1. Social Networking and
Personal Learning
Environments:
Embracing Web 2.0 in Your Professional Practice
Patrick Higgins
Adapted from a Presentation by Kim Cofino at the Teach IT!
Conference, Singapore,
November 2007

2. Crucial Concepts
• Understanding PLNs
• Evolution of an
Educator
• Collegial
Connections 2.0
• Grow Your Own PLN
• Resources
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/kt/485862217/

3. Looking for Learning in the 21st Century
Image from: http://www.weblogcartoons.com/cartoons/o-window.gif

4. Understanding PLNs:
Personal Learning Networks
• 24/7 PD
• Learning Together
• Global Connections
• Learning anytime,
anywhere
• Collaborating
internationally
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/edwardaggie98/441779394/

5. Understanding PLNs:
Who’s in Your Network?
What do you think?
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/k2d2vaca/826609448/

6. Evolution of an Educator:
Pre-PLN
Fish image from: http://flickr.com/photos/colodio/114891127/
Cell image from: http://flickr.com/photos/25135663@N00/6787341/

7. Evolution of an Educator:
Simple Beginnings

8. Evolution of an Educator:
Personal Contributions

9. Evolution of an Educator:
Personal Contributions

10. Evolution of an Educator:
Sampling the Spectrum

11. Evolution of an Educator:
Making Connections

12. Evolution of an Educator:
Joining Communities

13. Evolution of an Educator:
Constantly Connecting

14. Evolution of an Educator:
Where are you?
What do you think?
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/rdaassoc/513882871/

15. Collegial Connections 2.0

16. Collegial Connections 2.0

17. Grow Your Own PLN
From here: To here:
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/hamed/327939900/
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/stuckincustoms/310074290/

18. Grow Your Own PLN: RSS
Image from: http://www.lifehack.org/wp-content/files/2007/07/rss-icon-collection.png

19. Grow Your Own PLN: RSS
• Seeking input
• Learning by lurking
• Finding your niche
• Starting conversations

20. Grow Your Own PLN:
Social Networking

21. Grow Your Own PLN:
Social Networking
• Get involved
• Community dialogue and discussion
• Easy entrance to expanding your network
• Wider audience
• Structured format
• Like-minded educators
• Similar skill level

22. Grow Your Own PLN: Blogs

23. Grow Your Own PLN: Blogs
• Contribute
• Develop a “home base”
• Individual reflection
• Share your understandings
• Push your thinking
• Consolidate your learning

24. Grow Your Own PLN:
Develop Your Online Identity
Image from: http://www.socialsignal.com/system/files/2007-06-24-cyberdog.gif

25. Grow Your Own PLN: VoIP
Image from: http://21talks.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/skypeMac.jpg

26. Grow Your Own PLN: VoIP
• Get personal
• Individual connections
• Virtual colleagues
• Quick connections for learning

27. Grow Your Own PLN:
Virtually There

28. Grow Your Own PLN:
Virtually There
• Attend, attend, attend
• Structured PD
• Course Credit
• Free
• In your PJ’s

29. Grow Your Own PLN:
Twitter

30. Grow Your Own PLN:
Twitter
• Build personal relationships
• Connect on an individual level
• Expand your network
• Constantly connected

31. Grow Your Own PLN:
Future Trends
SL image from: http://advancedmedialab.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/barcamp_second_life.jpg
FlashMeeting image from:
http://kmi.open.ac.uk/people/marc/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/flashmeeting1.jpg

32. Grow Your Own PLN:
Become Interconnected
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/chibijosh/38269880/

33. Grow Your Own PLN:
Possibilities for Your Professional Practice?
What do you think?
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/100050220/

34. Grow Your Own PLN:
Start Small
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/areay89/276704743/
Image from: http://flickr.com/photos/28481088@N00/816383628/

35. Resources
All resources for this presentation can be
found at:
http://21stcenturyeducator.wikispaces.com/