Why (And How) You Should Create A Personal Learning Network What Is A PLN? Through the use of my own Personal Learning Network (PLN) , I came across several great examples that both define what a PLN is, and explain the value of creating one for yourself. According to a wikispace about creating PLNs, “Personal Learning Networks are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning. This includes providing support for learners to: 1) set their own learning goals 2) manage their learning; managing both content and process 3) communicate with others in the process of learning and thereby achieve learning goals Simply put: A PLN is a system for lifelong learning. ” Why Start Your PLN Now? Teachers in our district, especially freshmen teachers, have a ton on their plates this year. Here are some ways that educators are using their PLNs: 10 Easy Ways to Kick Start Your Personal Learning Network Social Networking – Keeping up with personal, more social contacts like friends, family, and former students (Facebook, Google+) Resources
How To Make Students Better Online Researchers I recently came across an article in Wired Magazine called “ Why Kids Can’t Search “. I’m always interested in this particular topic, because it’s something I struggle with in my middle and high school classes constantly, and I know I’m not alone in my frustrations. Getting kids to really focus on what exactly they are searching for, and then be able to further distill idea into a few key specific search terms is a skill that we must teach students, and we have to do it over and over again. In the past, we spent a lot of time in schools teaching kids how to do library research, and how to use a variety reference materials like dictionaries, encyclopedias, microfiche, card catalogs, public records, anthologies, and other sources too numerous to recall. However, when we made this switch to internet-based resources, we somehow left a gap in education and made no real focus on teaching kids how to find valid, credible, useful resources online. The real answer? 1. 2. 3. 4.
Rakenna oma henkilökohtainen oppimisverkosto (PLN). Alustana Twitter. Monet sosiaalisessa mediassa toimivat kokevat, että heidän osaamisensa kehittymisessä yhä keskeisempään rooliin ovat nousseet sosiaalisetverkostot – oman alan asiantuntijat, jotka jakavat, suodattavat ja julkaisevat alan viimeisintä tietoa verkossa. Lähes joka alalta löytyy nykyisin vaikuttajia (”thought leaders”), jotka jakavat blogissaan näkemyksiään, tviittaavat alan uutisia, linkittävät hyödyllisiin resursseihin ja parhaisiin käytäntöihin. Mikä on saanut asiantuntijat kilpailemaan siitä, kuka jakaa eniten? Yksi syy lienee se, että muille hyödyksi oleminen palkitsee Google -näkyvyytenä, ”pöhinänä” sosiaalisessa mediassa ja niiden myötä lopulta ehkä myös parempina työtilaisuuksina. Vaikka bloggaaminen ei olisi oma juttusi, niin verkostojen avuliaisuudesta kannattaa ainakin ottaa hyöty irti. Henkilökohtainen oppimisverkosto (Personal Learning Network, PLN) Henkilökohtaiset oppimisverkostot (PLN) ovat toisaalta jotain hyvin tuttua, toisaalta monille uusi ajatus. Vapaus valita oma rooli
How To Create a ‘Personal Learning Environment’ to Stay Relevant in 2013 “Our understanding of learning has expanded at a rate that has far outpaced our conceptions of teaching. A growing appreciation for the porous boundaries between the classroom and life experience…has created not only promising changes but also disruptive moments in teaching.” EDUCAUSE Review, 2012 This quote from Disrupting Ourselves: The Problem of Learning in Higher Education (Bass, 2012), gives a good a reason as any for educators to develop a Personal learning Environment [PLE]; a space where we can keep up with the experimental modes of learning, instruction, changing pedagogy and instructional methods that surfaced in 2012. In a previous post I introduced the concept of PLEs and touched on why educators may want to consider developing a PLE for 2013. Three Reasons Why Educators Need a PLEEducation is in a phase of disruption (not news to anyone)—and it’s not just a blip or a bump, but is what Harvard professor and author Clayton Christenson describes as disruptive innovation.
