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This article gives a brief overview of PLNs but then gives tips on developing your own.

The author provides tips for educators to network and grow their PLNs. He likes to ask educators to consider the following questions:Who is in your learning network? Who do you learn from on a regular basis? Who do you turn to for your own professional development? He provides some great ideas to expand your learning base.

As I begin to develop a PLN, reflecting on these three questions will be helpful. Including suggestions to expanding the network are equally helpful.

This blog by Tom Spiglanin discusses what a Personal Learning Network is and how his was constructed. He discusses specific characteristics that he believes makes his PLN valuable and describes it as a hardware store, rather than a tool in his toolbox.

When I designed my creative expression on PLNs, I thought of keywords that were consistent in my research such as share, network, connections, etc. In this article, I found it interesting that the author described his experience as "on-fire learning." I found other keywords and phrases in this article that I can add to my list, such as global sounding board, camaraderie and support. When reflecting on this topic, it makes me realize what strength PLNs provide individuals and groups.

This discusses the importance of connected learning and all the ways one uses a PLN. It also talks about how the definition of a PLN has changed over time and how many of the original ideas are now obsolete but that the idea behind it all is still that it is about being connected and learning from others, and also helping others learn.

Bonnie Stewart makes connections between Boyer's four components of scholarship and network participation. She contends that networked engagement fits Boyer's model for scholarship, and broadens scholarship, building connection, collaboration, and curation between individuals rather than roles or institutions.

A very interesting article! Even though the word "connectivism" isn't used (that I could find), what the author describes is essentially that. I especially liked this quote from the article: "Twitter served as a space for thinking aloud, sharing expertise, and raising investigative conversations. Participants appeared to carve out regular areas of discussion and investigation for which they become known, in their Twitter circles; peers would then send them links on those topics due to their expressed interests, and signal them into conversations in those areas, thereby extending participants' network reach and visibility." Sounds like connectivism in action!

Contains a broad review of the theory of connectivism and discussion of the LaaN view of knowledge ecology. Compares knowledge ecology to CoP, knot, intentional networks and coalitions...to name a few that I had not heard of before. Also some interesting comparisons of learning theories.

The authors have endeavored to find the motivations involved with professionals in the creation of Personal Learning Networks (PLN). The concluded that there are four common factors that for why people choose to use a PLN. These factors are : enhancing professional communication, remaining in touch with people in the network, positioning an individual in a network, and finding new people and expertise within the network. They point out that these factors are not necessarily the determining influences that comprise an individual successfully becoming a member of a network. They point out that there is metacognitive level, that of the attitude of the practitioner that is a determining factor for the success or failure of an individuals PLN.

This paper, by Ana Maria Marhan examines connectivism and social media. The author points out that because today's learning is a "messy, nebulous, informal, chaotic process, we need to rethink how we design our instruction. This hit home because I just moved to a new state and a new district, and they are very strict with, well, just about everything on the computer! I teach at a Title 1 high school, and these kids would truly benefit from instruction that wasn't so linear. These learners (like all learners) form their own pathways of knowledge, and I believe I could make a stronger impact on them if I could use more tools.

Marhan, A. M. (2006). Connectivism: Concepts and Principles for emerging Learning Networks. In The 1 st Conference on Virtual Learning. In this article author, Ana-Maria Marhan does a good job exploring the principals pushing forward Connectivism as a pedagogical helper. This becomes apparent right from her abstract "Connectivism views learning as a network creation process, and looks at how we might provide 'learning ecologies' to meet the learners' needs.". In her first section, she defines learning as "a persisting change in human performance or performance potential which must come about as a result of the learner's experience and interaction with the world." As soon as I read the last few words "interaction with the world", I began to connect the dots (no pun intended) to what I've read thus far about communities of practice. She spreads out on a handful of relevant and interesting subtopics to the overall theme of Connectivism. After she describes more about the new connected and growing world we live in she tackles the basics of Connectivism as a theory of learning and the principals behind it. Again like other articles she echoes many of the same sentiments George Siemens made when he originally proposed the learning theory. After the background on Siemens theory, she begins to draw everything together. One statement that I enjoyed was "Individual is the starting point of Connectivism: personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into communities, organizations or institutions, which in turn feed back into the network and then continue to provide learning to individual". She does a great job of supporting the use of technology not as the new power of learning but as a tool to unlock that power. "When knowledge, however, is needed but not known, the ability to plug into sources to meet the requirements becomes a vital skill".

