Unit 14: Personal Learning Networks

Topic outline

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  General

  

  http://teachersusingtech.weebly.com/personal-learning-networks.html
  

  • KICTCFT Competency
    The teacher to set up his/her own Personal Learning Network (PLN) using a combination of technologies and tools.

    Specific Objectives: On completion of this unit you will be able to:

    1. Discuss the benefits of Personal Learning Networks
    2. Set up a combination of digital tools to access experts and online communities to support professional growth
  • Unit 14 Glossary of Terms

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  What is a PLN?

  • Recommended time: 25 minutes

  •  Sub-unit Competency
    

    In this sub-unit we will introduce the concept of a Personal Learning Network often abbreviated as PLN.

  • What is a PLN? Page

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  • Activity 1: Definitions

    1. Watch the introductory video and study the reading entitled, 'What is a PLN?'
    2. Spend some time investigating the blog entry from 'Once A Teacher.....' Make sure you watch the video on the 'Networked Student'.
  • Importance of continious professional development from NI3C Page

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  • Klingensmith, K. (2009). Your PLN Made Easy URL

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  Types and Benefits of PLN

  • Recommended time: 30 minutes

  •  Sub-unit Competency
    

    This block focuses on the types of connections that exist in a Personal Learning Network. Some networks are maintained personally, some combine personal and social while others are quite dynamic. It is important to look at these three as we consider how to use these networks to our advantage and professional development as teachers.

  • Activity 2: Types of PLN
    

    1. Study the introductory reading below entitled, 'Types of Personal Learning Networks'.
  • Types of Personal Learning Networks Page

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  • 2. Setting up a PLN might sound daunting but in reality you most likely already have some of the tools and services set up. Let's investigate what others in the group are already using. Access the forum below entitled 'Do you already have elements of a PLN set up? Forum' and discuss this issue as a group.
  • Do you already have elements of a PLN set up? Forum

    Make forum posts: 2
  • 3. Still not sure what tools you could combine to set up your own PLN? Then do this little exercise below to get some ideas.
  • PLN Tools and their Functions Quiz

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  • 4. By now you know what a PLN is... So what frustrations or issues do you see ahead in setting up your own PLN? Use the chat facility below to discuss this with your peers.
  • Barriers to Success in Setting up your own PLN Chat

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  How to Establish a Personal Learning Network

  • Recommended time: 45 minutes

  •  Sub-unit Competency
    

    So what is entailed in setting up a PLN? It is not a case of just signing up and will take a bit of effort and thought to make it really useful. By the end of this sub-unit you will have set up a component of your PLN.

  • Activity 3: Setting up a PLN
    

    1. Study the introductory reading below entitled, 'How to establish a PLN'.
  • How to Establish a PLN Page

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  • 2. A useful PLN service is Twitter so let's set this up. Go online to Twitter using the link below and create an account. If you already have an account, log in.
  • Twitter URL
  • 3. Now follow these steps inside the Twitter program;
       • Click on the ‘Who to Follow’ tab from the menu at the top of the screen.
       • In the ‘Who to Follow’ search field, insert a phrase like ‘Teaching history’ that reflects your interest.
       • A set of search results appears where numerous users are listed. Select one and their profile appears in the right hand panel. Look for the Tweet summary where you can see how many people that person is following and how many are following him or her. (Tip: People who have more ‘followers’ than they are ‘following’ tend to be more interesting… however, this is hardly a golden rule. You will also see that the results do not only list individuals. Some are organisations.)
       • Select a few individuals and organisations to follow.
       • Now look for a few colleagues of your class by using the search facility.
       • Accept all requests to be followed from your class colleagues.
       • Keep an eye on your home page in Twitter because it will list the tweets (posts) from your network.
       • If you have a smart phone its a good idea to install the Twitter app so that you get the posts directly to your phone.
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  How to Grow the PLN

  • Recommended time: 70 minutes

  •  Sub-unit Competency
    

    Networks take some time and effort to grow. They will not support you properly until they have a certain size and dynamism. In this sub-unit you will find out how to grow your PLN.

