or resources related to their subject area. For example, there were mindmaps with math, science, or library media resources. Another difference is in the way each map is organized. Many of us have similar big ideas, but they are not always consistent from one map to the other.
Reviewing my colleagues’ mindmaps, reading about digital footprints and learning about connected learning has caused me to make revisions in my mindmap. I view my mindmap as an ever-changing graphic that will need to be updated frequently as I learn of new sources of information and new ways to develop and strengthen my Personal Learning Network. Below is my updated mindmap. I have included more tools that I will use in my PLN and have added a new strand relating to students. I think this is an important part of my mindmap since my PLN is based on becoming a more effective teacher so that I can ultimately have a greater impact on my students. My students’ response to my teaching will have an impact on how I approach the next lesson or unit, so in a sense, they are teaching me what works in the classroom.
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cc image by Petr Kratochvll