This document defines a personal learning network (PLN) as a network of people from whom a learner derives knowledge to contribute to their professional development, without having to know or meet those people personally. It describes how a PLN works by experts/scholars sharing available information with the learner, who then filters and produces new information to share, creating a mutually beneficial relationship. It outlines the benefits of a PLN for teachers, including becoming aware, connected, empowered and confident learners. Core elements of developing a successful PLN are connecting with new people, contributing your expertise, collaborating through conversations, and requesting help from your network.

1. INTC 2610
FALL 2013
PERSONAL LEARNING
NETWORKS

2. PLN Defined
 The Personal Learning Network consists of the
people a learner interacts with and derives
knowledge from in a Personal Learning
Environment. Learners create connections and
develop a network that contributes to their
professional development and knowledge. The
learner does not have to know these people
personally or ever meet them in person.
(Wikipedia 10/17/11)

3. A
V
A
I
L
A
B
L
E
How PLN’s Works
I
N
F
O
R
M
A
T
I
O
N
Graphics by Corrine Weisberger & Shannan Butler

4. E
X
P
E
R
T
S
/
S
C
H
O
L
A
R
S

5. S
H
A
R
E

6. W
I
T
H
Y
O
U

7. Y
O
U
F
I
L
T
E
R

8. A
N
D
P
R
O
D
U
C
E

9. Y
O
U
S
H
A
R
E

10. W
I
N
/
W
I
N

12. WHO DO LEARN FROM?
All educators (and learners) can
benefit from extending their own
personal learning network
online – beyond the walls of
their schools, the boundaries
of their districts, and the
limits of their experience.

13. Benefits of a PLN
 Teachers become:
 Aware
 Connected
 Empowered
 Confident . . . .LEARNERS!

14. Core Elements of a
PLN
1. Connect
2. Contribute
3. Collaborate
4. Request

15. CONNECT
 The growth engine of your learning
network is your willingness to reach out
and make connections with new people.
 Leave comment on a blog
 Reply to a question on twitter
 Post on Google +
 BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT

16. CONTRIBUTE
 Share with others
 Your expertise or even your
struggles
 Your helping others

17. COLLABORATE
 Simple replies turn into
conversations
 Conversations turn into professional
relationships
 Relationships turn into collaboration

18. REQUEST
 If you are an active participant
when you request people will
respond.
 Response are immediate, will
address the request head-on, and
can save time by not relying on
google for your answers.

19. TOOLS
 BLOG – and use RSS aggregator
 Tweet
 Join a NING or a professional social
network.
 Use Google +

20. TO BE SUCCESSFUL
 Be Patient – it takes time to make
connections
 Be Authentic – don’t post to
sensationalize or gather followers.
Be sincere.

21. Quote….
“If your school system hasn’t
changed a year from now, I get
it… but if you haven’t changed
a year from now, you’re a
failure.”
Will Richardson, co-author of Personal
Learning Networks: Using the Power of
Connections to Transform Education

22. ALSO IMPORTANT

23. Teacher Organizations
 NEA – National Teacher Association (enrolled by
state org.)
 http://www.nea.org/
 ISTE – International Society for Technology in




Education
NJEA - http://www.njea.org/
NJAET – New Jersey Association of Educational
Technology http://www.njaet.org/njaet/
NJEEC – NJ Educational Computing Cooperative
- http://www.njecc.org/
SRI & ETTC – Stockton Collegehttp://www.ettc.net/

24. School Environment
 Colleagues
 In-service Workshops
 Department Meetings
 Informal conversations in the teacher’s
room

25. Assignment
1. Written PLN
2. Graphic representation of your
PLN.
3. Excel spreadsheet showing
alignment of projects with ISTE
nets* for teacher standards.

26. Works Cited
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Wikipedia.com
Online Learning insights.com
Gettingsmart.com
The Innovativeeducator.blogspot.com
Onceateacher.wordpress.com
teachersusingtech.weebly.com