Welcome to second step in our free professional learning series on building your PLN.

In the first step, we unpacked the definition of a PLN and looked at the benefits of being a connected educator.

You may now be wondering how to begin building your own PLN.

The aim of this step is to:

  1. Offer an overview of how to build a PLN
  2. Provide a snapshot of some tools educators use to connect with their PLN
  3. Share tips for connecting with educators from around the globe
  4. Discuss barriers to building a PLN

The Networked Teacher

Around a decade ago, Alec Couros created two diagrams that have been shared thousands of times.

This first diagram demonstrates how a teacher would traditionally connect and learn.

Image by Alec Couros, CC CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

This diagram of “The Networked Teacher” demonstrates just some of the ways that educators can connect now that technology is at their fingertips. Note, the “old” ways of connecting are still there.

The Networked Teacher diagram by Alec Couros showing the different media that educators can connect with -- blogs, social bookmarking, chat etc.
Image by Alec Couros (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Alec’s brother George reminds us that the arrows go back and forth and it’s not only about what you consume but what you create. You can give as well as receive.

What Tools Are Used?

Teachers from all over the globe are online and learning together, but where exactly do you find these teachers and develop working relationships with them?

In a 2016 study called “Together we are better: Professional Learning Networks For Teachers”, K-12 teachers were asked how they use PLNs.

The most popular tool in the sample was Twitter with 53% of participants indicating that they used this tool to connect with others.

Other popular tools listed in the survey included blogs, Edmodo, Facebook, Discovery Education Network, and Pinterest.

84% of survey participants indicated that they use more than one medium or site.

How Are Teachers Connecting On Online Platforms?

Teachers use social media and other online spaces in a variety of ways to connect with their PLN.

Here are ten examples:

  1. Twitter — Educators follow people they’re interested in, ranging from “thought leaders” to everyday teachers in a similar subject area or age group. Teachers also use hashtags to follow topics of interest, and join Twitter chats to discuss ideas in real time. Be sure to follow Edublogs and CampusPress on Twitter. The next step in this series will explain how to start using Twitter.
  2. Facebook — Educators follow pages and profiles of people and businesses involved in education. They also join Facebook groups to post questions, ask for feedback, and respond to others. Visit our Edublogs Facebook page and Facebook for Education to start learning something new.
  3. Instagram — You can follow educators to get new ideas for lessons, activities, learning spaces and more. Hashtags make it easy to search for topics you’re interested in. Check out Tony Vincent’s Guide to Instagram For Teachers.
  4. Pinterest — Pinterest is ultimately a ‘discovery engine’ and is becoming a go-to for many educators looking for fresh ideas, resources, and connections. Be sure to follow Edublogs on Pinterest!
  5. Blogs — Blogs play an important role in most educators’ PLNs. This might include reading blogs from a variety of different people or writing your own blog. Visit Step Five of this series for more information.
  6. Email newsletters — There might be an educator, thought leader, or blogger who you really enjoy following. Chances are, they have an email newsletter that you can subscribe to for free to have curated news and contented delivered straight to inbox!
  7. Voxer — This walkie-talkie like tool can be used as an app on your mobile device or on your computer. Educators can engage in both synchronous and asynchronous conversations about their professional practice. Learn more in this article on Voxer by Amy Heavin.
  8. YouTube — Video is a powerful medium. Many teachers enjoy following a selection of YouTube channels to keep up to date with a variety of topics. Check out Kasey Bell’s 20 YouTube Channels for Educators to find some channels that might interest you.
  9. LinkedIn — Considered a “professional” social networking platform, educators can connect with a large community of professionals on LinkedIn. Explore this collection of 25 LinkedIn groups for networking teachers via Fractus Learning.

Feel free to share this graphic on your blog or with your colleagues.

Popular ways educators are learning with their PLN Edublogs Teacher Challenge

Tips For Developing Relationships

PLNs are all about relationships! Here are a few tips to consider as you begin to build your PLN.

  1. Invest some time in building your PLN. Set aside even 15 or 20 minutes a day and you’ll build momentum in no time.
  2. PLNs work both ways. Remember, the more you share, the more you’ll find you receive in return.
  3. Try different tools. There are so many different forms of social media, online tools, and ways to connect. Dip your toes in and see how educators are using various tools.
  4. Find tools that work best for you. While it’s definitely worth giving things a try, not every platform is for everyone. Choose to dedicate time to the tools you enjoy and find the most rewarding.
  5. Follow up with people. If someone connects with you whether it’s through a tweet, blog comment, Facebook group, or any platform, thank them, ask a question, and get to know them. These are the building blocks of forming a relationship.
  6. Ask for help. If you find someone who already has a number of connections (on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or wherever) ask them to introduce you to others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re figuring out how various platforms work either.
  7. Curate wisely. If you want to share interesting resources with people in your PLN, make sure you read beyond a headline and share things you think will be truly useful.
  8. Diversify. Try to connect with people with diverse opinions and points of view. It’s easy for “birds of a feather to flock together”, however, sometimes there is more to gain from communicating with a range of people from different backgrounds.
  9. Involve your students. Once you get to know a few educators, you might start to think about ways you can connect your students. Check out our Edublogger’s Guide To Global Collaboration for lots of ideas.
  10. Spread the word. As you begin to explore PLNs and online communities, share this information with others in your school or district. Maybe they don’t realize this wonderful virtual opportunity exists!

Barriers To Creating A PLN

In our first step, we looked at many of the advantages of building a PLN. If the benefits of being a connected educator are clear, what holds so many teachers back from building their own PLN?

Perhaps the first obstacle is that many teachers simply don’t know about PLNs. They don’t know there are thousands of educators from around the world who are online connecting, collaborating, and learning together.

Furthermore, Tom Whitby has outlined three deterrents to educators using PLNs as a tool for ongoing learning.

The PLN is a mindset, not the outcome of a workshop or the PD offered annually by many school districts. It is not a one-shot fix.

Teachers have learned through the “sit and get” model for generations. This mindset shift where you need to realize that you are responsible for your own learning and you can take control can be difficult to adapt to.

Additionally, prioritizing the investment in time that building a PLN requires would certainly be an obstacle for some. Step seven in this series offers some tips on finding time to invest in your PLN.

Successful users of PLNs overwhelm the uninitiated with techno-babble.

Hopefully, the future steps in this course can break down any overwhelming “techno-babble”.

You will probably find that many teachers who are regular uses of online technologies proclaim that they are “not very tech savvy”. Even George Couros who has a Twitter following of 224,000+ has said, “I’m not that good with technology and you probably aren’t either“.

It requires, at least at first, digital literacy beyond a Google search.

It is certainly essential that educators develop their digital literacy. As Silvia Tolisano has pointed out, our notion of what it means to be literate or illustrate calls for an update. 

... merely reading and writing in text form and on analog platforms is simply not enough to call yourself literate. The skills and abilities MUST include reading and writing in various media forms and on multiple platforms INCLUDING digital spaces. We can’t continue to differentiate between our analog and digital world. We live in ONE world after all.

If you feel like you need to improve your own digital literacy skills, don’t despair! You don’t need to learn everything before you embark on building your PLN. We will provide you with the essential tips and skills throughout this course and you can learn as you go.

If you feel like your skills need updating in other areas, such as blogging and online tools, we have other free courses you can work through at your own pace too.

Conclusion

Becoming a connected educator is something that takes work but has enormous advantages for both you and your students. In fact, many educators would say that it’s an essential responsibility of teachers to connect and commit to lifelong learning.

As George Couros has said, “Isolation is now a choice educators make“.

There are so many ways to free yourself from isolation. The following steps in this series breaks down three powerful avenues to becoming a connected educator — Twitter, blogs, and content curation.

Your Task

We’d like you to add your voice and ideas to our ongoing conversation on building your own PLN by undertaking one or more of the following challenges:

  1. Preferences: We all enjoy connecting in different ways. Write a post or comment on this post about how you plan to connect with other educators. What sites or tools do you think you’d prefer to use to make connections. Why?
  2. Relationship tips: Revise our list of tips for developing working relationships with other educators. What resonates most with you? Do you have any ideas to add? Tell us in a comment.
  3. Barriers: We have identified some common barriers to building a PLN. Leave a comment and tell us what the biggest barrier has been for you (or others you know). Share your thoughts on how this obstacle can be overcome.

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.

768 thoughts on “Step 2: Making Connections

  1. I am guilty of wanting to connect with those around me or those who share similar views and insights. However, I plan on connecting with other educators, especially those with varying viewpoints unlike my own, through the use of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. These platforms are ones that I already am currently using for my own personal use, but I would like to expand it to be more professional. I plan on connecting with other educators on these platforms to share and receive information. I think I prefer these tools because I am already familiar with and know how to utilize a lot of their navigational tools already. I think this will save me some time in the long run with how to navigate a platform which will allow me to have more time to connect with other educators.

  2. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and now TikTok are all ways that I stay connected with other educators around the world. There are several teachers that I follow on Facebook and Instagram. When I need a good laugh, I get on TikTok, and when I need ideas, a worksheet, or an activity to do, I get on Pinterest. These four sites I prefer the most because they all offer more than just words. Often these teachers link their materials or freebies to their blogs or to the most popular, Teachers Pay Teachers – which is another fabulous teaching resource. I recently read a post, on Facebook, from another fellow 4th grade teacher that made me feel like I wasn’t alone for the first time this school year. She shared pictures of some of her student’s work, and although I understood her struggles, I felt better because right then, I knew it wasn’t just my class that was struggling with the same thing. It got me thinking, was it Covid that has interrupted certain skills these students are lacking? They were in Kindergarten when the world shut down. What skills did they miss out on, that is carrying over each year? These types of connections lead me into deeper thinking, and asking more why’s – which I believe is beneficial to my growth, knowledge and understanding in teaching.

  3. I have found the ability to create the PLN mindset to be the greatest barrier for myself and those around me. Forming a PLN, participating within the network, and forming relationships within the network takes time. As a teacher with many commitments, I value my time and thoughtfully use it. Like many growth experiences, results are not immediate. I need to overcome the barrier of giving time now to reap the benefits later.
    More experienced teachers who are not aware of PLNs are likely to disregard them even when they learn what they are. These are the teachers who should be involved in PLNs as they can share their wisdom with the less experienced teachers! It takes a growth mindset to humble yourself to be a student again and take time to recognize new learning strategies.
    I think we can overcome these obstacles to nurture a growth mindset by helping each other. Educators can share their favorite sites and tools so their peers do not have to start from scratch. We can be patient with one another by answering questions and making suggestions that meet each other where we are. Teachers should be encouraged to start small with a particular interest and be given the patience to build as time allows. Discussions about PLN takeaways should be encouraged between coworkers. Ultimately, the best way to jump this hurdle is to work together both in person and in the network itself. Relationships are the key to building and maintaining PLNs.

  4. As a first timer in a PLN, I think that starting out connecting with people in a PLN virtually is the way to go. I am a second-year teacher so I am looking forward to just absorbing the posts and information from people who are many steps ahead of me professionally.

    I love the idea of diversifying in a PLN. I think it is so important to not always stay with people in the same boat as you. Broadening those borders can help for a lot of great information to get in that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.

    The main barrier I see is a person’s lack of time for building a successful PLN. Professionals can get stressed with more “priority” items on their list. Researching a PLN may not rank high for some people. However, the opposite is true. Carving out that time to develop the PLN can actually help the professional with their to do lists in the long run.

  5. As I progress at this step, I am amazed to discover all the opportunities that are available to anyone who wants to build their PLN and become a connected educator.
    Regarding the choice of a tool of preference, I think it will initially depend on the tool you are used to using; however, it is also important to learn new tools and use them. For my part, I usually use Facebook even if I also have a Twitter account. But I think I shouldn’t just use one platform but use as much as possible starting with Twitter as being one of the most used by educators. But I intend to learn to use as many tools as possible.
    Each of the relationship tips has its own importance in my eyes because they allow each in a different way and at their level, to build useful connections to become a connected educator. However, I find the idea of finding tools that work best for you personally interesting because doing so will allow me to progress more quickly.
    At first glance, this all seems intrusive, but it is good to try. In my opinion, you have to find a starting point where you feel comfortable to start because it will give you more self-confidence.
    Regarding barriers, in my opinion, taking time to build your PLN and stay connected is a real challenge for everyone, and it is also my reality. However, I think that to succeed in overcoming this barrier, you need motivation but above all personal commitment. In addition to this, there is also consistency in the construction process that is required.

  6. Barriers:
    Time to me is the greatest barrier, or lack of for being part of a PLN. I am part of a new teachers PLN at our high school, and I need to get in the routine of daily checking the updates and posts. As the article stated teachers do lack networking skills, along with a personal fear of rejection can make a PLN seem intimidating to me. To overcome those issues, better time management is crucial, routine, and being open to new connections is crucial.

    1. Hi Paul,
      Time management is an issue, I agree and think that what you stated concerning suggestions was well put.
      -Katinah

  7. There are so many different places to connect with other educators online. I currently follow a lot of educators on instagram and look at a lot of teacher Tik Toks. Going into my first year, I have looked a lot at classroom management advice. It is nice to hear from a variety of teachers on how they approach their rules and procedures, since I haven’t been the person that originally taught them yet. I know there are a lot of good podcasts out there, I just need to figure out what I want to focus in on rather than trying to listen to everything that is out there. It can be overwhelming if you try to look at everything out there all at once.

  8. In my district, we have Microsoft teams set up for each content area so that teachers who teach the same content can collaborate ideas with each other. I have rarely collaborated on teams but in building my PLN that is where I would start.

    Beyond that I prefer to use YouTube and Twitter (now X) to communicate with other professionals who are not in my school district. YouTube is more one way communication. It is where I get ideas from other professionals, but not necessarily communicate with them in a productive way. X would allow me to have more interaction and collaboration with other teaching professionals.

  9. YouTube is my preferred method to follow and has been for some time. Videos are entertaining and I enjoy listening in on the knowledge others have. I commonly listen to TED Talks that discuss the variety of strategies you can implement in your room, from activities to classroom management. Two ways I can see myself starting to branch out is by participating in webinars and blogs. Each of these offers a different way to connect with educators outside your physical community. Webinars, if you participate when they are live, offer real-time communication and conversation. YouTube live streaming is free and easy to understand and access. Blogs offer much of the same in terms of communication and can be accessed or created on multiple platforms.

  10. I have used YouTube in the past to watch Ted Talks about different subjects including on teaching. I know that there are plenty of other channels I could access for more specific teaching tips. I like to use Twitter as well. That website, for me, can either be a major time waster or I can learn a lot. Right now I am not using it as a PLN resource but I think I easily could. The other resource is Facebook. This is another site where I am a member of different groups that interest me and I get a lot of good information. I plan on finding some good teaching groups and joining them.

  11. I think the most significant barrier for me has been the attitude that says, “I don’t have time for this now. I will start doing it when I have time.” Having recently watched an instructional video on time management, the speaker aptly said we cannot manage time; we can only manage ourselves. He also spoke of multiplying time, by which he means investing time today that will pay off in the future. Indeed, building a PLN is one of those multiplying time activities. Although I might not see the immediate benefit in the now, there are sure to be dividends of benefit flowing repeatedly in the future. The obstacle is overcome by simply making the attitude adjustment. This week’s lesson along with that goal setter’s words have convinced my attitude to take a turn.

  12. I prefer connecting with other educators through social media platforms. I daily use Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to read through forums and watch videos & view posts offering teaching ideas and information on education topics that I want to learn more about. However, I feel that the amount of information can be excessive and overwhelming if you aren’t careful about how much and for how long each day that you access it. It’s been important to focus on specific topics, like Science of Reading, or PLNs based on my specific grade level so that I can weed out the most helpful content. As a teacher just coming back into the profession after a 25 year hiatus, I had a colleague wisely suggest that at some point you have to take what you have learned from PLNs and take short breaks in order to not get too overwhelmed.

  13. Wow. Before I read this, I felt so isolated in my last school. But I had already started to build a. PLN by following teachers on Instagram that I Found inspiring. I have used Pinterest when seeking ideas as well. I have not built any PLN type of connections via facebook or really interacts with people on Instagram, but after reading this I want to starting commenting and building relationships. I also think it would be amazing to have a group on Facebook that shares lesson ideas and classroom goodies and creative things with one another. I think I might start one one to give back ideas of my own.

  14. I plan on connecting with other educators using a Facebook group that I have been a
    “lurker” in since my first year teaching. I plan on putting myself out there and asking questions and gathering resources for others in the group.

    A barrier that I’ll be able to cross by using this network of other educators is I have been in a school where I am the only teacher in my endorsement area. Reaching other to others will help me not feel so alone and get some hopefully really good ideas and insight.

  15. I plan to start locally with my connections, inside my own building. From that point I plan on venturing out more in the district at meetings. We have professional learning requirements in our district that offer a lot of opportunities to get to know like minded educators who are interested in tech integration. After that point, I would like to continue utilizing various ed tech websites and forums to meet people and get ideas for further tech integration on my end. I am still skeptical about using social media. I have a really hard time using it morally. I know there are positives in regards to networking, but as Carr and Turkle discussed, those conversations that take place on social media platforms are pretty superficial. They usually don’t amount to much. I am going to have figure out alternative methods to reaching out to the global community as that is where most ideas are.

  16. The platform I would like to use first to begin building my PLN is instagram. I use this daily for other purposes, so I hope being familiar with how it works will help. I am interested in finding blogs as well. I have joined some in the past, but find it difficult to manage. I think it might be difficult to find 20 minutes daily to devote to my PLN.

  17. There were a few tips that were my favorite for developing relationships with other educators but one really stood out to me. That one that really stood out to me was asking for help. This is something that I had and still have trouble with. I don’t want it to come across as I am not knowledgable and I don’t want to be annoying. Over the years though I have noticed that even the veteran teachers ask for help. There is nothing wrong with asking for help-you can really learn from others teachers and other teachers can learn from you.

  18. I think the biggest barrier for me is the ‘sit and get’ model which is the mindset where you wait for information to come to you. I have to learn to be responsible for my own learning and going out to grow and learn more than I do now in order to become a better educator.

  19. As someone who regularly uses social media, I think I would use some of the more well-traveled sites to connect with my peers. Twitter is something I’ve used for ages socially, but have never thought to use to connect with other educators; YouTube is a website I’ve used to both watch entertaining videos and find educational videos I can use to teach my potential students in new ways and I’m learning more and more about other educators who use YouTube to share their knowledge there; Facebook is also a good way to connect with other educators because both of my parents were teachers and I already have access to their friends and colleagues and could expand upon that. Also, as Tik Tok has become increasingly more popular, educators have taken to using that platform to share their knowledge with others and even offer up potential activities to facilitate children’s learning.

  20. A personal barrier for me, not only in an educational sense, but in everyday life has been staying consistent with tasks aimed at a goal that is not achieved by passing a threshold, but is realized through a constant process of becoming. The regularity and perseverance needed to accomplish almost anything in the real world is something that can only be developed intrinsically and personally. There is an analogy to how one’s garden grows where one waters it. What is often overlooked is the first step of building the garden itself. The most daunting misconceptions about forming and using a PLN are most likely ascribed to the initial steps, the building of the garden and what seeds to choose to plant in it. If you try to do too much all at once, you’ll find that you may have a bunch of raised beds that have started growing weeds through neglect. Biting off pieces that are smaller and easier to handle is the best way to slowly accomplish a goal. Trying to create a PLN by signing up for 20 different accounts on different platforms can easily become overwhelming; the stress of trying to deal with too many things simultaneously creeps up and destroys the motivation to continue on. Instead, concentrating on two or three platforms that can be used in tandem with each other right from the start is a more effective way to create a network of useful tools and resources.

  21. I have a lot of experience with using certain social media platforms, specifically facebook, for networking and sales from a previous job. However, for education, I’d prefer to stay away from facebook for the most part and explore a few other platforms that I have a little experience with but need to learn how to use them to their fullest. I am a novice Twitter user, and based on what I have seen so far, am curious how to make that a valuable resource for LPN. I also love Pinterest and YouTube for ideas and resources. Instagram is another outlet I need to learn to use more proficiently. Podcasts are also a great resource that I have found and one that I love also shares the recourse they discuss during each episode on a blog and insta account.

  22. Personally, my preferred means of social media is Instagram. However, in alignment with what so many of these PLN steps mention/include, I’m understanding how valuable using Twitter can be/is for educators of all kinds. The speed in which insights, resources, and tools can be shared is phenomenal, and so many teacher communities on Twitter have been in existence for some time (if anything, I’m late to the game). So, I’ll be making a Twitter account ASAP and sharing in it in these comments to start this journey off with a great community of folks.

  23. I plan to connect with other educators through sites like Pinterest, Youtube, and Twitter. I believe that social media platforms are a great way to communicate with others and be able to learn from them. These specific platforms are effective in providing creative ideas and resources that can be used to promote learning. 

  24. Preferences: I appreciate the graphic with popular ways that educators connect with others in their PLN but I think it’s just a bit outdated. Now there is a whole corner or TikTok (known as TeacherTok) which is where I most enjoy connecting with other educators. Not only are there so many teachers from various backgrounds to learn from there, there is also the opportunity to connect through humor! Anyone who has spent time as someone working in schools knows how hard the job can be and sometimes the best way to cope with that is just through humor. Additionally, many creators on TikTok are able to make it into a side gig and earn money through their channels which I enjoy supporting. I would love to be a TikTok teacher creator but I’m not so sure I have what it takes!

  25. In this step, I realized how social media can be used to help create my PLN, and I think in the future, I would like to use social media applications like Twitter and blog posts to help create my PLN. Twitter surprisingly has many different areas where teachers can connect with on a particular subject, so I think this would be a great place to start. Blog posts tend to have information and references that give me a great source of information for me to give my students. I feel like social media apps like Facebook and Instagram could also help me connect with other educators more personally which would help grow my PLN.

  26. I plan to connect with other educators by using social media such as instagram, pinterest, and youtube. I am most familiar with these websites and know how to navigate them so they would be perfect to help gather information and spread information. My mother is a teacher and has been one of my main influences to go into the field of education and she frequently finds ideas and shares hers on social media as well. These websites are good resources because I can read articles, watch videos, and listen to tips to improve lessons which can be very beneficial to my teaching.

  27. One of the ways I plan to make connections with other educators is by attending lots of conferences. This is a great way to gain PD hours while continuing my education and meeting people in the same field from all over the country. It’s nice to make friends with folks online, but meeting them in-person at a conference creates a stronger relationship, plus you get to travel! I also know there are opportunities to ask experts in the field specific questions, meet up with them outside a formal setting, and generally pick their brains for ideas that will improve my pedagogy. I’m pretty outgoing and enjoy interfacing with people IRL so conferences and events like school board meetings will definitely be incorporated into my PLN.

  28. I plan to connect with other educators using the social media platform Instagram. I enjoy this platform because educators often share instructional ideas, classroom resources, and educational advice through both images and videos. They can also directly link to these resources through their bios, such as including a teacherspayteachers link to a CVC center. I find the content of Instagram easily digestible and have been inspired countless times. I also think it is easy to interact with knowledgeable creators through the comment sections and the direct message feature. I have also dabbled in developing my own teaching instagram account, posting ideas for classroom setup. I think that if I fully invested in this, it could be a great PLN pathway

  29. I plan to connect with other educators through Youtube. This is a platform I am already fond of using in order to find solutions to issues I face in the classroom. Sometimes I run out of creative ideas, and there are several Youtube channels that I follow to stimulate my creativity. In the comments section on these videos, there are often a wide array of teachers sharing their knowledge and experiences. I think I prefer this tool because it allows me to “lurk.” There is no social pressure to offer an exchange of knowledge in return, and I do not feel mentally overcome. In other words, a video is much easier for me to consume rather than an article, tweet, or a blog post.

  30. I am not a heavy social media user, only regularly posting on Facebook. (Because I’m old.) And I think Facebook would probably be a useful way to communicate with other educators, because it’s better designed for posting long conversations (as well as video and pics, of course), and because it seems easier to have dedicated groups on it. I can see from these comments, though, that lots of people are using Instagram (and other platforms, as well, but that seems to be the main one that others are using) so I suppose I should explore that.
    YouTube seems like the easiest to use for video content, and of course it’s already well-established. I already use it to post videos for the online classes I teach. Four other people posted TikTok, so I suppose I might look into it while it’s still around; I admit I don’t really see the advantages of it. However, my overarching position is that there are lots and lots of platforms that you can do more or less the same things with, so you should go where the conversations you want to be a part of are.

    (The captcha I have to type to post this is “keg spent.” So sad!)

  31. I plan on connecting to other educators who teach the same subject for the same grade level. I’d use social media sites but also youtube or Facebook groups could also provide some centers for me to network.

  32. My plan to connect with other educators is by using social media such as Pinterest and Twitter because I already use those sites to find information from other educators. Also, I would connect with other teachers for advice, inspiration, and insight. I say this because if a teacher needs ideas that can be useful for students to engage with other people or if a teacher wants to learn things from other people by engaging with those people on social media and can virtually meet those people that may have the same interests to get more information and hear out different opinions from different people. It’s good to open up with other people and have groups of people to listen to your thoughts so, that maybe other educators can learn and decide what kind of ideas they can do based on the conversations that are being had. Not just meeting people virtually but viewing other people’s posts on social media to see and give the idea that someone can be inspired and may like it so they could do something similar.

  33. I think online social media platforms are a great way to connect with teachers. As a creative profession I’ve seen many teachers upload teaching ideas and strategies on tik tok, twitter and instagram. These platforms offer useful ways for teachers to connect and share ideas tips with one another.

  34. Connecting with people has become easier as time progresses and technology advances. Some of my personal favorite ways to connect with people online is through group messaging (such as GroupMe or iMessage), Twitter, and face-to-face with apps such as Zoom and FaceTime. If given the opportunity, I’m much more of an in-person learner and love meeting up for coffee, brunch, etc. Being in person allows a more intimate kind of connection than any kind of technology can offer. Communication is more genuine, there’s no barriers, and it’s always nice to bond over some food 

  35. I think facebook, instagram and youtube are the social medias websites that I prefer to connect PLN with. Why because these websites that I used daily and well familiarized on how to use its tools that comes from within. Including friends and families that can help me along for connected educators to others on networking.

  36. My favorite ways for developing relationships with other educators includes: trying
    different tools, and finding the best tool that works for you, follow up with people, and ask for
    help. There are so many different forms of social media, online tools, and ways to connect,
    which is why it is important to give each one a try and see which one would be ideal to dedicate time too, as well as enjoy. I feel it is important to follow up with people if they connect with you on social media, blog posts, or any other platform, because that is how you get to know them, ask any questions, and begin forming a relationship. It is also equally important to ask for help when you’re figuring out how various platforms work.

  37. I plan on making connections for my PLN through twitter and wakelet. I have already created a wakelet account and have begun making collections to share.

  38. I prefer to connect with others via social media. I follow and interact with other educators on Facebook and Instagram. This allows me to be a lurker when I desire, give and receive feedback, and glean ideas from others.

  39. My biggest problem with online PLNs is the time spent online. Most Americans have a such a hard time with not being addicted to technology and I have been working hard on this problem for myself. With the progress I have made, I just don’t want to get sucked in again. I also have a lot of resources in my district that I want to try so my desire for seeking more information outside of my own city is not as great. So part of the issue is just my stage of life since I am only in my 3rd year of teaching.
    In order to overcome this, I just need to make sure I don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. I could use Facebook and I could make sure I only view a certain page that pertains to my PLN. I could also set a timer when I go to look up that page. In this way, I can maintain a healthy balance with technology but although reaping the incredible benefits of the amazing teachers across the internet.

  40. Being able to start up a successful PLN starts with being able to make connections. To me, the most important part of making these connections is to be reciprocal. In other words, the more resources you share, the more you will get in return. I would consider using facebook, instagram, youtube, newsletter subscriptions, mailchimp, etc.

  41. I would use tools such as twitter, tiktok, and pinterest that I am most familiar with to share ideas with educators and take from their thoughts as well. I would choose these three tools because it is a platform I am already comfortable with.

  42. I like using TikTok and Pinterest the most to stay connected with people around me, and how I can learn from others as well. Both apps help give so many creative ways to incorporate things in my classroom and lessons and help me belong in the community. I am also able to provide helpful tips and tricks to others as well. Especially TikTok, it is a growing community of constant great resources teachers provide for one another to help. I also think LinkedIn would be a great job connector to interact with more teachers and create professional connections.

  43. One of the biggest ways I plan to connect with fellow teachers, is by maintaining the relationships with my previous teachers from when I was a student and participating in all the conferences and workshops my county offers. I feel like these resources my county offers is not only great for refining my skills but getting the chance to work with other local teachers who I would not have gotten the chance to meet otherwise.

  44. I hope to teach private music instruction and a home business can come with alot of uncertainties. I plan to use PLN to get tips from other music educators and to network to other educators and students. Most likely I will use LinkedIn and Twitter to do so

  45. I have instagram and pinterest as my current only forms of social media because they are the easiest userfriendly media sites for me to use. I see teachers use instagram the most to show how they are setting up their classroom for success and what they do for their students behind the scenes. PInterest works best for me to see lesson plan and activity ideas visually. Though for making connections and having discussions with people, instagram offers very simply discussion opportunities.

  46. I personally like using Instagram to stay connected with people around me, whether it’s a post or a story it’s a way to help me stay connected! I plan on using Instagram or Youtube to stay connected for my PLN.  I am very comfortable and familiar with those apps, it would help me stay connected with other educators and share my lesson plan! I also been on TikTok where I would see teachers give their tips on certain lessons and share it with the community. I may use TikTok for future use! 

  47. I think I would use sites such as facebook , pinterest and youtube. I would use these because it is what I am more comfortable with and more savvy at as I have used them before in and out of the classroom. If I can find another site that would allow me to find organizations or other groups that align with me. Once I’ve created my own group on these platforms, I would then use it as a way for other teachers to share lesson plans, decorating ideas or even fun activities.

  48. My go-to websites to connect with other educators would be TikTok, instagram, Facebook, twitter. Even other sites that aren’t social media I’d choose TED Ed or even teacherspayteachers. I’d use these sights because it’s a good way to connect with other educators who have brilliant ideas.

  49. I plan to connect with other educators through Facebook, Instagram, and blogs. These platforms can be used in a variety of ways to connect with others like creating groups on Facebook or an instagram page dedicated to a PLN.

  50. I plan on connecting with other educators in many different ways. First, I’ve met some great future educators through my education college program. I will most definitely be still connecting with them when I become a teacher. Secondly, I think connecting with educators at the school you’re working at is a great way to create a community and feel supported. I also think creating a linkedin or some other sort job connector would be a great way to connect with other educators I might not get the chance to originally.

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