Meg+Ormiston

Name__:** Meg Ormiston I was amazed how quickly the group customized their environment and set about sharing and helping each other. By mid afternoon on the first day each participant had posted a movie they had created and others were able to view the movies and respond. The big “ah hah” for me was the first night when I sat down to watch each movie and respond to each person with my virtual red pen, and I realized I do not have to be the sole source of feedback, the platform truly made them global publishers. The next morning you could feel the buzz as the teachers shared some of the comments and questions they received from around the globe, they were so excited! By utilizing the platform for professional development I feel the conversations were richer, and the relationships continued longer than the traditional face to face professional development opportunities, and everyone was engaged. What a powerful tool to reach educators, I can’t wait to work with another group.
 * __[[image:meg_ormiston_high_res_copy.jpg width="150"]]
 * __Website__:** http://www.techteachers.com/, [|http://classroom20.ning.com /profile/megormi]
 * __Educational Institution__:** [|http://classroom20.ning.com /profile/megormi]Professional Development Specialist, Tech Teachers, Inc.
 * __Teaching Environment__:** Teaching teachers and administrators across the United States
 * __Web 2.0 Focus__:** My web 2.0 tools include NING and Second Life for professional development and collaboration.
 * __Description__:** Social Networking Meets Professional Development. I reorganized a graduate course I taught this summer and used the social networking platform NING with the classroom teachers participating in my tech camp for educators http://techcamp.ning.com/ . Using the platform totally transformed my vision for the future of teaching and learning as well as professional development. Within the first hour of the week long class participants were reflecting and sharing online with others in the class as well as people from all across the globe that joined us to participate in the conversation as NING as a platform for teaching and learning.
 * __Teaching and Learning__:** This technology is useful because it is easy to get started and make your own. There is an immediate connection as you join the group, you are not alone we are all new at this. The sense of feeling part of the group is critical to feeling safe and then willing to take risks.
 * __Preferred Applications__:** Ning is my preferred social networking platform.
 * __Mentor(s) and Hero(es)__:** Kathy Schrock is a friend in real life that lead me to the conversation in Classroom 2.0, from their I tapped the Classroom 2.0 group for organization ideas for my use in the classroom.
 * __Favorite Web 2.0 Applications Right Now__:** Right now my most exciting Web 2.0 tool is the professional growth possibilities in Second Life. I am participating in some of the most amazing conversations and I am learning so much, it is really amzing.