The document discusses the concept of a personal learning network (PLN) and connected educators. It provides perspectives from educators on how PLNs have allowed for collaborative and differentiated learning beyond the traditional professional development model. PLNs are described as global communities of learners that can share ideas and learn from one another through various online tools and platforms like Skype, Google Docs, blogs, Twitter, and social networks.

1. Connected Educators
(What is a PLN?)
March 2012

2. “Who dares to teach
must never cease to learn”
John Dana

3. Do you believe in collaborative learning?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwarby/1584818205/

4. Do you believe in differentiated learning?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7926735@N03/3380082868/

5. Do you feel like you don’t have enough time?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28548387@N00/556656621

6. Have you used social networking to learn
something new in the past week?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20375052@N00/9500503 /

7. Change
How has professional
learning changed?

8. Form
What is it like?

9. In school…
Meet some of my global PLN…

10. Causation Why is it our Responsibility
responsibility to be
connected educators?
Video: Why be a connected educator? – Sheryl NussbaumBeach

11. Connection How are we
connected?

12. Teachers learning via Skype

13. A Google docs inquiry

14. Students learning via Skype

15. Learning from blogs

16. Collaborating via Twitter

17. Perspective
What are the
points of view?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/90454979@N00/4130520762 /

19. Reflection How do we know?
Weighing up the evidence…

20. It was fun to talk to people who
we thought were completely
different and find how similar
they are to us. All kids have
fun and learn stuff!
I thought it might be difficult
Instead of to talk to them because of
learning about them, cultural difference and
we talked to them. background but it wasn’t.

21. We get to be a big community of
learners and share with people from
around the world and it’s like
exchanging learning. We learn from
people and people learn from us.
When people comment on our
blog, we can use that information for
our inquiry. The blog has helped me
as a learner because you learn from
everyone’s opinion from around
the world.

22. Twitter has opened up a whole new world for me regarding professional
development over the last 6 months or so.
A constant complaint I’ve had at my current school is that there is very
little differentiation for professional development…. This is where a range
of readings and interactions on Twitter and blogs has got me stimulated.
I’m hoping that school heads and administrators are keeping up with
current practice when recruiting and look past the long list of workshops
that someone may have attended. I hope they start recognising teachers
that have developed Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) and been pro-
active about their own learning.
Craig Eldred

23. Function
How does it work?

24. Building a PLN
I don’t need
to know
everything…
Video: Building your PLN – Steven Anderson

25. Learn with people you know
Learn from people you don’t know
Read a blog
Where to?
Write a comment
Subscribe to blogs
Join a ning
Sign up to Twitter
Join a conversation
Start a conversation
Share ideas and resources
Do something new…