Welcome to our professional learning series on building a PLN.

This self-paced free course guides you step-by-step through the process of setting up your own PLN.

We have an optional PDF workbook that will help to keep you on track and focused as you work through the 7 steps of this course. Scroll down and click on the ‘download’ button under the document to save it to your computer.

Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?

Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab

Download

The aim of this first step is to:

  1. Unpack the definition of a PLN and “connected educator”
  2. Help you understand why educators create their own PLNs and how they use them

What Is A PLN?

Back in 1998 when the internet was in its infancy, Daniel R. Tobin wrote an article about the term “Personal Learning Network” which was abbreviated to PLN. This term was used to describe a network of people and resources that support ongoing learning.

Whether or not Tobin actually coined the term PLN is up for debate. As Clint Lalonde has pointed out, others, such as Dori Digenti, also wrote about the term in the late 90s.

Digeni said,

The PLN consists of relationships between individuals where the goal is enhancement of mutual learning. The currency of the PLN is learning in the form of feedback, insights, documentation, new contacts, or new business opportunities. It is based on reciprocity and a level of trust that each party is actively seeking value-added information for the other.

The term has evolved and is now sometimes referred to as a Professional Learning Network — taking into account that fact that most “connected educators” use their PLN for professional growth and interaction.

As Tom Whitby has pointed out, there can even be a hybrid of the personal or professional learning network — the Personalized Learning Network.

…the shift in nuance maintains that participants are both personal and professional learners. A PLN is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time. Participating educators, worldwide, make requests and share resources.

Are PLNs Exclusive To Education?

PLNs don’t just exist in the education world. They are important in all aspects of the business world, various vocations, and hobbies.

We contacted Daniel R. Tobin to ask him about how he came up with the term Personal Learning Network. We wanted to find out if he coined the term in relation to a particular industry or field.

Daniel told us,

It came from my own experience.

As I was thinking about how I had learned to do the various jobs I had over the course of my career, I realized that I had built an extensive network of people who had helped me learn. These included managers and colleagues and people I had met while doing research for my books, speaking at conferences, attending workshops, etc.

As I started writing about corporate training and development, I realized that what I had learned from my PLN was greater and more important than what I had learned from my formal education.

Interestingly, many teachers who are active online have remarked that they’ve learned a great deal more from their PLN than from any professional development session they’ve attended.

Are PLNs Something New?

All teachers know successful teaching and learning does not occur in a vacuum. Teachers have always relied on others for guidance, ideas, inspiration, support, and new perspectives. Naturally, some teachers are more active in their interactions than others.

Traditionally, all this interaction might take place in one school community. Teachers might have rarely connected with educators from other locations — apart from an occasional conference or professional development opportunity.

Technology changed all this.

Like in many other industries, educators now have access to people from all corners of the globe 24/7. This may largely be through social media but other platforms as well, such as blogs, online communities, and news sites.

So many barriers have been removed — geography, culture, language, timezones, travel, costs, logistics.

Embracing new networks and building a PLN doesn’t mean throwing out your old connections. Of course, it will always be valuable to talk to the teachers next door and down the hall. But imagine the possibilities of building on that network in diverse ways!

Video: What is A PLN?

Want to learn more about what is a PLN? This is Marc-André Lalande’s take on the matter in less than two minutes.

Being A Connected Educator

A connected educator is someone who collaborates online and uses a range of tools to build their own PLN.

Watch the following five minute video to learn more about being a connected educator. It shows interviews with educators who explain the importance of being “connected” in order to be effective teachers and leaders.

Why Create A PLN?

There are many reasons why all teachers should develop a PLN.

Here are eight benefits of having a PLN:

  1. You are in charge of your own professional development. PD is no longer something that you have to “sit and get”.
  2. You can explore your own interests, needs, and passions (or your students’). You might have a student who is struggling with reading, or you might have heard of makerspaces and decide you want to learn more about that, maybe you have a student who wants to research global warming, or perhaps you want to find a better system for running a sports day at your school. You can turn to your PLN for advice and support with all these sorts of things.
  3. 24/7 learning offers the flexibility to learn and connect at a time that suits you. You don’t have to wait for a PD or conference. And 24/7 learning certainly doesn’t mean you have to be constantly online either — you decide how much time you want to invest and when.
  4. You can learn and connect in a way that you enjoy. This might be via videos, podcasts, text, social media, Skype, blogging … the list goes on.
  5. There can be light and shade to your PLN. You can engage in a general chat about education (or anything) to debrief, laugh, or unwind. Or, you can engage in deep discussion, debate, and reflection that can really challenge and transform your thinking and teaching. The choice is yours and there will probably be a time and place for both.
  6. You can stay current on research and best practice, regardless of whether this information is being discussed in your own school, district (or even country!).
  7. A PLN allows for broad brainstorming or fine tuning. You might know very little about a certain topic and ask your PLN for any/all entry points into exploring the concept. At the other end of the spectrum, you may have already done a lot of work on a topic and use your PLN to fine tune your ideas and resources.
  8. Globally connected students need globally connected teachers. Having your own PLN is a key way to also help your students connect with others and start developing their own networks. We know this is important to enrich student learning and help students thrive in the changing labor market.