I also appreciate how Marhan suggests that connected learning is cyclical: "Individual is the starting point of Connectivism: personal knowledge is comprised of a network, which feeds into communities, organizations or institutions, which in turn feed back into the network, and then continue to provide learning to individual."

The study in the paper was interesting as it looked at K-12 educators and their use of Twitter to research, relate and form PLNs. Twitter and other social medias have allowed teachers to form networks that are specific to their needs and wants in terms of their own professional growth. In the "End of Isolation" the researchers findings touched on the fact that "over 82% of the time, the educators in this study chose to follow other educators or content experts related to their field of teaching so they were able to create a personal learning network meaningful to their professional needs." Now I just need to work with teachers at my school site to help them realize the individualized professional potential!

This study underscored the benefits of Twitter for the educational community. The article shared the advantages to new teachers in particular, where one participant stated it changed her vision and practice in the classroom. Very powerful!

Of all the resources I have read thus far on PLNs, this particular article forced me to think deeper and reconsider my interpretation of this concept. First of all, I found that the article provided a picture of the quality of interaction that can occur within Twitter. The data collected by researchers provides an in depth look at Twitter as a PLN - a feat that few other resources I have read have accomplished. By detailing the amount, quality, and type of interactions and connections, a tangible conception of a PLN emerges, even for someone who has little to no experience with Twitter. Of the 10 surveyed, a majority of their connections and tweets were professionally related. According to Nussbaum-Beach (video I posted), the difference between a PLN and a CoP is the familiarity of the people and the connection to an idea or problem. However, this study provides a different perception of a PLN that is largely professionally based with strong two-way connections. These conclusions made me wonder if it is possible for facets of a PLN on Twitter to transform into a CoP. Further, at what point can one argue that a PLN has successfully transform into a virtual CoP? Thanks for sharing. This was an excellent read!

The article discussed "connected learning communities" and how it is relevant in the digital age. There are three components (professional learning communities (PLCs), personal learning network (PLNs), and communities of practice (CoPs)) with these communities and different theories, experience and knowledge, effectiveness, anticipates growth or decline, challenges and dilemmas, and use of technology within each component.

The PLP (Powerful Learning Practice) model looked at three different learning connected learning communities to discuss what each one is, the effects on teacher professional development, challenges and use of technology to name a few. Personal learning communities, personal learning networks, and communities of practice were the three that were discussed. I like how in this article, Connectivism is tied into PLN's which demonstrates how these concepts of PLN's, CoP's, and Connectivism are interrelated. Within PLN's and CoP's, members are concerned about the content and "what they do" as well as interact amongst the group to achieve a higher purpose.

This article is fantastic as it encompasses all that we are studying right now! Each aspect was broken down very well and explained completely. I also appreciated that the authors talked about the anticipated growth, use of technology and value of a PLN, for instance. This is a great reference to refer back to later.

First, I am struck that this 7 year old video is still current in light of all that changes with knowledge. Second, Siemens explains Network, Node and their importance to Connectivism. He also addresses this need for us to remain current. He mentions that more important and quicker means of staying current is through our Networks. He further mentions the point that if we don't keep up with what is going on in education we become obsolete. Lastly, he mentioned dropping links that direct you away from your knowledge quest.

I liked his comment about staying current in our own education, learning and teachings. Being connected to the internet/network helps us be current, up to date and we are able to do that because we can connect to the network 24/7.

I have noticed a few YouTube links, which concerns me a bit that I never thought of looking there myself. Clearly I need to extend my "web," as it could lead me to resources such as this. It was refreshing to hear the information presented rather than comb through a long article. Sticking point for me was referencing the need to stay current. I am hoping that this course, as well as others in this program, will significantly help with that.

A PLN or Professional/Personal Learning Network is a tool that uses digital information like social networks to collect, communicate, collaborate, and create with similarly minded people all over the world at any time. PLNs aren't being widely used because of the challenge to navigate the resources. PLN's do drive collaboration and technology is the tool that fuels it. They are a way to connect with people to share and discuss things the people share interest in. You can start a PLN by getting online and joining blogs, twitter, and message boards about what you are interest in. 

According to this sites definition of a Personal Learning Network, this Diigo group meets the definition ("a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time"). The article continues by stating that each member becomes "a source of information," which leads us back to connectivism, making connections, and learning.