  • Activity 4: Growing the PLN
    

    1. Study the resources below that provide a guide on how best to grow your PLN.
  • Weisgerber, C. (2010). How to Create Your PLN Page

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  • Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your PLN File

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  • Nielsen, L. (2008). 5 things you can do to begin developing your PLN URL

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  • Casey, L. (2009). How's Your PLN? URL

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  • Whitby, T. (2014). The Educator's PLN URL

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  • Video - Personal Learning Networks for Educators (Skip Via) Page

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  • 2. Any ideas yet on what your PLN will look like? What tools and contacts do you think will make sense to you? Access the forum below, entitled 'My PLN' and describe the ideal network. Make sure you comment on your colleagues' posts.
  • My PLN Forum

    Make forum posts: 2
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  Being Part of a MOOC Community

  • Recommended time: 70 minutes

  •  Sub-unit Competency
    

    The latest trend in online professional development (PD) is to join a MOOC: a Massive, Open, Online Course. In this sub-unit we will unpack the MOOC concept and then investigate what PD opportunities exist online. On completion of this sub-unit you will have joined a MOOC.

  • Activity 5: MOOCs for Professional Development

    1. Watch the video below that describes what a MOOC is and how they are organised.
  • Video - What is a MOOC? (Cormier) Page

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  • 2. Let us now see what PD opportunities exist for educators. We will investigate only one MOOC platform but one that is very popular: Coursera.
  • Coursera: Teacher Professional Development Opportunities URL

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  • 3. Look through the PD courses designed specifically for teacher development. Do you see anything particularly interesting for you? Do you want to complete a course and add the lecturers and class mates as part of your PLN? If so, sign up with Coursera and enroll for an online course.
  • Portfolio Assignment: Draw your PLN

    If we could draw our own PLN what would it look like? Choose a drawing package and see if you can draw or describe what your PLN might look like. Perhaps describe it like a 'spider-diagram' or create a map. Be creative. Elements that should be in your drawing are:

    • The different PLN tools you are or are going to use (e.g. Twitter, Skype, Coursera etc.)
    • The experts you intend to link with (e.g. Cormier, Robinson etc.)
    • Your colleagues at school or who are part of this course.
    • Approximate schedule. When will you interact or how often do you intend consulting the PLN etc.

    When you have completed your drawing upload it using the assignment upload tool below.

  • Evaluation Criteria for Unit 14 Portfolio Assignment File

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  • Portfolio Item #14: Draw Your PLN Assignment

    Make a submission Receive a grade
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  Conclusion and Summary

  • Facilitator Feedback

    Once you have completed the readings and activities above access the audio summary of this block prepared by the facilitator on the salient points of this unit.

  • Unit 14 Audio Summary File

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  • Unit 14 Self Evaluation Quiz.

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    Test yourself to see if you have understood the content of this unit.

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  Attribution

  • Open Education Resources

    The following Open Education Resources (OER) have been adapted to create this unit on professional development:

    1. Commonwealth of Learning. (nd). Commonwealth Certificate for Teacher ICT Integration (CCTI). COL/SchoolNet SA. - Available online here
    2. Commonwealth of Learning/Commonwealth Secretariat/Ministry of Education, Guyana. (2012). ICT in Education for Teachers - Lifelong Learning II. - Available here

    Images have been adapted from:

    3. Ipapun. (2014). Devine Icons. Free for non commercial use - Available online here

    The following references are also acknowledged:

    4. Casey, L. (2009). How's Your PLN? – Available online here
    5. Cormier, D. (2010). What is a MOOC? YouTube - Available online here
    6. Klingensmith, K. (2009). Your PLN Made Easy – Available online here
    7. Nielsen, L. (2008). 5 things you can do to begin developing your PLN – Available online here
    8. Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your PLN - Available here
    9. Weisgerber, C. (2010). How to Create Your PLN Page – Available online here
    10. Whitby, T. (2014). The Educator's PLN – Available online here
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  Credits and License

  • This unit was adapted from OER and developed further by Ms Anne Gatende, Ms Shelmith Wanjohi, Mr Ronald Rop and Ms Ann Brenda Nyanjugu.

    

    All material in this Kenya ICT CFT Course unit is licensed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Kenya under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License with the exception of the resources listed below:

    Casey, L. (2009). How's Your PLN?; 
    Cormier, D. (2010). What is a MOOC? YouTube; 
    Klingensmith, K. (2009). Your PLN Made Easy; 
    Nielsen, L. (2008). 5 things you can do to begin developing your PLN; 
    Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your PLN; 
    Weisgerber, C. (2010). How to Create Your PLN Page; 
    Whitby, T. (2014). The Educator's PLN.

    All content not licensed under a Creative Commons license is all rights reserved, and you must request permission from the copyright owner to use this material.

     

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  Pilot Feedback

  • The KICTCFT Course is in its pilot phase. Please provide feedback on your experience of this unit so that we might improve it.

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  • Unit 14 Pilot Feedback

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  Topic 10
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  Topic 11