Podcast Summary

I watched the podcast "Going Global: Culture Shock, Convergence, and the Future of Education" (http://k12online.ning.com/video/going-global-culture-shock). This presentation focused on the importance of gaining an international perspective for both students and educators. Essentially, the main point being made is that the world is getting smaller, cultures that were once far away and unimaginable are now able to be connected in seconds through tools such as Skype, Twitter, and other social networking sites. As the world becomes more and more connected, students need to gain a global perspective in order to be a competitive member in the work force of the future. In order to prepare their students for this future, teachers from all different parts of the world are connecting and sharing ideas. The idea of a "Personal Learning Network" or PLN is the main way in which teachers achieve this connectedness. A PLN is a sort of community that can be achieved through the use of technology. Teachers can share their thoughts and ideas through blogs and Skype and find other educators who are interested in the same things and who they can colloborate with them. This communication of ideas by teachers ultimately benefits the students who will not be limited to the perspective of one teacher. This presentation highlightes the fact that globalization is an exciting and essential part of the future of education and in order to be an effective teacher, it is important for us to embrace it.