10 ways to help students develop a PLN… There has been some discussion lately about the precise meaning of the term PLN. I’m not sure why it matters actually. Like any other word in the dictionary (!), it has more than one definition and might mean different things to different people… My PLN is my ‘personal learning network’. As teachers begin to let go of ‘the old way’, to relinquish control and allow kids to take responsibility for their own learning, students too need to develop a PLN. 10 ways to support students in developing a PLN… Start simply… 1. Provide opportunities for students to engage with their in-class PLN. 2. Don’t do all the talking. 3. Model what good learning looks like and sounds like. 4. Let them work with students from other classes. 5. Create global connections. 6. Invite speakers from your local community. 7. Invite parents to share in the learning, in person, or by commenting on class blogs and wikis. 8. Start a class blog. 8. Whoever’s in your PLN, you need to know how to communicate. 9. 10.
Personal learning environment | online learning insights This post explores Personal Learning Portfolios [PLPs], an extension of a Personal Learning Environment. I review briefly PLPs for professionals, but focus on the potential and promise that PLPs hold for our students. I wrote recently about Personal Learning Environments [PLE], Personal Learning Networks [PLN] and the need for educators to develop both as a means to support their professional and personal growth and learning. A PLE can be viewed as a system that is built on the concept of creating a personalized framework for learning, tailored to one’s goals and interests. Personal Learning Portfolios for Professionals Both posts generated meaningful discussion— with many comments coming from participants in the Education Technology & Media course (#ETMOOC). The topic of the course last week was ‘connected learning’, and discourse focused on PLEs and PLNs. “….my “hub” all of my digital work [this educator uses her blog as her 'hub', a platform for her portfolio]. David A. Resources
elearnspace. Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age December 12, 2004 George Siemens Update (April 5, 2005): I've added a website to explore this concept at www.connectivism.ca Introduction Behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism are the three broad learning theories most often utilized in the creation of instructional environments. Learners as little as forty years ago would complete the required schooling and enter a career that would often last a lifetime. “One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. Some significant trends in learning: Many learners will move into a variety of different, possibly unrelated fields over the course of their lifetime. Background Driscoll (2000) defines learning as “a persisting change in human performance or performance potential…[which] must come about as a result of the learner’s experience and interaction with the world” (p.11). Driscoll (2000, p14-17) explores some of the complexities of defining learning. Conclusion:
The Educator's PLN - The personal learning network for educators How Do I Get a PLN? What is a PLN? Will Richardson was the first person to clearly explain to me about six or seven years ago what a PLN was. Back then, PLN stood for Professional, or Personal Learning Network. A better label today, one that might quiet the nitpickers, is Personalized Learning Network -- the shift in nuance maintains that participants are both personal and professional learners. A PLN is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time. Each individual educator becomes a potential source of information. PLNs Develop Thought Leaders Many early adopters of the PLN have gone on to become thought leaders in education, not surprising given that PLNs seem to promote a great deal of reflection and collaboration. Barriers to Mass Adoption There are three deterrents to educators using PLNs as a tool for learning and professional development (PD): We must remember that lifelong learning requires effort.
Connecting Content Curation with Your Personal Learning Network | SparkWorks At ASTD TechKnowledge 2014, David Kelly gave a presentation on curation called “Putting Curation to Work at Your Organization”. Curation is the process by which individuals gather, analyze and share out information in the digital era. David does a great job of speaking to these core points in his presentation, which he has also shared on Slideshare. Curation and Your PLN The notion of a PLN, or, personal learning network, is at the forefront of professional development in the digital era. In the curation process, the resources must be: Critically appraised – but analysis is limited when it happens in a vacuum! Arguably, a professional learner should be trusted to critically appraise and refine the resources to their own context. When we curate content within our PLN, the learner gains further refinement of ideas that may be gained only by participating in community” PLN Brings Professionalism to the Curation Process One mark of a true professional is the ongoing ability to grow and share.
