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. (image credit: Alec Couros) 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
Blog « Interact Cafe I am a big fan of Two Guys and Some iPads. @techminock and @techbradwaid are very passionate about teaching and do an amazing job of sharing that passion and resources with the world. They got me interested in Augmented Reality, and their site has a wealth of resources to help you understand what Augmented Reality is and how to get started with it. Now I am working to get teachers here as excited about it as I am! While there are more and more apps out there with auras already made, the real value I see for educators is the ability to create your own triggers and overlays. Two cheat sheets have been created to help you with the process of creating auras with the Aurasma app. If you haven’t noticed already, Microsoft’s cloud based storage system, SkyDrive, has been renamed “OneDrive.” If you haven’t had a chance to sync Skydrive/OneDrive with your district or home computer – you definitely want to do that! Tags: Cloud Storage, microsoft, OneDrive, Productivity, SkyDrive 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network - Getting Smart by Miriam Clifford “20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network” by Miriam Clifford first appeared on the InfomED blog. Networking is a prime form of 21st century learning. The world is much smaller thanks to technology. Just this month, a tech news article showcased how Harvard scientists are considering that “sharing discoveries is more efficient and honorable than patenting them.” As educators, we aim to be connected to advance our craft. Learning networks are based on the theory of connectivism, or learning from diverse social webs. What are some ways to grow your PLN and improve the quality of your interactions? 10 Tips For Using PLN’s Keep the spirit of collaboration as your driving force. 10 Tools & Strategies for Establishing a Productive PLN Use Diigo, Evernote, Pocket, or Delicious to bookmark links. PLNs are a powerful change agent.
The Social Media Guide to Growing Your Personal Learning Network Personal learning networks are a great way for educators to get connected with learning opportunities, access professional development resources, and to build camaraderie with other education professionals. Although PLNs have been around for years, in recent years social media has made it possible for these networks to grow exponentially. Now, it’s possible to expand and connect your network around the world anytime, anywhere. Tips & Ideas Get started developing your social media PLN with these tips and ideas for great ways to make use of social tools. Actively make ties: It’s not enough to just follow and read, you need to connect. Guides Check out these guides to find out how other educators have used social media and other tools to grow their personal learning networks. Tools & Resources Want to really make the most of your PLN? September 24th, 2012 written by Site Administrator
Week in the Classroom“Wiki Collaboration Across the Curriculum” Victoria A. Davis Camilla, Georgia, USA Blog: Presentation Title“Wiki Collaboration Across the Curriculum” BioVicki Davis is a teacher and technology administrator at Westwood Schools in Camilla, Georgia. She has taught for four years at the high school and middle school level. For ten years prior, she taught professional development courses for teachers and college level adult computer literacy training. Description Vicki loves it when she gets students excited! Last November 2005, Vicki was a scared beginner when she ventured out onto this new Internet that experts call Web 2.0. Vicki has done this in two ways: a video with show notes and a live wiki project for YOU to join in. Video Presentation Outline: Wiki BackgroundWhy students need to know how to wikiA brief overview of the active portion of this projectThe pedagogical use of wikis in the classroomWiki assessment strategiesCommon questions from school administrators Presentation On this day..
2013-04-13 Personal Learning Networks for Educators Personal learning is one of the foundations of any educational institution - and any successful organizational change. This session focuses on tools that can be used by any educator to build their own Personal Learning Network (PLN), which not only support their own professional development but can also be an efficient means of diffusing innovation within their institution. Learn to connect with a community of like minded professionals, make contributions, have conversations, and make requests in your times of need. Powerful free tools and social media such as Google+, Twitter, and Facebook make this possible for you and your colleagues. Presentation Slides Brisbane Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) for EducatorsBrisbane Personal Learnin...orks (PLNs) for Educators
Why You Need a PLN, and How to Develop One: Resources Shared at #LSCon At the 2014 Learning Solutions Conference and Expo, I led a discussion titled Why You Need a PLN, and How to Develop One. Here’s a description of the session: People are not learning exclusively from conventional sources like courses and classrooms anymore. In this session, you will learn about PLNs, including what they are, where they exist, and how to build one. In this session, you will learn: The value of personal learning networksThe many ways individuals can build and strengthen a personal learning networkHow to use social media to strategically target, connect, and engage with individuals and resources that can enhance professional developmentHow personal learning networks can be leveraged and scaled across a workforce This blog post is being set up primarily as a follow-up resource for those that attended the session, and it may also serve as a resource for anyone that wants to learn more about PLNs. Session Slides What is a PLN (Personal Learning Network)?
2¢ Worth Listen A few weeks ago I worked and attended North Carolina's ISTE affiliate conference. I opened the NCTIES conference with a breakfast keynote address and Marc Prensky closed it with a luncheon keynote the next day. I would first offer some constructive criticism to NCTIES , and to all such ed-tech conferences across the nation and around the world. The only idea I can think of is to have one or two session rooms devoted to unconference topics. Now to the surprises It was in the student showcase, a part of most ed-tech conferences that I often miss, using it as an opportunity to visit the exhibitors or dash up to my room for something or other. She then began telling me what they were doing, describing some of the communication skills they were learning as well as social studies and character. “No software. After my hesitation, she continued, “..the game master.” “Today we do not need content specialists in our classrooms as much as we need context specialists.” And then, Is this true?
Personal Learning Networks for Educators: 10 Tips - Getting Smart by Guest Author - edchat, EdTech, PLN By Dr. Mark Wagner I often begin my workshop on personal learning networks (PLN) for educators by asking these questions: Who is in your learning network? Who do you learn from on a regular basis? Who do you turn to for your own professional development? Some educators are lucky enough to learn from their coworkers or colleagues at their site. I usually ask these questions at conferences, which are frequently only annual events – and rare treats for many educators. Learning to Network and Networking to Learn 1. 2. 3. 4. Networking Tools and Anecdotes The four tips above are the core activities of building a personal learning network, and they can be applied using various tools to connect with others online. 5. 6. 7. 8. Final Thoughts These final two tips will help keep your initial frustrations in perspective, and help you avoid the temptation to focus on unimportant metrics as you grow your network. 9. 10. Note: I’ve also been writing about this topic for some time.
The Fischbowl Classroom 2.0