A Professional Learning Network (PLN) is a personalized space for teachers to engage in continuous professional development by connecting with global peers for support, resources, and collaboration. PLNs can be categorized into intelligence gathering and collaborative tools, allowing teachers to access updated information and engage in meaningful discussions at their convenience. Benefits of PLNs include flexibility, real-time solutions, personalized learning, and the opportunity for all participants to grow collectively in their professional practice.

1. Building a Professional Learning Network (PLN) By: Torrey Trust

2. 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.

3. What is a PLN? A Professional Learning Network (PLN) is a flexible, teacher-driven activity space that facilitates personalized professional development. PLN’s connect teachers to other individuals worldwide who can offer support, advice, feedback, and collaboration opportunities. PLN’s allow teachers to collect information from various websites and access it in one organized area so they can stay up-to-date on the latest teaching techniques, pedagogies, and changes in the field of education.

4. What is a PLN? RSS Reader Journals Websites YouTube Blogs News Edmodo Wikis Twitter Ning Facebook Collaborative Tools Intelligence Gathering There are two types of PLN’s: Intelligence Gathering & Collaborative Tools Teacher

5. Benefits of PLN’s Flexible Teachers can learn on their own time from home. PLN’s shape and grow with the individuals that are part of the network. Personalized Teachers can choose which sites to add to their RSS reader and which groups and social networking sites to join based on their personal interests and areas identified for professional growth. Practical Learning is practical (not a one-size-fits-all workshop).

6. Benefits of PLN’s Real-Time Solutions Teachers can learn from others and implement solutions immediately. Instant Access Access to new information, thousands of experts, feedback, support, ideas, partnerships, etc… Expertise Everyone can be an expert. Teachers can share wisdom and receive help. Everyone is part of someone else’s network so all teachers are responsible for the growth of the entire network.

7. Intelligence Gathering The Intelligence Gathering type of PLN is when teachers stay up-to-date on new information by following multiple websites and news sources through RSS feeds. RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds allow material from one website (i.e., New York Times Education Column) to be read on other websites (i.e., Google Reader). RSS readers use RSS feeds to collect new posts, articles and updates from websites that teachers identify as valuable and “push” this information to them via the RSS reader

8. RSS: Pushing Text from Individual Blogs to a Reader Blog News Website Website

9. Intelligence Gathering RSS readers save teachers time since they no longer have to visit each individual website and check for updates. Teachers can rapidly skim through hundreds of articles in RSS readers and click on the ones that are most interesting or useful to visit the website where the post originated and read the entire text.

10. Information Gathering Tools Google Reader ( http://www.google.com/reader ) Bloglines ( http://www.bloglines.com/ ) FeedDemon ( http://www.feeddemon.com/ ) My Yahoo! ( http://my.yahoo.com/ ) Comparison of RSS Readers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_feed_aggregators

11. Google Reader

12. Intelligence Gathering Another form of information aggregation is email subscriptions. Many websites include a “Follow Me” or “Subscribe” widget that allows viewers to input their email address and receive emails anytime there is a new post or update on the website or blog. This turns the email inbox into a RSS reader and allows teachers to gather information in their email instead of visiting a RSS reader website.

13. Education Sites to Follow Accomplished Teacher SmartBrief Daily Newsletter: http://www.smartbrief.com/nbpts/index.jsp?campaign=hpselect For the Love of Learning: http://www.joebower.org/ Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/ EduBlog Awards: Top Individual Blog List http://edublogawards.com/2011-3/best-individual-blog-2011/

14. EDTEC Sites to Follow SmartBrief on EdTech Daily Newsletter: https://www.smartbrief.com/edtech/index.jsp FreeTech4Teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/ Educational Technology Guy: http://educationaltechnologyguy.blogspot.com/ Simon Haughton’s Blog: http://www.simonhaughton.co.uk/ Simple K-12: http://blog.simplek12.com/

15. Collaborative Tools The collaborative tools type of PLN is when teachers use social media tools to connect with various individuals around the world. These social media tools include: Social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter) Affinity-based group sites (Ning, Wikispaces) Real-time interaction tools (online chat rooms, instant messaging, Skype, Second Life).

16. Collaborative Tools While, Ning, Facebook, and Twitter have real-time interaction capabilities, teachers generally use these sites for asynchronous learning where they post a question to a community discussion board or send a message to another individual and check back at a later time to find a response. These sites are less demanding on the teacher’s time because they can write or respond to posts whenever they have free time in their schedule. These sites also provide a space for collective knowledge where teachers can find support from large groups of individuals that pool their answers to find the best solution to a problem.

17. Discussion Posts Groups Profile Page Wall

18. Collaborative Tools Real-time interaction tools allow teachers to have conversations with others worldwide to receive feedback on new ideas, discuss lesson plans, ask for support, solve problems, and collaborate. Teachers can video chat through Skype, text chat with instant messaging tools, and even create an avatar and talk with someone in real-time through the virtual world Second Life. Real-time interaction tools are useful for building relationships and seeking one-on-one support, such as mentoring.

19. Featured Collaborative Tool Edmodo (4.3+ 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

20. Featured Collaborative Tool Classroom 2.0 (60,000+ members) Instantly chat with other individuals on the website Classroom 2.0 LIVE weekly webcast Join special-interest groups Upload photos/videos Add RSS feeds to your profile page Write blog posts & create your own blog http://www.classroom20.com

21. Featured Collaborative Tool The Educator’s PLN (10,000+ members) 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 http://edupln.ning.com/

22. Featured Collaborative Tool Twitter Follow educators, experts, policymakers 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

23. 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 Visit the WeAreTeachers blog to learn how to get involved with twitter chats about education View more education hashtags here: http://teacherstraining.com.au/how-teachers-can-use-twitter-to-maximise-their-professional-learning/

24. PLN Overload Typically a teacher will develop both types of PLN’s; however, it can be overwhelming to sorting through all of the information, figuring out the social norms for the activity spaces, and learning to use the new tools. It is recommended that teachers start with one tool (i.e., Google Reader or Ning) and then gradually build their PLN as they become more comfortable accessing information and navigating the online activity spaces.

25. PLN Survival Tips Intelligence Gathering 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

26. Credits Presentation Designed by: Torrey Trust Ph.D. Student Education: Teaching & Learning Gevirtz Graduate School of Education UC Santa Barbara K-12 Tech Tools Database Founder