This document outlines five types of personal learning networks (PLNs) for teachers: casts, social networks, blogs, microblogs, and social bookmarking. It provides examples of each type including podcasts on education topics, video casts on websites like YouTube and webinars, using Facebook and NING groups for educators, blogs on teaching tools and strategies, using Twitter to connect with other teachers through hashtags, and bookmarking lesson plans on sites like Pinterest and Diigo. The document aims to showcase the various digital tools teachers can use to build and engage with their personal learning communities.

1. PERSONAL LEARNING NETWORKS
(PLN)
PART II:
FIVE TYPES OF PLNs
EDUC W200 Week 11

2. FIVE TYPES OF PLNs
•
•
•
•
•
Casts (Podcasts, Screencasts/ Vidcasts)
Social Networks
Blogs
Microblogs
Social Bookmarking
EDUC W200 Week 11

3. CASTS
• Podcasts
o A podcast is like a radio show. It usually consists of a series
of individual episodes. you can subscribe to the channel and
listen to the casts on your computer or on a digital audio
player like an iPod.
EDUC W200 Week 11

4. PODCAST EXAMPLES
o Examples of educators using podcasts for professional
growth includes:
ESL Podcasts
K12 Science in Michigan
SmartBoard Lessons Podcast
Moving at the Speed of Creativity
Learning Matters Podcast
[Tips] Aside from these sources, go to iTunes-podcasts and
choose "Education", you will find tons of educational podcasts
there.
EDUC W200 Week 11

5. VIDCASTS AND SCREENCASTS ARE ANOTHER METHOD
FOR PARTICIPATING OR ADDING TO TEACHERS PLNS
•
•
•
•
•
K12 Online Conference
School Tube
TEDxNYED
YouTube
Various Webinars
o
o
o
o
Blackboard Collaborate
PBS Teachers Online
Classroom 2.0
ISTE Webinars
EDUC W200 Week 11

6. SOCIAL NETWORKS
• Social networks are popular for teachers' PLNs. In
addition to Facebook or Pinterest, educators are also
connecting through using the NING platform or
joining online teacher communities:
EDUC W200 Week 11

7. EXAMPLES OF EDUCATORS CONNECTING
THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS
Facebook:
o Science education
o Math education
o ESL education
Online teacher communities:
o TeacherShare
Connect with other teachers as you share
lesson plans online
o NSTA Learning Center – Science Teachers
NING:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Art Education
World Language
Math Education
Special Ed
Social Studies
Elementary 1
Elementary 2
Discovery Education
Google Educators
Microsoft Partners in Learning
PBS Teachers
Google+:
Education Week
Special Education Advisor
EDUC W200 Week 11

8. BLOG
• Blog is a contraction of the term “Web log"
• It is a type of website, usually maintained by an
individual with regular entries of commentary,
descriptions of events, or other material such as
graphics or video
EDUC W200 Week 11

9. EXAMPLE OF A BLOG BEING USED AS A
TEACHER’S PLN
Free Technology for Teachers
Tech 4 Teachers
EDUC W200 Week 11

10. MICROBLOGGING (TWEETING)
•
•
•
A form of blogging that allows users to write brief text updates
(usually less than 140 characters) and publish them.
Can be viewed by anyone or by a select group
Can be submitted by text messaging, instant messaging, email,
MP3 or the website.
EDUC W200 Week 11

11. HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF TWITTER BEING USED
AS A TEACHER’S PLN
TWITTER4TEACHERS
101 Twitter Accounts for Teachers
Education Twitter Groups
EDUC W200 Week 11

12. SOCIAL BOOKMARKING
Social bookmarking services help you add,
annotate, edit and share bookmarks of web
documents within your communities.
EDUC W200 Week 11

13. EXAMPLES OF EDUCATORS USING
BOOKMARKING WEBSITES AS PLN
Pinterest:
Arts education
Language Arts Education
Elementary Education
Diigo:
List of Education-K21 group
EDUC W200 Public Library
EDUC W200 Week 11