Feel free to use the following graphic on your blog or share it with your colleagues.

Why teachers should build a PLN Summary Edublogs Teacher Challenge

Four Big Ideas Around The Connected Educator

Silvia Tolisana (aka Langwitches) has written about four big ideas that surface when thinking about connected educators.

4 Big Ideas Around The Connected Educator - model, isolation, crowdsource, perspective

I think about the isolation of a teacher within their classroom walls and how connectedness to a global network of experts and peers could expose and add multiple perspectives to their world view and professional practice.

I am amazed every time by the transformative nature of teaching and learning, when harnessing the power of a network to crowdsource authentic data, resources, connections and collaborators.

Last, but not least, the idea of being able to model for our students what connected learning in an interconnected world means is a moral imperative for educators who are charged to prepare our kids for their future.

You can unpack these concepts further by reading Silvia’s post. 

Building Your Own PLN

The great thing about a PLN is that it’s personal!

You make all the choices:

  1. What tools you use!
  2. Who you connect with!
  3. How you want to learn!
  4. When you want to learn!

The idea of this series is to guide you through the process of building your own PLN and give you a taste of the opportunities that are out there.

Remember, we each have our own preference of what online tools work best for us.

Throughout the seven part series, we’ve included popular tools for building a PLN to help get you started.

7 Steps To Building A PLN | Edublogs Teacher Challenge

Conclusion

A PLN is a network of people and resources that support ongoing learning.

We believe all teachers could benefit from having a PLN.

You might be in a fantastic school but in some ways, schools can become echo chambers for the same beliefs and viewpoints. It can be easy to go with the status quo and fail to really question things or bring in new ideas. A simple conversation with someone from a very different community can be so eye opening.

One does not need to be connected to be a good educator, but if one is a good educator, being connected can make him, or her a better, and a more relevant educator. Tom Whitby

Your Task

PLNs are all about sharing, collaborating, and learning from each other. So here’s your chance to ask a question, comment, and get involved!

We’d like you to add your voice and ideas to our ongoing conversation about PLNs by undertaking one or more of these challenges:

  1. PLN Definition: Watch the video What Is A PLN? Leave a comment on this post to explain what a PLN means to you. You might like to share your thoughts on “lurking”. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Or, you might like to explain what you think PLN stands for — personal, professional, personalized … or something else?
  2. PLN Benefits: Choose one or more of the eight benefits of having a PLN that’s listed above to explore in a comment. Tell us why this is a benefit that resonates with you.
  3. Connected Educators: Watch the Connected Educators video. Leave a comment on this post to explain why it’s important to be a connected educator and how a PLN can help you. You might like to give an example of one person in the education community that you’d like to follow and learn from or with. This could be a thought leader, or just someone you find interesting.
  4. Go Deeper: Write a blog post to explain what you have learned about PLNs. Perhaps your post could be a way to educate or persuade others on the benefits of PLNs. Or you might like to summarize some of the information from this study on PLNs for teachers. Leave a comment with a link to the post so we can have a look at how you went.

Also feel free to leave a comment to ask any questions or share your tips.

How to leave a comment: Scroll down to find the comment box. Write your comment, then enter your name and email address (email addresses are not published). Enter the anti-spam word. Press submit and we will moderate your comment ASAP.


The following information on PLNs was adapted from an original Teacher Challenge post by Australian teacher, Michael Graffin. You can check out Michael’s original post — What The heck Is A PLN.

This resource was updated by Kathleen Morris in 2018. 

1,387 thoughts on “Step 1: What Is A PLN?

  1. I am excited to learn more about PLN’s. I love the idea of being able to learn on my own time and what I want to learn. I don’t just have to follow the districts plan for me. “Lurking” is intriguing to me because I can just see what is out there before I start engaging in the conversation.

