Personalized Learning at Your Fingertips: Building a PLN
1. Personalized Learning at
Your Fingertips: Building a
Professional Learning Network
By: Torrey Trust
2. Agenda
What are Professional Learning Networks (PLN’s)?
PLN Tools
Information Literacy, Networking, Netiquette
PLN Overload & Survival Tips
3. New Age Teaching & Learning
In the information age, students must learn to navigate
and evaluate an expanding network of information.
Highly effective teachers model this process of information
analysis and knowledge acquisition by continually learning
through collaboration, professional development, and
studying pedagogical techniques and best practices.
4. What is a PLN?
A Professional Learning Network (PLN) is a flexible, teacher-
driven activity space that facilitates personalized professional
development.
Social Media Connection Information Aggregation
7. Benefits of PLN’s
Expertise
Reduces isolation
Increases opportunities for collaboration
Don’t have to reinvent the wheel
Best practices
Connected Educator Map
12. Education Sites to Follow
EduBlog Awards: Top Individual Blog List
http://edublogawards.com/
Smartbriefs (Accomplished Teacher, ASCD, EdTech) –
https://www.smartbrief.com/news/education
41 Great Blogs to Follow by Subject Area:
http://tinyurl.com/41edublogstofollow
FreeTech4Teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
13. Social Bookmarking
Diigo.com
Join groups: http://groups.diigo.com/
Share resources
Receive daily/weekly emails with
newest resources
Easy to add resources to Diigo (toolbar button)
Can highlight resources, take notes, decide what to share
16. Social Media Connection Tools
These social media connection tools include:
Social networking sites (Facebook, Edmodo, Twitter)
Affinity-based group sites (Ning, Wikispaces)
Real-time interaction tools (online chat rooms, instant
messaging, Skype, Second Life).
17. Featured Collaborative Tool
Edmodo (6.5+ million users)
Join subject communities
Create class groups (assignments, quizzes, grades)
Facebook-style interface
Quick responses from
members
Personal library to
collect resources
http://www.edmodo.com
19. Featured Collaborative Tool
Ning
Instantly chat with other individuals on the website
Add & RSVP to events
Join special-interest groups
Listen to education podcasts
Add RSS feeds to your profile page
Write blog posts & create your own blog
20. Featured Collaborative Tool
Ning PLN’s for Educators:
http://classroom20.com
http://edupln.ning.com/
http://www.teacher20.com
http://sschat.ning.com/
http://vodcasting.ning.com/
List of Networks:
http://www.educationalnetworking.com/List+of+Networks
21. Featured Collaborative Tool
Twitter
Follow educators, experts, policymakers
Twitter4Teachers wiki
Collaborative Google Doc of Teachers on Twitter
Share your own links and resources
Join education conversations (see next slide)
Share ideas, ask for help, receive feedback from followers
Connect with educators around the world
http://www.twitter.com
22. Twitter Hashtags
Join education conversations:
#edchat: Over 400 teachers get together every Tuesday at Noon EST
or at 6PM EST to chat about a variety of pre-determined topics.
#Scichat, #mathchat, #engchat: Talk with teachers who teach your
core subject area (times vary)
#1stchat, #2ndchat, #3rdchat, etc.: Talk with teachers who teach your
grade level
#edtech: Chat about all things new in educational technology
View more education hashtags here:
http://cybraryman.com/edhashtags.html
24. How to Use a PLN
Find & share resources
Connect with teachers
around the world
Collaboration opportunities
Partner classes for lessons
Ask for help/support
Solicit ideas
Share your voice
Learn from others (best practices/success stories)
25. Information Literacy
Ongoing process of sifting, organizing, analyzing and
evaluating information and individuals in your PLN
Start with well-known website/expert
Look at number of subscribers and good reviews
Look critically at the information
Building a PLN should be a fluid process
“Crap Detection” – Howard Rheingold
The Crap Test:
http://www.workliteracy.com/pages/the-crap-test/
26. Networking & Netiquette
Aim for building relationships NOT having 500 “friends”
Be a connector
Give AND receive
Build your expert credentials
Lurk & learn
Reach out (add friends, follow people)
27. Ethics & Privacy
What you post is permanent
Use the Grandmother Rule (would your grandma approve of
your tweet/post?)
Don’t fear the tools, build your confidence
Understand the privacy settings of different tools
Resources:
Facebook for School Counselors Guide.pdf
Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators
How to Create Social Media Guidelines for Your School
28. PLN Overload
Thousands of blogs, websites, news sources to follow
Thousands of groups to join, discussion forums to respond to,
and members to connect with
Figuring out social norms in the online space
TMI!
29. PLN Overload (Survival Tips)
Information Aggregation
Start by identifying 2-3 information sources to follow (including
email subscriptions)
Set a reminder on your calendar to visit your RSS reader weekly
Collaborative Tools
Try to connect with 1-2 individuals (via friend request or
responding to discussion posts)
Ask these individuals about how to make the most out of the
activity space
30. 7 Degrees of Connectedness
Rodd Lucier’s
7 Degrees of Connectedness Framework