Hello everyone!
So this week I learned all about PLEs. Let me start by explaining what a PLE is.
A PLE is a Personal Learning Environment. A PLE includes all of the digital tools that we use to assist and support our learning. After learning about PLEs I took a moment to really think about all of the tools I use when I am working on school work, and I was amazed! There are so many online and digital tools that I use to support my learning, and daily activities!

Barrett, H. (CC) 2014

As part of this session I got to use a new online program called www.bubbl.us, and it allows you to create mind maps, so I have created my PLE! Its amazing when you actually sit down and think about all of the tools that support your learning! As you can see I have many digital tools that assist my learning, and it is constantly growing. Some of those I have just started using since I have started this course! I hope that these tools will continue to support my learning throughout my life!
As a part of this session we were asked to reflect on our PLE through reflecting on Personal Life our Learning, out Environment, and our Habits. So, here we go.
Personal: When I think about my future and where I want to be, I have a very clear picture. As I have mentioned before I am in school to become a teacher, and so I obviously can envision myself teaching. But it goes farther than that. I hope to really be using the things that I have learned about myself through this and other classes to have a real impact on the children I am teaching!
Learning: If there is one thing that I have learned during my time in university, it is that you are never to old to learn new things! I am constantly learning new things from my classes, and the students I interact with, and its amazing! I truly hope to continue to learn more about this digital and technology driven world we live in, and how to make this information understandable, and useful for my students.
Environment: Another class that I am currently enrolled in is one that looks at different learning habits and styles. I have found this information very informative and it has begun to shape how I choose to learn. By adapting my learning environment to one that works best for me I can maximize my potential for effective and meaningful learning! For example, I have begun to organize my time with an agenda, setting out specific times for activities, and homework, and have had fabulous results!
Habits: Bad habits can be the difference between success and failure, and I have learned this the hard way! I frequently take on far too much at one time (like 3 jobs, and 6 classes.. woops!), and then don't have enough hours complete everything I need and want to do! I need to begin to critically decide what is reasonable for me to accomplish, and what I simply cannot handle.
In addition to using www.bubbl.us, I also used another program called Wordle, that can make a cool graphic collage of words! Here is what I got when I copied and pasted my last blog post into the program!

Barrett, H. (CC) 2014

Cool Huh? Its such an easy program to use, and the final product in neat! 

Throughout this past session I have learned so much about myself and the digital tools I use, and how those will effect and assist me in my learning, and in life in general! I look forward to what the next session has in store for me... perhaps some new tool for me to add to my PLE? I guess we shall see! 

Thanks for learning with me... digitally! 

~Hannah