  2. Good afternoon:Think good thoughts say nice things, do good for others. This is PLN (Personal Learning Network) and Everything comes back. Amazing thing the two infographics!

  3. An exciting introductory article on PLN. Learnt about PLN a few years back. The idea of owning a PLN as an educator for one’s professional development is brilliant.
    Teaching being one of the most challenging yet rewarding professions requires a 21st century teacher to constantly keep updating oneself with new techniques and strategies on becoming a more effective teacher.
    Besides personal studies, collaboration with colleagues in one’s school community, PLN is one great way of learning from colleagues world over – and from colleagues with different (or probably better) understanding of the different aspects of teaching

  4. It is all about digitalization.
    A PLN is a must for professional educators in the digital age. All student’s are connected these days. However, students frequently don’t use these technologies for learning and their personal / professional / personalized development. We teachers are in charge.

    My favorite benefit of a PLN is to stay current on research and best practice. The competence of students and teachers for evaluating evidence based information can’t be overrated. Scientific competence does’nt come from facebook posts.

    A main reason for attending conventions is to talk to important people. Why wait for a convention when there is twitter and other media to stay connected?

    What I have learned about PLNs? I think they might also be very useful to spread open educational ressources. This is my plan for medical education.

  5. Great article on PLNs. But, how to start a PLN? A more practical guide would be helpful than articles explaining what they’re useful for.

  6. When I think PLN, I think of it as a Professional Learning Network. This is because my PLN consists of people who are also in the educational field. While some may just be “lurking” on the site or chat forum, I fell everyone can still get something out of the conversation. Some people may have stronger opinions, and others may simply want to “lurk” and pick up ideas without voicing their own opinions. I don’t think that either way is right or wrong, as the point of the PLN is to gain knowledge and help your profession.
    Stay Current on Research and Best Practice: this benefit, to me, is the reason I enjoy PLN’s. I may miss an idea from another part of the country, or just simply overlook a new concept in education. A PLN allows me to research and stay current with trends, concepts, and activities that will help broaden my abilities in the classroom.
    Staying up-to-date on topics as a “Connected Educator” has been made easier by social media. I can follow many different people and gain from each of their posts, tweets, blogs, and other forums. In turn, I can contribute to their posts as well as start my own threads.

    1. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful reflection, Michael! I agree with you about research and best practice. It’s hard to stay on top of everything especially when your own school might have certain priorities. It’s easy to miss what’s happening in the rest of the world!

  7. I had not considered the “P” in PLN in terms of personalized…but it makes total sense! However, I wonder about whether these types of networks feed the need we have for community in small, rural districts. Most of the folks I support are teachers in small districts and typically do not have a colleague who teaches the same content or grade level. Do PLNs fulfill the need for feeling part of a community, even if it is purely a digital exchange? If so, would teachers in rural settings be more apt to stay in those schools if they had greater access and understanding of PLNs?

    1. That’s a great question to ponder. In fact, it sounds like a blog post topic! Personally, I think the answer is yes. I haven’t worked in small rural schools but I know first-hand the power of being part of a global community. It can really impact your approach to teaching and help you think outside the box etc!
      Thanks for a thoughtful comment.

  8. One benefit I have found to be true of PLNs so far is that you can explore your own passions, needs, or talents. I am part of a group on Facebook for Special Education teachers. In the group, we post about things that we may need new ideas on, or compare things across state lines. I had one student with behavior concerns and a behavior specialist across the US responded and was able to give me some perspective on the student. It’s refreshing and easy to come to a central location and get such a variety of responses. Plus, it’s not biased and the people don’t know me so I know they aren’t just telling me what I want to hear.

    1. Hi Grace,
      Thanks for sharing these great insights. It’s definitely refreshing to be able to get a variety of insights from different perspectives. Nice work reaching out and finding this Facebook group. It sounds like it’s really helpful!

  9. PLN means to me connecting with others to help work out an alternative method or device for a student with differing abilities to solve an issue of access. learning multiple ways to assist in understanding the subject or task

  10. CONNECTED EDUCATORS: I was surprised to learn that other teachers often feel isolated in the workplace. It’s a recent situation and feeling for me, one that I’ve been dealing with in my break between teaching placements. Discovering that it’s universal – even within schools – was astounding. I have just started looking at online teacher collaboration, and I am completing this course in order to have a measure of accountability and to assist with goal-setting. Taking these first steps in building a PLN has been, at times, confusing, but I am relieved to see that the benefits for professional development are long-term and numerous. The main point that stood out for me, was that to have IMPACT as a teacher – using the best tools, knowing you’re doing well, knowing you have support – you need to be connected.

