Personal Learning Networks are one of the hottest topics in education these days. But what is a PLN? How do I get one started? Which technology should I use? Where do I find people? Is it ok to follow people and what if they are following me? All of these are common and important questions you and your teachers are asking when they hear about this concept. PLN’s can be one of the most powerful tools to gain knowledge on your curriculum and technology. Classroom teachers make up an incredible knowledge base that organizations and authors have been reaching out to forever, but anyone can access these resources and should.
Classroom teachers, Educational Organizations and Coordinators provide wonderful resources online for free consisting of best practices, collaboration opportunities, reviews of materials and products and technology applications. The trick is knowing where to find them and how to build a network.
During this workshop classroom teachers will learn the basics of PLN, learn the technologies involved, discuss management tips and spend time building their own PLN networks for them to enjoy for years to come. We will look at blogging, microblogging, podcasting, wiki’s, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and their aggregators as tools to build you PLN. Sharing is as important as finding content. We will discuss some of the dos and don’ts with social media and how you can look like a shining star vs. the newbie muddling through Internet. Examples will be provided on each format and teachers will learn ways to manage these technologies into a simple and easy to use format.