Building+an+Online+Learning+Community

=Building an Online Learning Community=

What concerns you about teaching in a 1:1 environment?
Teaching in a 1:1 classroom can be very intimidating at first. It may give rise to fears, realized or unrealized, of total chaos, a lack of control, student misconduct, and so forth.

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===Reaching Out to Colleagues Through a Virtual Learning Community.=== As you reflect on the Immersion Experience and the Simpson's video, and think about teaching in your own 1:1 classroom, what worries, fears, or concerns are forefront in your mind?

Often, through informal conversations in the teachers' lounge, the halls, or the parking lot, we turn to our colleagues for support or advice that will help to quell our fears or concerns about issues of teaching and learning. Online communities can extend our community of colleagues beyond the school grounds. The NC 1:1 Ning is an online learning community that was created for 1:1 educators to share and discuss ideas related to planning, implementing and sustaining effective 1:1 learning technology programs. It provides a place for you to engage in informal conversations with colleagues any time, from any place. Some of the most successful communities begin with face-to-face meetings at conferences or workshops such as this one. Participants want to continue the conversation beyond the immediate experience through online communities. These conversations then provide a form of ongoing support and a medium for knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Join the Conversation
To begin building an online community of science teachers, we are asking you to create a post on the 1:1 Ning in which you share your worst nightmare related to teaching in a 1:1 classroom. We will then address some of these fears in our next session on Classroom Management. To get started, just follow the steps below. If you get stuck, we're here to help!


 * 1) Go to the **[|NC 1:1 Ning]**. If you have not yet joined the 1:1 Ning you will need to do so now. Click on the "Sign Up" link in the upper right corner of the site. If you have already joined the 1:1 Ning, go ahead and Sign In.
 * 2) Go to the **[|English 1:1 Group]** to create your post. Since one of our goals at this workshop is to begin building a virtual community of english teachers, we are asking that you post within the English group. If you are not already a member of the English group, you may join now.
 * 3) Once you are in the English Group, you will see several discussions within the Discussion Forum. Click on the discussion entitled "**Worst 1:1 Nightmare**" and give a description of the scenario you fear the most when you are teaching in a 1:1 classroom. Not really sure what your worst fear is? Talk to your neighbor.
 * 4) Replies to the Worst 1:1 Nightmare thread will be used as a springboard for the next session on Classroom Management.

What To Do Next
Once you have responded to the "Worst 1:1 Nightmare", We will take a short break.