A.+Start+your+PLN



Take the first (or next) steps to set up your PLN to develop a dynamic anytime, anywhere learning environment. Take the next step in setting up your Personal Learning Network while discussing with your peers how it can be incorporated into your daily work as an educator.


 * Personal Learning Networks** (or PLN's for short) consist of the people a learner interacts with and derives knowledge from in a Personal Learning Environment. An important part of this concept is the theory of connectivism developed by George Siemens and Stephen Downes. Learners create connections and develop a network that contributes to their professional development and knowledge. The learner does not have to know these people personally or ever meet them in person. The following is an excerpt from Dryden's and Vos' book on learning networks

//"For the first time in history, we know now how to store virtually all humanity's most important information and make it available, almost instantly, in almost any form, to almost anyone on earth. We also know how to do that in great new ways so that people can interact with it, and learn from it."// (from Wikipedia:[])

Check out this short clip below titled **'Sketchy Explanation: Starting a PLN'**. Although simple, it aims to articulate exactly what a PLN looks like for an educator as well as describes a few of the platforms that can be utilised to facilitate your own PLN.

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One of our fantastic educators in Western Sydney Region **Megan Townes** runs regular sessions with groups of teachers from her school. She calls these sessions **iCan**. Below is a short **SlideShare** of a presentation Megan presented last year titled 'iCan build a PLN using Twitter and Yammer' that provides her perspective on how she utilises a PLN to assist her in her busy teaching life. Thanks again Townesy!
 * media type="custom" key="9812647" align="center" || [[image:theconnectedteacher.jpg width="400" height="402" align="center"]] ||

media type="custom" key="9812453" __**Example Websites that can facilitate a PLN:**__
 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * Diigo
 * Delicious
 * [|LinkedIn]
 * Yammer and/or [|SocialText](DEC peeps only)

Ask me how today! I am here to help you establish your own relevant PLN.
 * Wanna start your own PLN?**

Ask me or others to show you what a PLN looks like and how it works.
 * Wanna see a PLN in action?**

In this session, we can share our recommended contacts.
 * Want to further develop your PLN with interesting people to follow?**

If you would like to run this in your school please view the Organisation Notes we used to run this event