5 Things Google Wants You To Know About World Teachers' Day It’s World Teachers’ Day tomorrow and that means teachers around the globe should be honored and shown the respect they truly deserve. But in this truly connected age, there should also be a big emphasis on the world part of World Teachers’ Day. Take the day as an opportunity to grow your PLN, share your insight on Twitter, or simply connect with a teacher anywhere you are. In honor of World Teachers’ Day, Google has assembled a few key statistics that I wanted to pass along. As of today, more than 20 million students, faculty and staff worldwide use Google Apps for Education. We at Edudemic wanted to join Google (and everyone else) to congratulate all the teachers around the world for doing what they’re doing.
How A Classroom Of iPads Changed My Approach To Learning Recently, my wife and I had the opportunity to take our kids on an overseas family holiday. About a third of the way through our trip as I tiredly walked to yet another airport terminal, I found myself thinking, “I know how check-in works. Someone at a counter will tell me what to do, so I can turn off and just go with it.” On entering the terminal, we found self check-in kiosks and one distinctly disinterested attendant hiding behind a counter at the far end of the hall. We struggled through the process – our first encounter with such a system – telling each other what to do, making a simple process much harder than it really needed to be. It occurred to me later that my prior experience and expectations had made it harder to adjust my thinking. We tend to rely on what we know as one way to manage demands on our time. This anecdote serves as an illustration of an important realization made at this stage of our journey with iPads in learning at Redlands College . Apps & The App Store
Teacher Tutorial on Creating Personal Learning Network Creating your PLN is easier than you might even thought. Most of you are already familiar with some social media platforms such as Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Diigo, LinkedIn, but do you really know how to use them to create a personal learning network ? We have several guides to walk you through all the tips and tricks you need to know to start a powerful PLN. Check them out and share with us your feedback. The Importancre of PLNs in Education Watch this excellent video to learn about the importance of creating a PLN Guides Check out these guides to find out how other educators have used social media and other tools to grow their personal learning networks. Want to really make the most of your PLN?
How to Create a Robust and Meaningful Personal Learning Network [PLN] This post describes how educators can develop a personal learning network that supports meaningful and relevant learning. The MOOC, Education Technology & Media, etmooc, is used here as a working example of how to develop a PLN. “My Personal Learning Network is the key to keeping me up-to-date with all the changes that are happening in education and how technology can best support and engage today’s students.” Brian Metcalfe: teacher, blogger at lifelonglearners.com A visual image of participants in an open, online course- etmooc, which shows the potential to find and create personal connections as part of one’s PLN. I wrote a post recently about how to develop a personal learning environment [PLE], the need and benefits of doing so, for educators in particular. What is a PLN? Twitter 6×6 (Photo credit: Steve Woolf) Logo for etmooc from etmooc.org In the etmooc we are primarily using Google+ Community , Blackboard Collaborate and Twitter to interact. Resources Like this: Like Loading...
5 Potential Ways MOOCs Will Evolve In order to understand where MOOCs are heading (at least taking a stab at guessing their future), it’s important to know what the stated goals are. In case you’re still new to MOOCs, here’s a helpful rundown of the guiding principles behind MOOCs : Aggregation. An earlier list (2005) of Connectivist principles from Siemens also informs the pedagogy behind MOOCs: Learning and knowledge rest in diversity of opinions. Now that you’re a MOOCs expert, let’s examine where they could lead. 1) Most Likely: More Startups, More Schools Offer MOOCs If we continue along at the current rate of adoption and usage, it won’t be surprising to see a slew of startups jumping into the MOOCs space. 2) Sorta Likely: Many Schools Join edX & Similar Alliances, Large Companies Try To Make Money Off MOOCs 3) Less Likely: Schools Big & Small Offer MOOCs Exclusively, MOOCs Lose Momentum Due To Fractured Offerings 4) Not Likely: Companies Run All MOOCs, Schools Pay Them To Do So