50 Great Ways to Grow Your Personal Learning Network Personal learning networks have always existed, but modern technology has put a new spin on how and where we connect with others. These days, personal learning networks, or PLNs, extend far beyond friends, family, coworkers, college classmates, and teachers, and can encompass experts and learners from around the world in just about any given field. Through social networks, email, video, and online chats, learners can connect with and learn from a wider range of people than ever before, yet building a successful PLN that doesn't overwhelm you can be challenging. With so much information out there, it can be hard to know whom to follow, what to read, and how to fit it all into your daily schedule. Here, we offer some tips that can help you not only build and grow a better PLN, but also get more out of the experience and give more back to your online community. The Basics These basics will help you get started with creating and building your PLN. Seek out experts on the web. Useful Tools
What is a Personal Learning Network? transcript In this section we focus on how networks that connect you to people and tools can potentially help you succeed in your learning. The ideas and tools in all these sections can be useful in a wide range of learning situations. The purpose of this section is to introduce the concept of Personal Learning Networks (PLN) and to help you understand how a PLN can help you succeed in your studies. As these communication tools have become more and more pervasive, collaborating online has become more common in work and study settings. So what is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)? The concept of PLN is intertwined with two complementary concepts: Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and Personal Learning Environment (PLE). When you take a course online, the VLE is already provided for you. However, we all have different needs and interests when it comes to learning something, and a VLE may not always contain everything you need to help you succeed in your learning.
What is a Personal Learning Network/Environment? - Technology Enhanced Learning In preparation for Learning at Work Week (19th-25th May), and the TEL team sharing a series of blog posts on our favourite technology for engaging with our Personal Learning Network, so we thought it would be a good idea to explain what a Personal Learning Network and Environment is… Personal learning environments (PLEs) are environments where the learner can access and share a range of tools and services in an integrated way for supporting their own needs. These environments have evolved from the VLE and MLE developments of the past as well as building upon new tools e.g. social software. Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) are deliberately formed networks of people and resources capable of guiding our independent learning goals and professional development needs. A personal learning network is an informal learning network that consists of the people a learner interacts with and derives knowledge from in a personal learning environment (Utecht, 2008). Daniel Useful Links References
Personal Learning Network - English Online Inc. | English Online Inc. What is Personal Learning Network? Personal Learning Network (PLN) embodies people whose professional opinion you trust, your colleagues, mentors, supervisors and friends. These people can answer your questions and recommend useful resources, websites and blogs, refer you to experts, guide your learning, offer support and feedback. With all the tools available to us online, we can connect with many professionals around the world thus expanding our PLN and growing our knowledge. Your PLN can become the main source of your ongoing professional development. How to Grow your PLN? Three aspects of PLNs to keep in mind are: Creating Connections Building Trust Acting Purposely As you expand and refine your own PLN, the following questions may be useful to ask yourself as tools of reflection: What are your areas of expertise and topics that surround you? Twitter Twitter is a social networking site that is useful for connecting with people and finding doorways to content. www.Twitter.com Pinterest
Step 1: What is a PLN? Welcome to our professional learning series on building a PLN. This series guides you step by step through the process of setting up your own PLN. The aim of this first step is to: Explain what is a PLN.Help you understand why educators create their own PLN. The following information on PLN was co-written by Michael Graffin, a relief/substitute teacher and blogger from Western Australia. You can check out Michael’s original “What the heck is a PLN” post here. What is a PLN? The word “PLN” stands for “Personal Learning Network”, and it has its origins in connectivism theory (Siemens, G. & Downes, S., 2005). Why you should begin your own PLN —Ashley Azzopardi (@ashleyazzopardi) Let’s take this a little further… The Personal: Having a PLN is about making connections and building personal relationships with teachers, school administrators, university professors, and experts around the world. The Learning: Having a PLN is about sharing ideas and resources, collaboration, and learning. Your Task