    1. I enjoyed hearing your reflections, Kayley. I agree that it’s quite startling how universal issues of teacher isolation can be. It seems to vary a lot between schools. Having a PLN can really help!

  11. To me a PLN seems to be an amazing resource on multiple levels. I have just started my first year teaching and am looking forward to networking with other teachers about ways to manage my classroom better and discussing new ideas to present curriculum. I feel like my PLN will allow me to get answers to questions and concerns from people who are working in similar settings

  12. PLN stands for Personal Learning Network to me. I like being in charge of my own professional development, when I want to, where I want to , how I want to.

    1. It’s great to know that you have control and don’t need to wait to be taught something (which was once the case in a way!).

  13. A PLN to me means being able to expand and build on my past experiences. Now that I have been out of college for 5 years and I see new teachers come in sometimes I already feel old and that my ideas are out of date. A PLN helps me to see new ideas and experiences I can learn for myself and then transfer to my students. When I become a better learner, my kids came become better learners. Though my PLN is primarily in my school, I am excited to learn how to expand my PLN so that as the quote from above states, “…schools can become echo chambers for the same beliefs… [but] a simple conversation with someone from a very different community can be eye opening.” Though I may just lurk Twitter for now, or have been doing for the past year off and on, my goal is to one day become an active member to those conversations.

    1. Great goal! It can be hard to take the leap beyond being a lurker on Twitter but you’ll probably get hooked once you do start connecting more. Good luck!

  14. I became a connected educator about five years ago. I discovered groups and communities online and then I started to develop as learner with most of them.
    You need some curiosity and a lot of friends online who you can rely on. When I started I was reluctant but later I met nice teachers and great educators online.
    Here is my post in my blog about this issue.
    http://educationalandissue.blogspot.com/2018/08/professional-development-building-your.html

    Thanks to social networks I am now aware of the importance of a PLN. I have met a lot of engaged educators online and love sharing what they have taught me.

    1. Hi Tiziana,
      Thank you for writing such a reflective post. This will definitely help others. I have left a comment on your post and will share it on Twitter too!

      1. Thanks for sharing! I really appreciated it and also Peggy George was so kind. Some people need to be remembered in your life as a life-long learner!
        I will continue posting in the next days as I am doing a Mooc about VIRTUAL WORLDS.

  15. I am a resource assistant. I have little background on google classroom but am expected to support it. By having a PLN I feel confident about resolving issues and assisting with classroom expectations. This is a great resource.

    1. Hi Joey,
      It can definitely be difficult trying to use something you’re not familiar with but this is definitely an example of where a PLN can really help! And I’m sure there are many areas where you can return the favour too! 🙂

  16. There is a tremendous benefit in reaching out and engaging with fellow teachers. My school used to attend a regional conference, and even hosted local conferences. However, when the conference is finished, connections are usually lost or forgotten. Technology presents a way for established connections and the ability to maintain those connections. And rather than be subject to an hour of involvement in a conference that may provide a benefit, the focus of a specific connection addresses specific requests and concerns. While some decry the influence of the Internet, its provisions are often beneficial.

    1. Excellent point, David. It’s fantastic when the connections can continue beyond a conference! Likewise, it’s so great to be able to meet members of your PLN at conferences from time to time. The face-to-face interactions can really strengthen online bonds.

  17. At my school, we have a system-wide planning and reporting tool that is not part of the Google structure. Our training with the use of technology has been little beyond familiarity with the basic features that technology can provide. I have found myself, more or less, at the mercy of my students to help guide me through the maze of what is available technologically. This past semester, I began experimenting with Google Classroom and found it to be an efficient means of communicating with students (and parents who “enrolled” in the class). However, in seeing how much more is available beyond the essential assign, complete, and submit aspect of Classroom, there are features that I need to gain confidence in using. Taking this course is an aspect of the Professional Learning Network and I hope that in collaboration with others, both in-house and outside, my level of expertise in this use of technology transcends presentation and assignment collection.

  18. This past school year I worked in a school that actively campaigned against me and the use of wireless technology. I wished now that I had reached out through a PLN for support and ideas!!

