Exploring Your Digital Portfolio

Bio

Hi my name Patrick Joseph Larotonda, but I liked to be called PJ. I like to go surfing, going to concerts and the beach, and creating pieces of art. I have an Associate’s Degree in Graphic Design and I’m currently attending Stockton University in pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education. I have always found myself drawn to a career centered around art and I have always had a nitsch for teaching! I am a teacher at Highland Academy and I am very passionate about education and helping children learn in the manner or method that suits them best.

My Very Own Learning Network

There are countless tools educators and professionals of all types can utilize such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Blogger, Google Classroom, and Edmodo to get the most of their online community. Depending on what career a person has, greatly varies the type of people he or she should follow. Since I am an Art Education Major who plans on teaching Graphics, I follow Adobe, Photoshop, and Illustrator on Twitter so that way I can stay up to date with new arrivals, changes, and techniques. I can also take note to any tips or tools I come across. The ability to learn from bloggers, borrow that information, and expand upon it is a wonderful attribute to an online experience. There are a few main questions that must be asked before following someone. Are they of any value to me? Do they update frequently? Is it interesting enough to share? These questions can help keep my feed clean and filled with interesting, usable information.

  

Utilizing Twitter Lists

After reading the article “Utilizing Twitter Lists” I have learned that “Twitter Lists” is an important feature to keep your Twitter organized. Twitter does become really useless if you have a bunch of random tweets all over your Twitter feed. This makes Twitter very overwhelming, but with the help from the lists feature, I can easily organize my Twitter and find what I’m looking for. The article also informed me that when I make lists, I can make lists that I can only see and nobody else can. This feature is very useful, but not so much for mobile devices.   

Why use Twitter?

From the video I learned that Twitter is more than just a time waster. Twitter has immense potential that educators rarely take advantage of. The assumption is that this social network is for purely for social interaction and cannot be used for educational purposes. Any platform that helps people share ideas can be utilized for endless possibilities. Professionals can share ideas with thousands of people and get responses and critical opinions in real time. Educators can follow other educators and collect ideas and strategies from people located all over the world.

Developing a Personal Learning Network

“Developing a Personal Learning Network” has taught me that Twitter has a large amount of potential, socially and professionally. Twitter does not have to be strictly for following favorite celebrities and catching up on current drama, it can be a place of learning and sharing. There can be a peaceful balance between social media and educational sharing. After scrolling through drivel for an hour, reading something substantial helps you feel a bit more enlightened and brighter. Equally can be said for reading educational posts. A mixture of education with personal enjoyment through Twitter is a healthy balance that many can grow from.