1. Personal Learning NetworksFeel free to use your iPad or a laptop from the wall to check out resources as we go 2. Teaching Means Learning Teachers have always been lifelong learners The reason some people get into teachingToday there are more resources than ever for professional learning There's also a greater need than ever Changing student needsChanging technology & resources 3. What Are We Doing Today? PLN as an approach/frameworkA few specific tools NingsDiigo or PearltreesToo much for one sessionFollow-up through ITFs 4. What Is a PLN? Informal learning network--the people and resources you learn from Connections in the network are specifically made for learningDoesnt have to consist of people you know personally"For the first time in history, we know now how to store virtually all humanity's most important information and make it available, almost instantly, in almost any form, to almost anyone on earth. We also know how to do that in great new ways so that people can interact with it , and learn from it." --Gordon Dryden, Jeannette Vos, The Learning Revolution 5. PLN: Variety of ToolsEducatorsTechnology.com 6. Characteristics of PLNs Learner doesn't just receivelearner also contributes Usually a social/personal aspect to itit's not just websites, personal connections are formed 7. Getting Started With PLNS Connect: Comment, +1, Like, Reply Contribute: Make your own work accessiblepost things Converse: Share information and build relationships Request: Once you've contributed and built relationships, you're more likely to get quality responses to questions or needs Dr. Mark Wagner, GettingSmart.com 8. Getting Started With PLNS Also: Be patient. These networks aren't built quickly.Be authentic. People respond to others they see as sincere. Dr. Mark Wagner, GettingSmart.com 9. Twitter Twitter is like a personal news tickerYou can Follow peopleFollow hashtagsgreat way to find other people 10. Twitter 11. Blogs Great teaching blogs: http://teach.com/teach100 A couple of blogs I follow: Edudemic: http://www.edudemic.com/Edutech4Teachers: http://edutech4teachers.edublogs.org/Educational Technology and Mobile Learning: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/ 12. RSS Really Simple Syndicationa way of following updates from different sources There's a variety of programs and sites to help you follow RSS: FirefoxMy YahooFeedly 13. Ning Social networks centered around specific interests Helpful Nings: http://www.classroom20.com/http://edupln.ning.com/ 14. Social Bookmarking Bookmarking across devices Sharing bookmarks with others Annotating shared bookmarks (Diigo) Organizing visually (Pearltrees) MF Ruffini, Educause.edu 15. What Is Your Role? Activist: Learn through doing and prefer activities Reflector: Enjoy reviewing and considering Post commentsTheorist: Like to know theories, research, data Write a blogCreate your own model or researchPragmatist: Like to apply learning to the real world Get students to make PLNs in the classroom 16. PLN Tips Keep collaboration at the center Join an online communityJoin a Meetup Share your own contributions Ask questions Participate activelyBe polite and acknowledge original authors Separate professional and personal accounts Create a landing page Engage newbiesMiriam Clifford, opencolleges.edu.au 17. Other PLN Resources WebinarsMassively Open Online Courses (MOOCs)iTunes UJSEA/JVLA 18. Build and Balance Start small Locate one or two resources for your strongest interestCheck them regularlyJump inparticipate!! 19. Build and Balance