1. Professional Learning Network (PLN)
connectED @KelliRalph
MY OWN LITTLE LEARNER
Reflections on Beginning
My Teaching PLN
EDIT 202 WINTER 2013
2. My Twitter PLN on January 21st, 2013
(starting from almost nothing)
3. George Siemens
@gsiemens
• One of the “inventors” the theory of
connectivism. (Through @gsiemens, I found
and am following the other “inventor” –
Stephen Downes @oldaily – on Twitter).
• Siemens is with the Technology Enhanced
Knowledge Research Institute at Athabasca
University (https://tekri.athabascau.ca/)
• A prolific tweeter! Interesting tweets and
retweets regarding MOOCs, with good links
to resources. I have found a number of other
relevant feeds to follow via @gsiemens
• I have regularly visited his blog @
www.eleranspace.org/blog/ (link posted in
his Twitter profile) , which links to his other
blog http://www.connectivism.ca. Blog
entries include topics on technology,
connected education and learning network.
• I have referenced his blogs postings in my
Week 3 discussion posting and ePortfolio
reflection regarding “Frameworks for Guiding
Technology Use”.
4. Eye On Education
@eyeoneducation
• A source for books and professional
development resources for educators.
• Their Twitter profile links to there web site
(www.eyeoneducation.com). On this site,
there are webinars, podcasts and videos etc.
on a variety of topics relevant for teachers,
such as “Get Tech Tools and Strategies to
Inform Your Daily Teaching Practice”.
• Regular tweets include links to sources for
teaching and learning tools, discussions on
issues in education, and other resources.
For instance “How To Eliminate Test
Anxiety” @http://ow.ly/hBXSo and “7 Things
Administrators Can Do to Help Students
Develop Resilience @http://ow.ly/hBVr0
• I have found a number of other relevant
feeds to follow via @eyeoneducation
• One of the most useful connections in my
Twiter PLN for teaching and learning
resources.
5. IMS Global Learning (Consortium)
@LearningImpact
• I am excited to use technology in my
teaching practice, and the IMS Global
Learning (@LearningImpact) feed is a hub
for emerging information on the use of
technology in education.
• IMS Global Learning Consortium is
dedicated to the advancement of affordable
technology that enhanced learning. Their
profile links to their web site blog
(www.imsglobal.org/blog), which contains
excellent contributions from industry leaders,
including LMS/VLE leaders such as
Cengage Learning (www.cengage.com),
CourseSmart (www.coursesmart.com),
Blackboard (www.blackboard.com) and
Desire2Learn (www.desire2learn.com)
• Regular tweets and retweets. Many are
welcoming new affiliates, but many provide
information and links regarding emerging
technologies and new apps for education, as
well as current issues in the industry.
6. Alberta Teachers Association
@albertateachers
• An association that I will be a member of
when I am a teacher.
• A link from the ATA’s Twitter profile
takes me to the ATA web site. Here I can
access information and links on current
issues in education and teaching,
professional development, education acts
and regulations, publications, resources
for teachers and parents, and much more.
• I felt it was important to include the ATA
as part of my PLN because the ATA and
its members include education
professionals whom I will be working with
in the future. Therefore, initiating
connections and joining discussions are
good starting points.
• Regular tweets, mostly regarding current
issues for the teaching profession. (As a
future teacher, this will help me gain a
better perspective on my future career.)
8. PLN Participation…
• I began by following local sources: ex. EdTech Services UofA (@EdTechUofA), EDIT 202 classmates
and instructors, Alberta Teaches’ Association (@albertateachers), Alberta Education (@AlbertaEd),
local libraries and my local school division.
• I broadened out to follow other sources I thought may be relevant: ex. Scholastic Teachers
(@scholasticteach), SkillsCanadaAlberta (@skillsalberta).
• Each week, I have added follows I felt were relevant to that week’s EDIT202 topic: ex. George Couros
(@gcouros), George Siemens (@gsiemens), OpenClass (@JointOpenClass, Blackboard K-12
(@blackboardK12). For each new addition, I have looked through their “follow” list to find and follow
other relevant feeds.
• I have tweeted a few times during class when I had something relevant to contribute. Have tried to tweet
and retweet postings that are relevant to that week’s EDIT202 topic in EDIT202. I have been retweeted
by others 5 times (that I have seen).
• I have tweeted links to my ePortfolio postings, so I could share with a wider audience.
• I have tried to keep the content of my tweets and retweets relevant to the topics of education, teaching
and learning, and not about where I bought my morning coffee!
• I am still learning how to effectively use Twitter to follow topic discussions and participate in chats. For
instance, I had failed to understand I should include #edit202 in my tweets to reach a broader audience.
Some favourite hashtags are #edti202, #edapps and #edtech.
