3 Steps to Creating Your Personal Learning Network (PLN)

I cannot begin to tell you how much it has meant to me this year to build my personal/professional learning network. The information I have received along with the colleagues I have connected with throughout the world have been invaluable. I highly recommend to start creating your PLN. This post by Social Networking for Schools - Edmodo by Betsy Whalen discusses how you can begin today!

3 Steps to Creating Your Personal Learning Network (PLN): "
Your PLN is the network of educators and colleagues you connect with online to share resources, ideas and experiences. Creating a strong PLN takes time and focus but is a critical step for professional growth. The first steps to creating a PLN on Edmodo are easy – and will get you on your way to developing a deep network of professional connections and peers with whom you can share ideas and experiences:

1. Connect with Other Educators. Use the “Search teachers” function on the right side of the screen to find colleagues and educators you’ve met at conferences and professional development events. Connecting with them allows you to send direct messages and share content to each others’ libraries.

2. Join Subject Area and Publisher Communities: From Australian educators sharing their lessons on “Catcher in the Rye” to others sharing their portfolios as they prepare for the National Board exams, the subject area communities are a valuable resource for gathering professional feedback from your peers.

3. Participate in Conference Communities – even if you can’t make it to the conference!: Whether you plan to attend ISTE in Philadelphia in June and want some pre-conference inspiration, or if you can’t quite swing the ticket to Florida for FETC in January but are hoping to participate from home, joining the conference communities provides access to concurrent session materials, peer feedback on sessions, and updates on events and things to look for at conferences. We often announce new conference communities on the blog, so be sure to keep a lookout for new – they are a great opportunity to meet like-minded educators to add to your PLN!

Bonus Step: Stay connected on Facebook/Twitter and the Blog: The best way to keep learning is to keep connected with events and trends in education technology. Stay up to date on Edmodo events by “liking” our page on Facebook and following Edmodo on Twitter .


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