This document discusses the author's experience building a personal learning network (PLN) in an education course over the summer. It introduces various online tools that can be used to connect with others, share information, and collaborate as part of a PLN. The author explores how to use tools like blogs, Twitter, Facebook and RSS feeds to expand their PLN and engage with course readings, guest speakers and other students. By the end, the author feels their PLN will be an ongoing part of their learning and connections with other educators.

1. Personal Learning NetworkEDUC 689 Informal Learning (Summer 2011)Karen D. Mattingly

2. Where have I been…where shall we go… where will we be? When the semester began, I expected chaos—but I also knew that the center would hold—once I found it! When I embarked upon this journey, I was not sure where the path would lead, but accepted the challenge and, in a very short time, I ultimately found my rhythm with the barrage of new information, new people, new ways of thinking… And then I established a Personal Learning Network… CHAOS - Where Brilliant Dreams are Born Before the beginning of great brilliance, there must be Chaos. Before a brilliant person begins something great, they must look foolish to the crowd. I Ching

3. What is a Personal Learning Network?

4. What is a Personal Learning Network? …and what is it going to mean to me?

5. What is a Personal Learning Network? …and what is it going to mean to me? What is a PLN?A PLN is a way for me to make connections and share ideas and resources. I have a PLN with like-minded friends and colleagues that I work with. Functions of a PLN:Connect  Collaborate  Contribute Benefits of a PLN: I will become Aware, Connected, Empowered, Confident. “The Internet is just a world passing around notes in a classroom.” - Jon Stewart

6. What is a Personal Learning Network? …and what is it going to mean to me? Growing my personal and professional learning network!I am always and ever a LEARNER!BONUS: every tool we explored this summer is FREE!

7. What is a Personal Learning Network? …and what is it going to mean to me? I am energized and dedicated to building and nurturing my Personal Learning Network.…and now I can also have one online where you can reach and connect with educators from around the state, country, and world. What a great resource!

8. My Personal Learning Network…step by step 1. Join a network! - completed my profile - post messages 2. Find people to follow! - find people with interests similar to yours - follow people others are talking to - search for people whose blogs you read 3. Join a conversation! - post responses to people’s messages 4. Start a conversation! - post a question - add a poll - post a link to something interesting

9. New Tools? How Cool?

10. New Tools? How Cool? How can I use these tools in my PLN? Digital tools and services will allow me to: * Publish and share content * Collaborate with others * Form communities of interest * Provide added value and context to knowledge

11. New Tools? Way Cool! Diigo Flickr Google Docs Jing Poll Everywhere Skype Slideshare Survey Monkey Twitter/Tweetdeck Wallwisher Wordle Yammer YouTube Click links to learn more about how EDUC 689 uses these cool new tools!

13. In EDUC 689 class this summer, we shared new tools (how cool?),

14. book reports, links, and other information. …What is Facebook?The largest of the social networks (more than 500 million active users!), Facebook has become a favorite destination for people, businesses, and organizations to connect and share information because of its easy-to-use interface and inter-active features. Members can post text, pictures, audio, and video. It also offers lots of applications and widgets that can make your Facebook Page engaging and fun.What more information about Facebook? Click here.

16. I connected with EDUC 689 to discuss readings.

17. I connected with guest speakers and other organizations to explore new ideas.

18. I think I get it now.

20. EDUC 689 Class kept blogs! This summer, we kept blogs where we shared our ideas about the tools, the people, and ideas that we shared. I found that the best part about keeping a blog is that I can write whatever I feel like—stuff that I might not be ready to publish. It might be an idea that I want to explore…it might be something I want to learn more about…it might be something that’s just for fun. The most important thing that I told myself is that I should keep writing. Keep thinking!

21. Guest Speakers

22. Guest Speakers E-mail: cammybean@gmail.com Twitter: @cammybeanBlog: Learning VisionsLinkedIn: LinkedIn

23. Guest Speakers Jane Bozarth E-mail: info@bozarthzone.com Twitter: @JaneBozarth Blog: bozarthzoneLinkedIn: LinkedIn

24. Guest Speakers Koreen Olbrish E-mail: koreen.olbrish@tandem-learning.com Twitter: @KoreenOlbrish Blog: Learning In TandemLinkedIn: LinkedIn

25. Guest Speakers Aaron Silvers E-mail: contact@aaronsilvers.comTwitter: @aaronesilversBlog: www.aaronsilvers.com LinkedIn: LinkedIn

26. Following lots of new people on Twitter! …personal learning network expanding….

27. Book Club

28. Book Club Click here for Chris’s and Kay’s book report Click here for more info and to go to Health Brothers blog

29. Book Club Click here for Edward’s and Steve’s book report Click here for more info and to go to Seth Godin’s blog

30. Book Club Click here for Julie’s and Karen’s book report Click here for more info and to go to Dan Pink’s blog

31. Class Readings& questions on Twitter! Click here for more info and to go to Clay Shirky’s blog

32. Class Readings& questions on Twitter! Click here for more info and to go to Jay Cross’s and Internet Time Blog

33. How can I keep track of all of this information—websites, news, Blogs, &c? I use an RSS feeder (RSS stands for either Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) to keep track of my blog and other news subscriptions and stay current with things that are important to me. RSS allows me to set up and manage my subscriptions and unleash the power of my new Personal Learning Network. I will spend more time with setting to maximize the potential of my RSS feed subscriptions.

34. More Tools! Blogging Micro-Blogging Photo Sharing Video Sharing RSS Online Collaboration Widgets Social Networking

35. My Personal Learning Network is part of my…

36. The journey has only just begun… It is hard to believe that it is already the end of the semester. I have been so many exciting places, and met so many wonderful people—people whom I hope will remain in my personal and professional learning networks. "We cannot live for ourselves alone. Our lives are connected by a thousand invisible threads, and along these sympathetic fibers, our actions run as causes and return to us as results." – Herman Melville (1819-1891) Keep in Touch! Check out where you can find me!E-mail: karendmattingly@gmail.com Twitter: @karenmattinglyBlog: anotherinscrutablehouse.blogspot.comGoogle+: Karen MattinglyLinkedIn: LinkedIn