Wednesday, January 16, 2013

How to Build a PLN

       Teachers are one of the few groups of professionals who are almost always passionate about what we do for a living (we kind of have to be!), so in many ways I always viewed a teacher as a personal learning network member out of just their interest for new things in the field, their desire to problem solve, and the need to work collaboratively with others around them.  In our reading this week a picture was included that highlighted what I assumed a PLN pretty much was, just a connection between you and documents, curriculum, and other professionals in the field/building. 
      
http://edtechpost.wikispaces.com/file/view/MyPLN.png/256240556/MyPLN.png
Yes I know it's not English, but it captures the view of a PLN so well
       After doing some research and reading though, the biggest difference is the amount you as the educator put back in.  We encourage our students to be interactive group members in our classrooms and contribute to the knowledge of the group to build understanding, why shouldn't we be doing the same.  This is the concept behind a PLN, your a true group member, not just someone who comes along to skim for the knowledge you need without leaving any personal imprint.
     
        This blog is step one in PLN creation, our thoughts broadcast to our readers, and class members and the active communication that stems from it creates deeper understanding, new ideas, and collaborations that problem solve and move forward.  Off the top of my head when you use any of the following tools, you are building a PLN:

The idea is the ideas keep building as you work within your PLN that you've built up professionally.
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4 comments:

  1. UnknownJanuary 16, 2013 at 6:42 PM

    I appreciate your focus on participating and giving quality feedback as a part of your PLN. I am guilty of gathering and not giving many times as a part of my own PLN. I think it is part of the process of figuring out your network and where you fit with so many resources out there.

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  2. Gina HartmanJanuary 19, 2013 at 2:37 PM

    Ryan - Did anything stick out to you from the reading this week?

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    1. R. AlcamoJanuary 19, 2013 at 6:47 PM

      Talk about coincidental timing. The view of this chapter completely changed after our PD day on Friday. Key ideas from this chapter were the entire focus of our collaboration. Our classrooms will not look anything like they do now with the amount of technological tools students have, and the role of the teacher completely shifts to a facilitator of online interaction instead. What sticks out at me at first was the overwhelming shift we face, but knowing this is a gradual change that we can shape is more comforting. The tools the reading suggests is nothing really new to most teachers just as being members of society in today's world, we just need to look at them in ways of how we use them educationally. Moving away from just memorizing facts to the skills of finding and applying materials available to them online as networked learners.

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  3. UnknownJanuary 19, 2013 at 6:20 PM

    I enjoyed your picture. I agree, that we expect our students to be interactive members in collaborative groups and respond to each other, we as teachers need to do the same. I can honestly say, I am a victim of just searching for information I need and not commenting back and giving my own input. I really need to do better at that when focusing on participating in PLN's.

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