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This study looked at how Twitter-using educators were using Twitter to collaborate, network, or engage in professional development

Molly, I really enjoyed this article. It is especially relevant with this course. Honestly, I could never image using Twitter as any kind of professional resource, but after reading this and using Twitter for this class and one other, I can see how it would benefit educator to collaborate. It is also very easy to use. Thank you for sharing this article!

Hi Molly, This is very appropriate for our class, especially since we are using Twitter to share articles and resources with each other - - in our own personal learning environment. I focused on the discussion portion of this article. I noticed that for educators, personal learning networks are important and useful for professional development. It was interesting that the study found greater use in high school environments (maybe because we are influenced by our students?). The benefits of Twitter and professional development, is that one can access and participate at any time and any location - - it is self-directed! I would be interested in finding out how to promote this type of professional development within a school. What type of training is needed for educators to get started? How would one track satisfaction and learning?

This article applies communities of practice as learning networks specifically for the purpose of life-long learning. The need for life-long learning continues to rise, and the authors reviewed research and applied findings to design a framework for an improved model that looks at life-long learning within these newer visions based on developing theories. The authors point out that lifelong learners are not only consumers of learning, but benefit as active contributors that also creates an enduring membership of the community. Included are learning network model diagrams to show the relationships in the learning community network. In the conclusion, the authors admit the work is still in an exploratory phase and much work is still needed to refine the framework and improve the evaluation of effectiveness in practice.

Koper and Rusman begin to identify how learning networks can transition into life long learning networks in the future. The authors begin to argue that the generalized dissemination of information is not created in a manner that allows for knowledge or deep connections to be made because information is illogically distributed in a way that does not promote or use identified learning methods. Although information is now highly accessible, the information is not delivered to people in a manner that will develop learning in people. Thus, the authors highlight the need for specific methods of distribution that are built upon learning methods. As we have seen in higher education, online learning is provided in a manner that is in line with identified learning methods, however beyond that the manner in which information is given varies. This is especially true for people on their own not in an educational setting. The following are some of the key ideas needed for learning networks to engage in lifelong learning in the future: open access resources, improved effectiveness, customability, improved efficiency, and improved organization using proven educational methods. Utilizing these key ideas will allow for learning networks to be viable outlets for learning in the future.

This article is fairly specific.  It helped understand the difference between a CoP and a PLN.  Primarily it talks about what learning is and how a PLN can help and how learning can come in a PLN.  It elaborates that a PLN is something that we have.  It is our connections that we make and, while not explicit, it emphasizes that we feel ownership in the PLN.

PLNs are a necessity. Even when we are learning in a formal situation, we take the information and go to apply it in our jobs. However, we typically do not have access to the original resources for information. This is where the PLN comes in. In many cases we may not know some or all of the members personally, but they are still a very valuable resource!

This article addresses setting up a PLN in the corporate workplace. When reading this article it reinforced the need to expose students during their formative years to this type of collaboration.

Preface: I am not counting this as a resource for my assignment, but I do think this page is awesome in that it offers so many established PLNs to join by category. If you are looking to grow or expand your PLN, this would be a great place to look.