Project #10

PLN (Personal Learning Network) --- A Beginning

As I was foraging through my Symbaloo I was thinking that my PLN really could use some "housecleaning"! It is CRAZY. Still, I know what is going on - unlike in my home! Yet, I have enjoyed my PLN without really realizing what I was doing. Is this the way learning should work? I am looking at my Twitter at least 3-5 times a day. This includes going and looking at #EDM310 and #edchat. Both of those I absolutely love! I get some great ideas or just points to ponder every single day.

Recently I have even taken information that I got off Twitter, copied it and sent it to teachers that are at my daughters school. Several of these teachers are amazed at the things I can do... Little do they know they can get this information too. (Unfortunately, none have asked!)

So, my PLN started with Twitter, then it grew to the teacher's blogs we have commented on so far this semester. Now I am adding Facebook pages of fellow teachers and Google+ circles! I am building relationships with perfect strangers all because of social networking! I know that building these relationships will be helpful to me in the future. When I have a problem I need a quick answer for - I will tweet my PLN! When I need research help, post it! My PLN has already served to get me out of a big jam in another class. I needed and interview subject. I had 4 fall through and my project was due in 3 days. I posted on Facebook my issue (and my frustration) I had TWO private messages telling me they wanted to help! That was in the first FIVE minutes! Thirty minutes later I was off to do my interview! That is why we have a PLN. We need other people to help us when we have a problem. We need to be there for others too. We are tomorrows educators and we need to know how to use the newest teaching tools at our disposal!

I know I am going to sound a bit childish when I say this, but I love my PLN - I hope you will create your own PLN and love it too!