This document discusses building a professional learning network (PLN) using online tools. It defines a PLN as a flexible, teacher-driven space for personalized professional development through collaboration. The benefits of PLNs include access to expertise, reducing isolation, and finding best practices. Key tools discussed are RSS feeds for information aggregation, social bookmarking sites like Diigo, and social media platforms like Edmodo, Twitter and Ning for connecting with other educators. The document provides guidance on information literacy, networking etiquette, and avoiding overload through focusing on a few high-quality sources and connections at first.

1. Personalized Learning at
Your Fingertips: Building a
Professional Learning Network
By: Torrey Trust

2. Agenda
 What are Professional Learning Networks (PLN’s)?
 PLN Tools
 Information Literacy, Networking, Netiquette
 PLN Overload & Survival Tips

3. 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.

4. What is a PLN?
 A Professional Learning Network (PLN) is a flexible, teacher-
driven activity space that facilitates personalized professional
development.
Social Media Connection Information Aggregation

5. My PLN

6. Benefits of PLN’s
 Flexible
 Personalized
 Practical
 Real-Time Solutions
 Instant Access

7. Benefits of PLN’s
 Expertise
 Reduces isolation
 Increases opportunities for collaboration
 Don’t have to reinvent the wheel
 Best practices
Connected Educator Map

8. Information Aggregation
 Staying up-to-date on new information by following multiple
websites and news sources through RSS feeds.

9. RSS: Pushing Text from Individual Blogs to a Reader
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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. Setting Up Google Reader
 http://tinyurl.com/googlereadervideo

12. Education Sites to Follow
 EduBlog Awards: Top Individual Blog List
http://edublogawards.com/
 Smartbriefs (Accomplished Teacher, ASCD, EdTech) –
https://www.smartbrief.com/news/education
 41 Great Blogs to Follow by Subject Area:
http://tinyurl.com/41edublogstofollow
 FreeTech4Teachers: http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

13. Social Bookmarking
 Diigo.com
 Join groups: http://groups.diigo.com/
 Share resources
 Receive daily/weekly emails with
newest resources
 Easy to add resources to Diigo (toolbar button)
 Can highlight resources, take notes, decide what to share

14. Sharing Bookmarks with a Group

15. Social Bookmarking
 http://vimeo.com/12687333

16. Social Media Connection Tools
 These social media connection tools include:
 Social networking sites (Facebook, Edmodo, Twitter)
 Affinity-based group sites (Ning, Wikispaces)
 Real-time interaction tools (online chat rooms, instant
messaging, Skype, Second Life).

17. Featured Collaborative Tool
 Edmodo (6.5+ 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

18. Edmodo
 http://tinyurl.com/edmodoPLNvideo

19. Featured Collaborative Tool
 Ning
 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

20. Featured Collaborative Tool
 Ning PLN’s for Educators:
 http://classroom20.com
 http://edupln.ning.com/
 http://www.teacher20.com
 http://sschat.ning.com/
 http://vodcasting.ning.com/
 List of Networks:
 http://www.educationalnetworking.com/List+of+Networks

21. Featured Collaborative Tool
 Twitter
 Follow educators, experts, policymakers
 Twitter4Teachers wiki
 Collaborative Google Doc of Teachers on Twitter
 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

22. 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
 View more education hashtags here:
http://cybraryman.com/edhashtags.html

23. Tweetdeck

24. How to Use a PLN
 Find & share resources
 Connect with teachers
around the world
 Collaboration opportunities
 Partner classes for lessons
 Ask for help/support
 Solicit ideas
 Share your voice
 Learn from others (best practices/success stories)

25. Information Literacy
 Ongoing process of sifting, organizing, analyzing and
evaluating information and individuals in your PLN
 Start with well-known website/expert
 Look at number of subscribers and good reviews
 Look critically at the information
 Building a PLN should be a fluid process
 “Crap Detection” – Howard Rheingold
 The Crap Test:
http://www.workliteracy.com/pages/the-crap-test/

26. Networking & Netiquette
 Aim for building relationships NOT having 500 “friends”
 Be a connector
 Give AND receive
 Build your expert credentials
 Lurk & learn
 Reach out (add friends, follow people)

27. Ethics & Privacy
 What you post is permanent
 Use the Grandmother Rule (would your grandma approve of
your tweet/post?)
 Don’t fear the tools, build your confidence
 Understand the privacy settings of different tools
 Resources:
 Facebook for School Counselors Guide.pdf
 Creating Social Media Guidelines for Educators
 How to Create Social Media Guidelines for Your School

28. PLN Overload
 Thousands of blogs, websites, news sources to follow
 Thousands of groups to join, discussion forums to respond to,
and members to connect with
 Figuring out social norms in the online space
 TMI!

29. PLN Overload (Survival Tips)
 Information Aggregation
 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

30. 7 Degrees of Connectedness
Rodd Lucier’s
7 Degrees of Connectedness Framework

31. Questions?
 Thoughts?
 Comments?
 Questions?

32. Add Me to Your PLN
torreytrust@gmail.com
www.torreytrust.com
@torreytrust
http://edutechdatabase.wikispaces.com