This document discusses how educators can expand their professional learning networks (PLNs) through social networking tools like Twitter, RSS feeds, and social bookmarking sites. It provides an overview of these tools and their benefits for professional development and combating isolation. The key recommendation is for educators to use these tools to connect with thousands of other educators worldwide to discuss educational issues, share resources and ideas, and gain access to a support network anytime.

1. Growing my Friends-List Twitter and Social Networking for Educators

2. When was the last time you… Discussed educational research? Discussed pedagogy? Shared ideas or advice? Argued over your curriculum? Suggested readings or read someone else’s? Left your classroom for ideas?

3. The problem with teaching in South Dakota? Isolation Never leave your room Never go into someone else’s Only one teaching subject

4. The problem with teaching in South Dakota? Professional Development Expensive Limited Local Options

5. The Solution Expand your PLN!?!

6. What is a PLN/PLP/PLE? Whatever distinctions you choose to make, and whatever you call it, it is tailored to you.

7. Map of My PLN before August 2009 Grand total 42 People

8. Map of my PLN Today Over 3,540 Members of EduPLN Over 2,800 members of the AP-Chem List-serv Over 2,200 members of the AP-Physics List-serv Over 350 people connected to me on Twitter

9. Tools that I’ve used Del.icio.us Distributed Lists Twitter Ning Google Reader/RSS

10. Del.icio.us Just one of many social bookmarking sites, Digg, StumbleUpon, Mixx, Use tags to mark websites See who else has marked that website See what other sites they have marked http://delicious.com/Mr.Haugen

11. Mail Distribution Lists Get to know your mail options. Using Rules to pre-sort Sort by thread College Board Discussions Teachers.net Google for Educators

13. Conversational

15. Too Fast

16. Too many conversations

17. A lot of ‘junk’

18. You miss things when you aren’t onlinehttp://www.twitter.com/JR_Haugen

19. Tips for Using Twitter Adapted from David Hopkins’s blog Don’t Waste Your Time Work out what you want to get out of Twitter Make sure you put some relevant and interesting information in your Twitter profile Share and share alike. Look at the people who follow someone in your network. Don’t be afraid to ‘block’ people who you don’t think you want following you. Don’t worry about numbers

20. More Basic Tips Re-Tweet the ideas of others @<username> - respond to others, have conversations #followfriday (#ff)– suggest people to follow #edchat – Video Use groups Skip the celebrities…

21. More Advanced Tips Use What the Hashtag? – find out what the abbreviations mean Use Twitcleaner– Use URL Shortening services Tiny URL Use Desktop applications to manage Twitter Tweetdeck

22. Who to follow? The founders of #edchat @ShellTerrell @tomwhitby @web20classroom @bhsprincipal @MrR0g3rs @irasocol @TeachPaperless Many more by subject at http://twitter4teachers.pbworks.com/

24. More moderated

25. Persistent

27. Imagine… Having someone there for you when you need it… at any time

28. Closing Thought The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what (awards) he is capable of receiving. The most important motive … in life is the pleasure of working and thereby obtaining results which will serve the community. The most important task for our educators is to awaken and encourage these psychological forces in a young man {or woman}. Such a basis alone can lead to the joy of possessing one of the most precious assets in the world - knowledge or artistic skill. ~Albert Einstein

29. References Hopkins, David. "Twitter Tips: for Teachers & Educators." eLearning Blog Don't Waste Your Time. David Hopkins, 09 MAY 2009. Web. 13 Apr 2010. Cassinelli, Colette. "What is a PLN and Why do I need one?." edtech VISION. Colette Cassinelli, 15 Feb 2010. Web. 14 Apr 2010.