Professional Learning Networks

Professional Learning Network

In a time when so much is expected of teachers in the giving of their time and energy, many might question, "How will it benefit me to seek out professional learning networks?" First of all, what does professional learning network even mean?
Professional learning networks (PLN) are collaboration groups with which you develop a relationship.  Whether this consists of people you have known personally or people you may never meet, sharing resources and engaging in discussions about topics of interest to you will help you to grow and develop as an educator. The most beautiful thing about establishing these relationships is their importance to you. These relationships are not forced because you have to create a curriculum together and stay together in what you are teaching, for instance.  These learning communities stretch your knowledge and challenge you. They potentially include people from all over the world.
Once these relationships are established the time they take is minuscule in comparison to the benefits you receive. However, if not beneficial to you, the relationship or connection can be ended at any time.
So, how do we create these relationships?  One of the ways I have explored a professional learning network is through Twitter. I search for areas that interest me and follow people that share these interests. I follow blogs that address subjects I want to know more about. When I find something useful to me, I share it in case it might be useful to someone else.
I also have a page on Facebook, which I use to share new things I learn; again, hoping these nuggets of knowledge will benefit others. Pinterest, more than any other, is an area I see more people I know using to collaborate about things of interest to them.  Collaboration is all about listening to others and sharing.
Here are some web pages that share ideas for developing your own PLN.

Resources:

http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2014/12/31/3-steps-for-building-a-professional-learning.html

http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/creating-a-pln/

If you would like to tie your PLNs together, you can create "recipes" so posts to one social network can automatically be posted to another using IFTT (If This Then That).

https://ifttt.com/recipes/collections/40-recipes-to-streamline-your-social-media

http://teacherchallenge.edublogs.org/creating-a-pln/

http://www.thedigitaldogpound.com/twitter-resources.html