    1. Hi Gina,
      What a stressful situation for you! I hope things are better now and you’re enjoying connecting with your PLN.

  19. PLN’s allow educators to globally connect to learn from each other discussing topics at any time and any where. Educators can share ideas, chat and support each other in general or in their particular practice. I think becoming a connected educator is so important today as technology continuously changes. Twitter, blogging, joining a community and participating in online webinars are just some of the ways that I keep current.

    1. Hi Judi,
      It sounds like you’re doing well with all your tweeting, blogging, webinars etc! Thanks for leaving a comment about the value of PLNs.

  20. The video describes a PLN as a network that allows educators to reach out to others. This can provide assistance and guidance for all involved. It is personalized, to be used as little or as much as needed/desired. PLNs make it easier for educators to be lifelong learners, just as we ask our students to do.

  21. PLN’s give educators (newbies or veterans) an opportunity to get together with other educators and have discussions on whatever they wish to discuss. It gives educators a vast network of people to reach out to in order to get help, offer help, or just keep up to date.

  22. I have been teaching computer in a Catholic elementary school for the past 21 years, and I have been totally alone. The administration and other teachers feel that technology is the concern of the computer teacher, not really them. I have been working hard for the past 5 years of so (since we got a new principal who is more open to technology) to change this, and bit by bit I am succeeding. I am excited to develop a PLN and have others with whom I can share my successes and concerns.

    1. Hi Tessa,
      What a shame your admin and staff have had that attitude. Excellent to hear that you can now connect with others via your PLN. It certainly changed the way I taught to get ideas from all corners of the globe! 🙂

  23. Basically a PLN is what you want to make of it and everyone has a different PLN based on needs or wants. Therefore, PLN are individualized networks that allows a person to choose what to follow, what to post, when to follow, and when to post. It also gives choice on who or what to follow.

  24. It’s pretty easy to grasp what a PLN is once you’ve been walked through it once or twice. It is a network influenced by multiple levels of people that helps to influence your own learning in one or more areas or fields such as mathematics teaching which I’m interested in. It is personal because it pertains to one’s own interests and is used when and how they wish to use it.

  25. The voicethread helped to further expand on the uses of PLNs by offering perspectives from educators around the world regarding their positive experiences with PLNs. Chances are, as a teacher, I am not the first person to try something, have a particular problem, or have a particular idea for a lesson. It is so much easier to be able to respond to student needs when horizons are sufficiently broadened so that a multitude of tools, approaches, and options are known. The best solution may not yet be known, and only through a PLN might it be gained. Do not limit oneself. Additionally, by broadening one’s horizons, the chances of finding like-minded thinkers increases, allowing for one to connect and better build enthusiasm for efforts and helping to strengthen and further tune one’s personal philosophy and approaches. Also, multiple perspectives can also be useful, to help better fine-tune methodology. Again, broadening one’s horizons to the degree a PLN allows may have many positive results.

  26. A PLN is a way to create groups of people or organizations to share ideas, tips, success, and failures. There are many tools that can be used to form PLNs, and individuals can personalize exactly who she wants to collaborate with and how she wants to do this. PLNs are great for networking, as you can meet other professionals in your field, and they are great for working through issues or for presenting new research. PLNs allow people who traditionally would not connect (due to various reasons) the opportunity to work together to develop best practices and become even better educators.

  27. Personal Learning Network (PLN) the group of people and organizations that you connect with in order to learn from their ideas, and potentially from each other. Various tools allow an individual to personalize how he/she wishes to do this. Ideally, people are all contributing to enhance the experience, but it is not necessary to contribute to benefit. The network piece is critical because the people you connect with are also, typically connected to others within the field, further expanding with whom you, hypothetically, are connected, and thus the available resources, encounters, potential for collaboration, etc.

  28. As an educator, I think being connected is important for me to gain perspective and learn from others around the world to provide opportunities for my students to open their minds to the world that exists around them too.

  29. To me, building a PLN means setting myself up for a number of situations that could be addressed through networking connections.

  30. Being a connected educator is hugely important for several reasons. We are always told to stay current, and having a PLN is one of the best ways to do so. Feeling stagnant or being busy is not uncommon for educators, so having our needs met via online sources checks both convenience and effectiveness boxes. PLNs can be so effective because of the varied perspectives and diverse individuals we are exposed to via the internet. These connected educators are passionate about their work and eager to share their ideas with others, and what better professional development is there?

