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This is a more atypical resource for our assignment but I felt that it was very appropriate for many of my K-12 peers. This text discusses the history of PLN and how educators must use PLN as a part of their learning tool kit today. Both authors are educators as well as business men who ofter a mix of experience in their attempt to convince you that PLNs are one of the major ways to captivate and engage students in the learning process.

This is my second unusual reference but well worth it. Chapter 3 provides the reader with a research article that considers the value of the PLEF Personal Learning Environment Format when implementing personalized mashups to increase collaborative learning. This peer reviewed article provides a Connectivist theoretically based argument for engaging dynamic virtual and network learning in lifelong, informal and personalized learning environments.

This is actually an ebook that drives home the notion that learning is not something taking place only in a classroom, but that everyone learns in their communities of practice. These can be a group of friends, a family, a musical band, or pretty much any group that learns and works together.

This book could lend a lot of understanding to what CoPs are and what they do. I do like that learning for a CoP is not always in a classroom and this book seems to drive that point.

The Internet connects us in unprecedented ways. To prepare students to flourish in this new learning world, schools will need to transform themselves in important ways. This book is a road map for any educator thinking about using the web for learning. Build your own learning network, and use learning networks in the classroom and schoolwide to improve student outcomes.

This post is the first chapter from a book titled Collective Intelligence and E-learning 2.0. The first chapter is titled Learning Networks and Connective Knowledge. This chapter outlines the thinking behind personal learning environments. Learning comes with the network of connections and experiences gained from a knowing community. The new learners in the net generation interact and think in new ways.

Five years ago, Google unveiled a shiny new toy for nerds. The Google Ngram Viewer is seductively simple: Type in a word or phrase and out pops a chart tracking its popularity in books. Millions of books, 450 million words-suddenly accessible with just a few keystrokes.

A whole book on Google Books about Communities of Practice. Chapter 6 highlights teaching with technology!

Downed begins this chapter by discussing the history of learning theory. He concludes that no previous theory can accurately explain how we learn. He then compares the brain to a social media network to introduce his explanation of networked learning. An ecosystem approach to learning would be beneficial. Resources do not need to be centralized and learners should be contributors.

Discusses research in social studies including technology integration issues.

Some interesting food for thought for ELA educators.

These are some great ideas for using Twitter in the English classroom. In particular, I like using Twitter to build vocabulary, debate an issue or book interpretation, write a book review, or for short grammar exercises

541, technology in content areas

"Either teachers embrace the new language learning technologies and integrate them in a new pedagogy or they will not only deprive themselves of the enormous benefits afforded by computer-assisted learning (CALL), computer mediated communication) (CMC), distance learning, social networking, and language games, but they will be increasingly out of touch with their own students, who are by now wired, networked and computer-savvy". This book explained why teachers should integrate technology tools into foreing language classrooms.

A book by Meredith Honig, Chapter 2 outlines Communities of Practice. Takes on the viewpoint of COPs and implementing policy in education. Quote: "A growing body of policy research supports the notion that teachers' professional relationships play an important role in teacher learning."

This book chapter delves into the interesting habits that teachers have when it comes to their practice. They generally stick with what is comfortable for them. When the community of practice is thrown into the mix, it allows teachers to be even more comfortable with different styles and ideas through informal professional interactions. This article has a big emphasis on policy changes, which is an important part of daily life as a teacher.

541, technology in content areas

A George Siemens article discussing the need for educators to embrace the Connectivist approach.

All of George Siemens articles have been so good. He really captures the essence of connectivism and why it is important in this day and age. There is so much information available on the internet nowadays and it is always changing. Creating a PLN helps filter all of it and lets us adapt it well into our teaching and learning.