Final Project – Part 1

A Learning Network for You … Seek, Sense, Share

Professional Networks
Explore professional networks, and develop your ideas to create your own learning network. If you think about the idea of Professional Learning: How professionals learn using social networking tools to  improve their effectiveness at work, it really has been around for quite a while. Before the Internet and Facebook, it used to be called Professional Development.  Mixing in social media, the practice has been called developing a “personal learning network” but some, like Harold Jarche, are calling it “networked learning.” Is this a transformation or revolution to improve the current educational environment? Does it feed your energy, passion, or spirit? Human improvement should be organically created and not mechanically created.

Learning Objective
By completing this assignment, you will be able to:

• Differentiate between Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) and Social Networks
• Compare at least two PLNs that you are not familiar with at this time

Due Date
Mon Nov 24 - Final project, Part 1 (Post link to SM4Ed)

Activity
Imagine you are a new teacher or faculty member who now has been asked to set up a PLN for your department (could be specific to your locus of control), since professional development opportunities have been cut from the departments budget. Within your department you have the wide range of understanding from none at all to some that have their own PLNs. As you go through the various references and resources to explore PLNs, begin to consider those sites which you have not investigated and look at what they have to offer to your department. Also create a comparison between a Personal Learning Network and a Social Network.  In this assignment, you will explore two different PLNs that you have not joined, or are familiar with, and compare them to each other, as well as those you may already have. (Examples: EduBlogs, Edutopia, #Edchat, edWeb, The Educator’s PLN, Edmodo, etc.)

Consider the following questions as you review various PLNs:

• Do you know what a PLN is?
• Do you have one already?
• What will you define as your PLN?
• How important do you think this is for educators?
• How do you think this will improve your PD?
• What do you see as the value in PLNs in education?

Deliverable (Criteria)

• Successfully find at least two Personal Learning Networks that you have not explored before, and increase your knowledge of them.
• Using a Google document, write a summary of your findings (250-400 words) with supported research, as well as your own thoughts on PLNs.
• Include at least two other resources that support your findings and cite your sources properly. Appropriate video may be included.
• Describe and rate the resources you found to support your information.
• Post a link to your summary to the class discussion [SM4Ed].

Peer review
After completing your assignment, comment on TWO (2) of your classmates' summaries. Spread out your comments so that everyone will receive feedback.

Sample PLN sites
Professional learning resources for Kew High School
Edudemic.com – Why (And How) You Should Create A Personal Learning Network 
Personal Learning Networks
Five Free Web 2.0 Tools to Support Lesson Planning
PLN: Your Personal Learning Network Made Easy
20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network
10 Great Guides for better Professional Learning Networks

Reading references
Häkkinen, P., & Hämäläinen, R. (2012). Shared and personal learning spaces: Challenges for pedagogical design. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(4), 231–236. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.09.001

Ivanova, M., Grosseck, G., & Holotescu, C. (2012). Analysis of personal learning networks in support of teachers presence optimization. PLE Conference Proceedings, 1(1). Retrieved from http://revistas.ua.pt/index.php/ple/article/view/1439

Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal learning environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(1), 3–8. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.06.002

Trust, T. (2012). Professional learning networks designed for teacher learning (Reviewed). Australian Educational Computing, 27(1),34-38. Retrieved from http://acce.edu.au/journal/27/1/professional-learning-networks-designed-teacher-learning-reviewed

Rubric for Assessment:

CATEGORY	100%	80%	60%
Content: Summary on comparison of PLNs and social networks for education	Summary clearly outlines the comparison of PLNs and social networks, and can be used in an educational setting.	Summary touches on comparison of PLNs and social networks, but unclear on how it can be used in an educational setting.	Summary has many gaps and lacks in required elements.  Not enough information is presented.
Content: Implication for creating a PLN for educators and PD	Implications for developing a PLN as a source of PD for educators clearly identified and communicated	Implications for developing a PLN as a source of PD for educators clearly identified and communicated are somewhat laid out and communicated	Lacks information regarding development of a PLN as a source of PD for educators
Organization and clarity	Content is well organized and easy to follow.	Overall organization appears flawed. Some information are not presented in order.	There was no clear or logical organizational structure, just lots of info.
Resources for PLN/Social Network	All resources are completely supportive and relevant to summary findings	Most resources are supportive and relevant to summary findings	No resources are supportive and relevant to summary findings, and falls short or is unclear
Use of Web tool to showcase summary findings	The use of the web tool clearly connects the summary findings and effectively supports it	The use of the web tool somewhat connects the summary findings and effectively supports it	The use of the web tool does not connect nor support the summary findings

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