This document discusses creating an online personal learning network (PLN). It defines a PLN as a networked learning environment where educators make connections with like-minded professionals to share and learn from each other. The key elements of a PLN are making connections, contributions, conversations and requests. Teachers with PLNs can experience increased student achievement through access to global educators and resources. The document outlines starting a PLN through information aggregation using RSS feeds and readers or through social media connections on platforms like Twitter. It provides examples of online professional networks and tools like Diigo and Scoop.it that can be used to curate and share information as part of developing an effective PLN.

1. Creating an Online
Personal Learning Network
Jennifer Lamb
Technology Integration Specialist
Saint Gertrude High School
VAIS 2012

2. What is a PLN?
 Networked learning environment
 Create your own connections with like-minded
educators who are passionate about learning
 Share what you learn with others and vice
versa
 Quality of connections are important, not
quantity

3. Key Elements of a PLN
 Making Connections
 Making Contributions
 Making Conversations
 Making Requests

4. Teachers with a PLN have:
 Elevated student achievement
 Instant access to a vast network of educators
around the world
 Shared learning resources and support…
sometimes instantly!

5. Sketch Explanation: Starting a PLN

6. Two Types of PLNs
• Information Aggregation
• Social Media Connections
• Decide if you want:
• An information aggregation network
• A social media network
• Both!

7. Then

8. Now

9. Information Aggregation
 “Really Simple Syndication”-RSS
 Websites distribute new content through RSS
feeds
 Automatically receive updated information
through a ‘Reader’
 Need a reader to receive a feed
 Universal sign for RSS feed is

10. Real Simple Syndication
 Subscription is FREE
 Subscribe to updates that are relevant to YOU
 Stop browsing the WEB
 Quickly skim UPDATES
 Saves time, increases knowledge

11. Google Reader
www.google.com/reader
 Add RSS feeds through browse or search
features
 Copy and paste to add feed URLs by right
clicking on RSS symbols to copy and paste into
your reader
 Subscribe from individual site
 Can add ‘bundles’ on a particular topic
 If you don’t use Google for your email, you can
create an account to use Reader.

12. What can you subscribe to?
 News Feeds
 Blogs
 Podcasts
 Wikis
 Social Bookmarking

13. Benefits of Information
Aggregation PLN?
 Works with blogs, websites, and Google
searches
 Stay up to date with current topics/issues
 All of your information in one place at one
time
 Wide range of sources
 Great place to start your PLN

14. What does an Information
Aggregation PLN lack?
 Interactivity-you can post a comment on a
blog but you won’t get an instant response to
a question
 A sense of community
 The opportunity to ‘give back’ and share with
the wider community

15. So, how about growing a
Social Media PLN?
 Start with TWITTER
 Building your Network
 Start Small
 You don’t have to tweet at first…you can just follow
 Find a few key ‘tweeps’ then see who they follow

16. Twitter
 Begin by following and reading; search for
some hash tags
 Once you find good people to follow, check
out who THEY are following
 Some tweets have links, some are
conversational
 #edchat is a good place to start

17. Online Professional
Networks
 Classroom 2.0
 Educator’s PLN
 Smartboard Revolution

18. Classroom 2.0 - Ning
www.classroom20.com

19. Ready to get started?
JUMP IN!

20. Consume
1) Pick 3 blogs and begin to read them.
2) Subscribe to the blogs you selected through
Google Reader
3) Join an Online Professional Network
 Classroom 2.0
 Educator’s PLN
1) Sign up for Twitter
 Read tweets from educational ‘tweeters’
 Enter hash tags to follow conversations

21. Curate
 Get accounts with Diigo and Scoop.it
 Install browser toolbar extensions so material
can be added with the click of a button

22. Diigo-Annotate, Archive, Organize
www.diigo.com

23. Diigo - Social Bookmarking
 Replaces solitary bookmarking; share with the
greater public
 Important component to PLN
 Follow others’ bookmarks
 Diigo toolbar can be added to browser for
quick organization
 Annotate sites by tag, highlight and sticky
note any site you’ve bookmarked
 Plan out your tags so you stay consistent

24. Scoop.it: Easily create an online magazine and
share with others. Publish by curation.
www.scoop.it

25. Scoop.it
 Curate and Share information
 Browser button allows puts articles/sites on
digital magazine
 Can follow others’ curated topics
 Free account allows 2 Scoop.it topics

26. Converse
 Blogs
 Comment on a blog post from one of the blogs you
are now following
 Twitter
 Reply to or initiate a tweet
 Online Communities
 Ask a question

27. Levels of Participation
 Spectators
 Conversationalists
 Contributors
 Creators

29. Connect!
Good luck growing your PLN.
 integrationed@gmail.com
 Twitter: integrationed
 Scoop.it integrationed
 Diigo: jrlamb