PROFESSIONAL / PERSONAL LEARNING NETWORKS
"We have to create our own Personal Learning Networks as educators. We have to understand how those networks can have a profound impact on the way we learn, and until we do this for ourselves, I think it's going to be very difficult to help our students navigate this much more complex world where basically anyone can talk to anyone that is online at least, and anyone can learn and interact with other people that they can find out there" (Richardson, 2007)
Social networking allows people to come together ‘virtually’ by sharing similar backgrounds, goals, interests and experiences, by building relationships through a common community (EDU 210 Blackboard notes 2015). An example of social networking is through Professional/Personal Learning Networks (PLN). In this category, individuals of the same professional background 'virtually' connect. A few examples of PLN are: Edmodo, Google Plus and Twitter.
Teachers are primary sources of knowledge for students in school. As such, teachers are supposed to be life long learners. By 'lifelong leaners' I mean, teachers are supposed to be update with information about their subject areas as well as technology. Professional Learning Networks (PLN) are tools that can be used by teachers to connect with other teachers / educators. Edmodo, Google Plus and Twitter are good examples of PLN. In this portfolio I will use my Twitter account to showcase this.
Not only that PLN can help teachers to connect with other colleagues but also, PLN expose teachers to technology and how other teachers use it to enhance their teaching practices.
Please, follow my Twitter page here!
"Charity begins at home" is a proverb that summarize what Richardson (2007) has said above. In this era where cyber security is a very serious issue, it is necessary for teachers to get exposed to the PLN environment before they introduce these technology to their students as learning support systems.
I am using Twitter to showcase PLN because:
1.) Twitter is very easy to use. One can create an account instantly and connect with or follow people they like there and then.
2). It is very easy to build connections. All that one needs to do is to tweet.
3). Twitter has lots of information to exploit. Using hashtag (#) one can get as much information as s/he wishes.
REFERENCES
Will, R. (2015). Personal Learning Networks. YouTube. Retrieved 17 September 2015, from https://youtu.be/mghGV37TeK8