Statistical analysis is a valuable tool that any profession can use in order to figure out what's going right or what needs to be fixed.  Looking at the data gathered by the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) is important in our work to support the need for physical education in schools and the need for our children to get more physical activity in their daily lives.  It shows us the hard truth about the amount of activity our students (especially girls) are getting on a regular basis. 
 As an athlete, looking at personal stats tells us what areas we are the strongest and where we need to do more work.  Any sports fan looks regularly to evaluate how a favorite team or player is doing.  Statistics are part of our everyday lives so why not use it to improve our professional lives.

I created a visual resume using VisualCV.  I found it easy to use, however I had were several problems getting information to save.  Once the information was posted, it was easy to navigate through the page. I can see the benefit to using this site if I were actively looking for employment.

Click here to view the site I created

There are plenty of positive things that sites, such as Linkedin, Plaxo, and a personal website site have to offer.  Each have their own features that can enhance a person's professional portfolios.  Linkedin offers a tool for sharing work history, education and special skills that employers are able to view.  Plaxo is a great place to keep a person's contacts in one place, as well as up do date. It can also sync to a person's calendar to help keep important dates organized.  Lastly, a personal website is a great place for a professional to post any information they want to share socially or with potential employers.  It's a place for a person to show their creativity and design a site the emphasize their strongest qualities.  A person can post their resume, pictures, and even a blog to share their thoughts. 
Along with the positive aspects of these site, there comes some negative.  There is a potential for undesirable information to make it's way on to a site.  If a person is not careful to control what is posted, then a person's personal life can cross with their professional life, and some of that information may not be appealing to a potential employer.  In addition, these sites can be difficult to maintain, depending on how many a person has up and running.  I, personally, have a difficult time keeping up with multiple sites.  I feel the need to check them regularly somewhat overwhelming.  If a person has a Facebook, Linkedin, personal website, professional and personal emails, and a Plaxo account it can be very time consuming to keep up with everything.  I do, however, like the idea of having one or two sites and creating a professional network that is manageable and effective.

I've had some experience with Google Docs, but haven't actually created a survey and evaluated the results.  There are a couple of staff members in my building that are very savvy with creating surveys and sending them out to staff in order to gather information for various reasons. The forms are incredibly easy to use and the data is automatically organized in a number of useful ways.  I have also filled out surveys using survey monkey, but chose to create a form using Google Docs since it is widely used within my building.

Click here to view the survey I created for my elective class

Technology has done a tremendous amount for our ability to collaborate and connect with others in both professionals and personal settings.  When I think back to the way schools were run when I was a student it's amazing to see the differences, from the way the front office collected attendance to the way we communicate and share information about our classrooms. Technology has allowed teachers to share strategies, curriculum, best practices, along with a million other valuable pieces of information that improve our ability to be quality educators. 

In addition to the use of technology, the ability to work collaboratively in a face to face setting is extremely valuable.  The opportunity to attend trainings, conferences, workshops and meet actual people and shake their hand is a form of networking that will always be important.  Attending a conference or training gives people the opportunity to share ideas and create lasting connections that can lead to greater collaboration in the future.  Using good old fashioned networking is an important part of becoming a well rounded professional. When a relationship can be formed with a face to face meeting, the collaboration can continue through the use of technology after the conference is over. 

Wiki sites have been something I have heard about and felt I understood on the most basic level.  It turns out I was right, I didn't know much about the extent of what is available.  I was surprised to learn the various uses for Wiki, such as networking between colleagues, professional organizations, or committees using it to communicate among it's members.  Wiki sites goes well beyond just Wikipedia. 

Wiki in education has been debated and many educators are skeptical of how it should be used in the classroom.  However, Wiki sites are much more than just a place for people to post information, its' also a way for people to connect and collaborate.  The fact that one page can be a developed over a number of years and have a several hundred authors suggests that the information has been tested.  Educators should be cautious when using sites such as Wikipedia, however the concept of Wiki sites is an amazing resource for many in the field of education.

Both Facebook and LinkedIn are new to me in the last couple weeks.  As I set up both accounts I found myself feeling nervous about posting too much information. I understand that both sites can be great networking tools, but putting personal information on the internet goes against my instincts. 

My impression of Facebook and LinkedIn is that both are social media sites, however Facebook is more informal.  It's a great place to connect with people and communicate on a casual level.  LinkedIn is designed for professional networking. The information included on the site is valuable when trying to connect with other professionals. I can see value in using both the sites for connecting personally and professionally.

Technology is an important part of our classrooms today, both for the students and teachers. Students enjoy using technology in the classroom and teachers have countless valuable on-line tools available for them to choose from. The challenge becomes selecting the right ones and using them effectively. 

Schools are utilizing Ipads and cell phones in new ways that were not thought of in recent years. There are many apps available for teachers to use for a variety of reasons.  As I looked through some that are available for educators the ones that stood out to me were those that help organize data.  The Teacher's Assistant Pro allows teachers to track information efficiently and communicate with administration and parents quickly and easily.  Finding ways to input evaluation scores, behaviors, and achievements in the classroom in an efficient way is something that would be incredibly valuable.