Creating a Personal Learning Network (PLN)

Graphic from http://blog.misterhamada.com/category/k12-learning-2-0/

What is a PLN? A PLN is a way for you to make connections and share ideas and resources. You have one with colleagues that you work with. You can also have one online where you can reach and connect with educators from around the state, country, and world. Talk about a great resource!

Quotes about PLN's:

@kylepace:Because of this PLN,not only do I grow professionally, but I have made professional connections and friendships around the world

@wmchamberlain: #edchat a PLN lets us access the best of the best, not just someone close by. "Dont I deserve the best?" Gaston

@djainslie: My PLN opened the world to me 'the world is open'

@JasonFlom: PLN's flatten the world, removing barriers to collaboration, corroboration, and general camaraderie.

@wmchamberlain: #edchat a pln gives me hundreds of intelligent people to solve my problem. Whats not to love?

@cybraryman1: A PLN is a collection of interconnected minds that share ideas and information.

Functions of a PLN: Connect - Collaborate - Contribute

Benefits of a PLN: Teachers become: Aware, Connected, Empowered, Confident, LEARNERS!

(oh, and everything listed here is FREE!)

How to get started with a PLN:

• Sign up for an account with one of the resources. Start looking around and find people and groups with the same interests as you.
• Ning-Classroom 2.0, Discovery Educator Network, PBS Teacher Connect and Google Educators Forum are great places to start.
• With Twitter - follow someone you know, like me (@daveandcori) and see who they follow.

Some other educators to follow on Twitter: @rmbyrne, @web20classroom.

• Search for blogs and web sites that cover topics you are interested in and subscribe to them via email or RSS feed. See who they follow and blogs they subscribe to also.

Resources for PLN:

• Ning - http://www.ning.com/ - host collaborative communities.

Classroom 2.0 - http://www.classroom20.com/ - Great site for 21st Century Learning

• Twitter - http://twitter.com/ - interact - 140 character messages.
• Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/ - create your own page - connect with others.
• Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/ - create your own page - connect with others.
• Blogger - http://www.blogger.com/ - create and search for blogs to read.
• Edublogs - http://edublogs.org/ - create and search for blogs to read.
• Slideshare - http://www.slideshare.net/ - find, read, and post presentations.
• Discovery Educator Network - http://community.discoveryeducation.com/ - over 100,000 participants, STAR educators, professional development sessions, blogs and more.
• Delicious - http://delicious.com/ - share web bookmarks with others (and find some).
• Google Educators Forum - http://www.google.com/educators/community.html - discussions about using Goolge's Applications in the classroom.
• PBS Teachers Connect - http://www.pbs.org/teachers/ - discussions, resources, and more.
• Professional Organizations - ex. National Science Teachers Association - http://www.nsta.org/ - most have resources, discussion groups, and more.
• YouTube - http://www.youtube.com - lots of great videos for educational use.
• TeacherTube - http://www.teachertube.com/ - educational videos, documents, audio, and more. Also has a community discussion group.
• Google Docs - http://docs.google.com/- share documents, presentations, and more with others. Create surveys.
• Google Sites - http://sites.google.com/ - create web sites and wikis to share with others.
• Wiki's - Wiki's are interactive web pages that multiple people can edit. It's a great way to have resources and ideas and let people add and comment on them.
• WikiSpaces - http://www.wikispaces.com/ - free wiki hosting
• PBWorks - http://pbworks.com/ - free wiki hosting
• (Google Sites can also be sued to create wikis)

• iGoogle - http://www.google.com/ig - custom, personalized start page
• Google Reader - - read RSS feeds - embed in iGoogle
• Twitter - via Twitter Gadget (works in school) - embed in iGoogle