Connecting with other educators is important for our professional growth. Online connections help this to happen. This is a presentation I delivered in 2009.
1. The Power of the
Online
Professional Learning
Network
Helen Otway
Manor Lakes P-12 Specialist
College
2. Background
Teacher at Essendon Nth PS
Leading Teacher at Parkwood Green PS
Ultranet Coach, WMR, DEECD
Assistant Principal - ICT/Student
Learning at Manor Lakes
P-12/Specialist School
3. Guiding questions…
What is an online Professional Learning
Network (PLN)?
How is this different to traditional Professional
Learning experienced in schools?
How has Web 2.0 made an impact on
Professional Learning for educators?
What are some examples and tools for online
PLNs?
4. “When I first began teaching in the
1980s as a graduate, the people I
would turn to for support would be my
fellow teachers and my leadership
team. They knew everything I needed
to know about what to teach and how
to teach it. Or so it seemed.”
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/the-power-of-the-professional-learning-netw
/
6. “At times, depending on budget
allocations, I could go off to a PD
to hear what was happening with
Literacy or with new technologies.
This information sat with me until I
was ready to use it or would be
buried within my mind with all the
chores that were more pressing at
the time.”
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/the-power-of-the-professional-learning-netw
/
7. Traditional Professional
Development
Whole school PD
After school - 3:45pm
Offsite workshops
Planned for you
Scheduled
Have to attend
8. “In 2008 this would no longer be
enough for me and wonder if it is
enough for others. Admittedly I am
not a graduate teacher anymore but
still feel that there is a wealth of new
knowledge and experiences,
especially in the area of ICT out
there that I cannot ignore. So would
my immediate colleagues be able to
support my desire to learn and grow
now?”
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/the-power-of-the-professional-learning-network
/
10. “In the last 8 months my life as a
teacher and learner has changed
somewhat to include a new online
Professional Learning Network
(PLN). A network that is growing
and fluid enough to accommodate
my wonderings and discoveries, my
shifts in mindset and my whims.”
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/the-power-of-the-professional-learning-netw
/
12. Implications of Web 2.0
on Professional Learning
Learning -
Anytime, anywhere
Interactive and dynamic
Collaborative and connected
Relevant and purposeful
Spontaneous and open
Reflective
13. Steve Hargadon’s 10 Trends
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/tag/twitter/
New publishing revolution
A tidal wave of information
Everything is becoming participative
The new pro-sumers
The age of the collaborator
An explosion of innovation
The world gets even flatter and faster
Social learning moves towards centre stage
The long tail
Social networking really opens up a party!
14. Why Professional Learning?
Knowing what to do
Knowing how to do it
Knowing the best way or other ways to do
something
Knowing where to find help
Knowing who to ask for help
Do these fit with your expectations of PL?
15. Online Professional Learning
Networks
Ning (social network/website)
Blog (online journal)
Twitter (micro-blogging)
Diigo (social book-marking)
And heaps more!!
We will look more closely at the top four
16. “As a result of joining these online
communities and developing them into my
own PLNs, I have been on a huge
learning curve and also a journey that I
have some say, in how and when I learn. I
am able to self regulate my professional
growth and can share my reflections
along the way through the same networks
that support me. This blog helps me to
process and document my journey.”
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/2008/05/31/the-power-of-the-professional-learning-network
/
18. Ning Interestingness!!
Launched in 2005 Join discussions and
Online platform forums
Add friends or
Join networks ‘colleagues’
Create own profile page Join groups with specific
Make it unique interests
Add photos, text, and Create you own group
videos Create your own network
Write a blog post Over 500,000 networks
now
21. Blog Interestingness!!
Short for weblog Shared online over the
A web page Internet
Journal like Read by your network and
Most recent entries or others
‘posts’ go to the top of the Subscribed to
page Hosted by -
Text, images, videos can – Edublogs
be included – Campus Edublogs
Personalised – Blogger
– Typepad
22. Some Examples …
http://helenotway.edublogs.org/ Helen Otway
http://mscofino.edublogs.org/ Kim Cofino
http://heyjude.wordpress.com/ Judy O’Connell
http://betch.edublogs.org/ Chris Betcher
http://weblogg-ed.com/ Will Richardson
http://theopenclassroom.blogspot.com/
Jo McLeay
24. Twitter Interestingness!!
Free online micro- Follow people with
blogging service similar interests
Users send and receive Have updates sent to
updates mobile
Messages are no longer Direct message someone
than 140 characters Seek advice
Begin with the question - Answer other people’s
What are you doing? queries
Add friends and follow
25. Why use it? Twitter
To be connected with like minded people
To share links and ideas
To learn what is happening with education
locally and globally
Or as an ICT facilitator in NZ put it -
And a university lecturer says
-
28. Diigo Interestingness!!
Social book-marking Add friends
service Join groups
Like delicious Pool resources for
Save ‘favourites’ to specific projects
the Internet Annotate and add
Access book-marks on sticky notes to a
any computer at website or article
anytime