Connecting, Planning, and Being Transparent.

 In another round of questions and answers, I'm here to talk more about being a "digital native" in todays world, and showing off the ideas of being "connected" both in my private life, and professional life. 

What does it mean to be a "connected" Instructor?

It means about as much as you read into it. For me, I apply being an instructor that is connected to my students lives both in the classroom and outside. my first priority is their safety, health, and well being. Inside the classroom, I make sure that there is a good rapport for the students to feel welcome always, and to be in a safe environment for them to be brave, and learn. If you see recently I've been using a lot of gifs from the show Bluey. This isn't just because I believe this show is just incredibly adorable and I think every human being in any bit of spare time and a disney+ subscription that they have should go watch it, but more because it teaches some of the most valuable lessons in education about the importance of learning anywhere, both at home, and in school. They are role models that students (especially from kindergarten to grade three) can learn from in how to be playful, respectful, and imaginative, but also teaches people like me, adults, how to create environments that guarantee fun, interactive, and safe learning. So for me, a lot of my teaching attributes, including the aspects of being a "connected" instructor, come from this show. 

• 
  Provide space for free thought
• Do not jump straight to the answer, let them figure it out on their own
• Do not just stick to one way of learning
• have FUN with it!

Should Instructors Create a Public Learning Network (PLN)?

if you have full intentions of teaching online in any way shape or form, yes. Having a Public Learning Network makes learning so much easier and more accessible for students, mentors, and all in between to have a "home" to go to when they are lost in their learning process. such lets everyone know what you are going to teach, and how you are going to teach it. seeing lesson plans, and material for learning and so on. This not only will help with teaching, but also helping you find a place to teach, since schools could then just go there and find everything they are looking for to fit their qualifications.

P.S. Bonus if you can have students be apart of that PLN, because not only can students then have a place for themselves to see the overall progress of their learning, but they can then see and learn from others in the process all in one place and location, something that is not as easy to do without one.