3. Personal Learning Networks
What is a PLN?
People we learn from or share with
Colleagues, cohort groups, departments
Can be a simple as a formal meeting or an informal
meeting in the hallway
Digital technology has drastically improved the way we
share and find information
Ways to connect to other educators and PLN’s online
have dramatically increased in the last decade
10. What is Twitter?
A real time social network
Helps users share, follow, and interact with stories, links,
pictures, and video
Messages (aka Tweets) = 140 character limit
13. What is a hashtag?
# Hashtags are keywords that will help you find your
target audience
# Hashtags allow you to connect people around the
world to your content
# Hashtags give you the opportunity to participate in
chats based on shared interests
# Tweets that include hashtags get 2X more
engagement than those without
# Hashtags are not just for Twitter – You can use them
on Facebook and Google+.
14. General Teaching Hashtags
#EdTech– Anything related to technology in the classroom
#Education – Topics related to education
#Teachers – Topics focused on the teacher
#Elearning – Topics related to computer-based learning
#EdChat– A weekly discussion about education topics
#NTChat– New Teacher Chat (Wednesdays 7pm EST)
#TeachMeet– Connecting teachers
#EdNews– Education news feed
#ceoelearn– Catholic Education Chat (Very Active Feed)
#EdRefom– Education Reform
15. Subject Specific Hashtags
#elemchat– Elementary teacher chat
#Mathchat– Math teacher chat
#Engchat– English teacher chat
#Scichat– Science teacher chat (Tuesdays 9pm EST)
#sschat– Social studies chat
#Kinderchator #Kedu– Kindergarten teacher chat
#cpchat– Connected principals chat
#biochat– Biology chat (might get mixed results)
#tlchat– Teacher Librarian Chat
#1stchat, #2ndchat, #3rdchat – Talk to teachers that teach your grade level
#spedchat – Special Education Chat (Tuesdays 8:30pm EST)
19. Facebook
Most of us already useFacebook
Facebook is not just for connecting with old classmates
and friends
Let the PLN information come to you via your
FacebookFeed
“Like” pages and join groups that interest you. Posts will
show up on your feed.
Learn a little each day without trying!
23. Best Education “likes”
National Education Association – www.facebook.com/nea.org
NAEYC (National Association For the Education of Young
People – www.facebook.com/NAEYC
ADCD (International Education Association https://www.facebook.com/ascd.org
Edutopia- https://www.facebook.com/edutopia
Education Week - https://www.facebook.com/edweek
Connect a Million Minds https://www.facebook.com/ConnectaMillionMinds
24. Best EdTech “Likes”
ISTE – www.facebook.com/LikeISTE
#EdChat - https://www.facebook.com/EdchatPLN
Free Technology for Teachers https://www.facebook.com/FreeTech4Teachers
Emerging EdTech https://www.facebook.com/ConnectaMillionMinds
25. Best Local Ed “Likes”
Tri-County Alliance For Public Education https://www.facebook.com/TriCountyAllianceForPublicEducatio
n
Michigan Education Association https://www.facebook.com/michdepted
Michigan Education Association: Local 1 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michigan-EducationAssociation-Local-1/187166694658578
Save Michigan’s Public Schools https://www.facebook.com/SaveMIPublicSchools
*Warning – These are political organizations
27. LinkedIn
Find a job
Consult experts
Connect with old colleagues
Get recommendations
Join discussion groups or form your own on a topic of
interest
Keep an accurate contact list
Promote your blog or other extra curricular project
34. EDMODO
Over 4 Million users
Safe Facebook-style interface
Great for classes, but also a great PLN
Join Subject communities
Quick Response from members
Share resources
Get the latest news
Create a personal library
42. Ning
Allows for 24/7 availability of
discussions, resources, communication and collaboration.
Collaboration can be both synchronous and asynchronous.
Collaboration can occur cross-district with faculty from other
schools, grade levels and subject areas.
It evolves into a virtual storehouse for resources, tools, tips, tricks
and communication.
An easy-to-use platform for communication and information
dissemination to all members.
http://youtu.be/LpzfY0hPUjo
51. Google+
Like Facebook, but offers a better interface for PLNs
Most people have a Google account, which includes a
Google+ account
Easy to find communities and people to follow
52. Google+ Circles
Group people into circles according to the criteria you
choose
Follow updates and feeds for specific circles or combine
them into one feed
53. Google+ Circles
Check out this list of great people to add to your circles:
http://www.fractuslearning.com/2012/01/16/google-educators-circles/
54. Google+ Communities
Create your own private or public community
Follow posts in your feed from all communities and circles
Best Google+ Communities for educators:
Educational Technology Community
Google Apps for Education
EdTech
School Technology Leadership
Educational Leadership
MACUL
iPad Ed
STEM Educators
59. Flipboard.com
Flipboard
Curation tool – collect feeds from websites, blogs, tweets,
etc.
Save favorites to a magazine on your device
Available in iOS and Android
Follow your favorite hashtag chats
Step-by-step directions can be found here:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/create-an-education-newsfeed-with-the-flipboard-i.navId-610022.html
https://flipboard.com/section/teaching-today-bIT7ZI
60. tweetdeck.com
Tweet Deck
Easy to view feed of all of your Twitter information
Build columns of information you want to see
61. hootsuite.com
Hoot Suite
View feeds from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,and more!
Schedule Tweets
Connecting multiple accounts may cost $$$
63. Last, but not least……
Pintrest
Follow boards by your favorite
organizations, companies, or other individuals
Re-pin information that is interesting to you
1.Find a job:Post your public résumé (built-in search engine included) **Includes privacy options so that you can share only what you wish to share.Search for jobs for which you might be interested.2. Consult experts:Searchable users by name, position and institution, seeking out new potential contacts and reaching out to them with questions about experience about curriculum or lesson topics can be a breeze.3. Connect with old colleagues4. Get Recommendations: LinkedIn streamlined the age-old process of soliciting letters of recommendation by letting you issue and request personal statements from your colleagues. Think of them as added credibility that prospective employers can look at and consider when they start searching the Web for reasons to hire you.5. Form Discussion Groups about Departments and Policies:LinkedIn’s systems for setting up groups are wonderful. Each one can be public or private and hosts space for ongoing discussion threads.6. Keep an Accurate Contact List: Like Facebook, LinkedIn can be an invaluable tool for keeping track of your your social network's members as they move between zip codes, workplaces and even industries. The network also brings a messaging platform that doesn't require you to update addresses and numbers.