  31. A personal learning network is a way for fresh and new ideas to make their ways into your brain and be in constant supply. I recently made a Twitter account solely dedicated to educational accounts, and these sorts of topics are the only ones that will show up on my feed! We can be in complete control of the ideas shared with us. You are what you do and consume, and having so many great thinkers and educators at your disposal with the swipe of a finger is fantastic. One almost can’t help but to think in different ways and improve at one’s craft.

  32. PLNs mean you are not alone! At any time, any place, you can find answers and solutions immediately. You can find support, which is fundamental to the success of all educators!

  33. I love the blogging world. I have met and connected with some amazing educators across the world through my blog. I believe my blog and other blogs are the reason I’m still in education and still am trying to grow and learn.

  34. Becoming a connected educator is a way for teachers to understand the real life experiences of their students.

  35. a PLN is a professional learning network. This refers to the ways that we are professionally connected to learning that has to do with our interest. We can use this in the classroom by creating PLNs for students to engage with. We can use twitter to have students ask questions at home or we can use a blog to communicate with parents about student learning. We can also use Google classroom to communicate assignments and class updates.

  36. Although Facebook was not mentioned in the video, I am part of a few education groups on Facebook that I have found extremely helpful over the past few years. I find this PLN to be really amazing as to how the amount of knowledge can be shared quickly with so many people because of social media.

  37. To me PLNs are such a great way to connect with other educators from different grade levels, subjects, philosophies, and backgrounds. I don’t have any experience with using Twitter to connect, however my teaching partner and I are part of a few Facebook groups and we are always using it to better our classrooms. I have gotten so many ideas and questions answered through these groups. I would definitely like to explore more ways to connect and look forward learning how!

  38. While I am not new to the idea of a network of learning resources, I am new to the idea of a PLN. To me, a PLN is a world-wide community of educators that you can access for ideas, questions, and support. What stayed with me from the video was that if you are becoming stagnant, surround yourself with passionate teachers. A PLN would be the best way of doing so.

    1. I agree with you Nancy! I sometimes find myself getting stagnant, or having a hard time seeing something another away, and I’ve found some groups via Facebook who have really given me support, along with creative feedback that I had not thought of!

  39. To me a PLN is an opportunity to connect with educators of different knowledge bases and experience levels to share ideas, ask questions, and just chat about our experiences. I am excited to begin building one for myself knowing that there is a whole wealth of information and experts for me to tap into.

  40. Having a PLN is a way to communicate and collaborate with educators outside of our own circle of friends and coworkers. It means we can talk to people of all different backgrounds to help us see things in a new perspective. We will gain from the experiences and wisdom of others in ways that we never would be able to without this connection.

  41. The connected educator video made me feel the desire to try to find avenues through technology to collaborate with my colleagues and bring knowledge from this class not just into my classroom but into my school community. I look forward to building a PLN and having new information to contribute to my department.

  42. To me a PLN is an opportunity to get off of an island and use technology to find other people in my field to bounce ideas off of.

  43. Teaching middle school science, I am always looking for new ways to address difficult concepts in a meaningful and approachable manner. I enjoy bouncing ideas off of other people and developing lessons. Using a PLN would enhance this and broaden my perspective on techniques and methods to use in my own classroom. It seems a logical transition in the 21st century.

  44. I watched the connected educators video and it helped me change my idea of not having twitter. I was not aware that you could follow groups of PLN’s on twitter and get access to other educators who could assist me. I do follow a few groups on facebook but it’s nice to know that there are other places that I can go to and also be welcomed and assisted.

  45. I like the idea of a PLN, especially for new teachers. It is a place where there is an abundance of answers to questions they might not have come up with yet as well as answers to questions they now have. It is a great place for others to share information too. As the only business teacher in our district, through a PLN, I can can get ideas to improve the learning environment in my classroom.

  46. To me, a PLN is a community of educators that you build around yourself so that you have a wider range of resources and people to learn from and share ideas with. Working in a middle school that uses a team structure, it makes a lot of sense to me to utilize technology to increase the amount of passionate educators in my learning network so that I can learn more and enhance my teaching.

  47. The Connected Educator video gave me the motivation to want to use my Twitter account more often. I think that being a connected educator will give me the opportunity to connect to people and places that I may never meet or see. It may give me the chance to learn from someone that I will never meet. Also, it may give me more confidence that the things I am doing in my classroom are going well and ideas for when things are not going so well.

Leave a Reply to E. Kerins Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *