PLNs: Learn More. Do More. Be More. Pass It On!

If you've been around educational technology for more than a few minutes, you've seen the name Kathy Schrock.  In fact, I know you've seen it several times during this course.  Kathy has been involved in technology for a very long time.  In fact, she started a Facebook group called "Digital Pioneers."

Recently retired as technology director for a school system in Massachusetts, Kathy is continuing to put  her experience and knowledge to good use with her web resources, presentations, slideshows and webinars.

If you ever get a chance to hear her in person, get there early and grab a seat near the front! Meanwhile, check out her blog and other resources. Here's one of her recent webinars:  Connecting Your Classroom to the Future: Predictions and Predicaments.  You'll enjoy her sense of humor, her presentation style and her ability to help you keep up to date on current trends and technologies.

Why You Should Begin Your Own PLN by @a

Kathy is part of my PLN, my Personal Learning Network--a group of people I've "collected" and "connected with" from around the globe via Twitter, email, Facebook, blogs and RSS.  They are people I learn from every day, and because of them, I can share more things with you.  I connect with people who think like I do, but I also learn from people who "think different" and help me look at things in new ways.  I learn from people in education, but also from others in business, sports, entertainment and publishing.

We used to learn from our classmates, our friends, our families and--in teaching--our colleagues in the next classroom.  But technology enables us to connect with people from around the world.  Our best professional colleages and collaborators may be people we have never met in person!

It's time to start building your own PLN.  Why?  Because you'll be a better, more confident teacher and your students will benefit from that! How?  Here are some resources to get you started:

• Creating a PLN
• 5 Things You Can Do to Being Develop;ing Your Personal Learning Network
• PLN:  Your Personal Learning Network Made Easy
• PLN Yourself
• 23 Resources about Personal Learning Networks