This website defines and discusses PLNs as used by educators specifically. This article talks about how to start or get involved in a PLN, barriers educators face in using PLNs, and benefits of using PLNs.

Crowley writes about how to effectively build a PLN, but goes much more in depth than just listing out three basic steps. She details why PLNs are so beneficial, especially to teachers. I appreciate that she covers the doubts and frustrations someone may have when establishing a PLN and offers ways to help someone from being overwhelmed.

A Professional Learning Network does not need to be a stress inducing task. A PLN should be a changing group of connections that people can join to connect with like minded people who share values, passions, and areas of expertise. When used in education, it connects teachers all across the world and gives it's members with different perspectives on education. PLNs often use technology to drive the connections. When creating or joining a PLN, there are three steps to think about. The first step is to find the professionals. This means that you need to find professional people who share an interest and value with yourself. Once you have found those people, follow them on social media or their blogs to stay connected with them. The second step is to find your niche group. A niche in a PLN is a place where people gather around similar interests or experiences. The final step is to find your PLN buddies and mentors. These are people you have really connected with and who help to expand your thinking. The best part about a PLN is that it is driven by you. You have the ability to adapt your PLN to fit you and your needs. 

As a teacher who is new to PLN and using it as a forum to learn and share ideas, I thought it was a great article to help connect the new user. Like any connection, time and effort are needed to make the relationship work. This article was precise in effective ways to build a community and sustain a PLN. Thanks for sharing.

This post discusses George Siemens 2005 article Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age and examines the limitations of this theory as well as its relevance to teaching and knowledge management practices. The relationship of connectivism to learning in a MOOC is described. It is suggested that widespread adoption of connectivism in formal learning will face resistance because of its stance that 1) the network is more important than content 2) knowledge is a process rather than an artifact 3) and knowledge can be retrieved rather than memorized.

This source is actually a summary/review of a different article, but it provides some good insight. The author argues that the explosion of technology and internet sources has changed the way that we acquire knowledge. Different pieces of information are accessible by tapping into different sources. The author also discusses how connectivity can be used in the classroom and how some people may resist the use of the connectivity theory.

I found it valuable to go through Siemen's fundamental principles of connectivism. Siemens considers connectivism as a significant departure from previous learning theories because connectivism includes learning occurring outside of the learner, within the network. I also found it valuable to go through the applications of connectivism in classroom and managing knowledge.

Discusses the importance of students learning through social networks and how teachers can leverage students' experience with social networks to develop the skills necessary to be an independent learner.

This is a great article because it addresses the needs for PLNs for students as well as for teachers. I couldn't agree more, especially since our students are growing up in a highly connected world - it only makes sense for them to learn via PLNs of their own.

This Pinterest page is more of a menu of materials associated with Personal Learning Networks.  Numerous links to PLN resources are provided.

Pinterest is awesome, except for the fact that it is a total time sucker. At least I get some good ideas for my classroom and recipes for dinner from it. I also posted this link because it had quite a few websites that talked about PLN's. I'm new to PLN's but I am certainly learning a lot more about them this week.

I wondered if anyone would find something on Pinterest. One of the articles that I read mentions the idea of framing, or putting a personal interpretation on someone else's material. Pinterest is a classic example of this. Without framing, though, I don't think we would all see the value in what others pin.

This detailed paper presents a model for creating a personal learning network based on an investigation using a literature review, semi-structure interviews and survey and includes an extensive reference list. Three stages of the networking process- building, maintaining and activating- are described and the nine factors influencing decisions in each of these areas are outlined. The authors schematically represent a personal professional networking model.

I really like how this article focused on research results and the factors that emerged for the researchers during their study. It made understanding how the theory of PLN's has become relevant. The three stages of networking model also helped drive home the concept. Establish, maintain and activity was a great visual representation. Quality find!

This article discusses the importance of personal learning networks. It defines them as finding and connecting with others that are a part of your field. These interactions with others can promote life-long learning; which is beneficial in any working field.

This student project, related to science, utilizes Twitter and Google Earth. The teacher used their network on Twitter to provide challenging locations for students to locate in Google Earth. Once the class located the individual, they provided a tweet response. Neat way to show connectivism and networking!

Authors discuss advantages of personal learning environments in facilitating collaboration and fostering learner control. PLEs are facilitated by technology, networking, and self-regulation by learners. Open network learning environments from instructors allow PLEs to form. Focus of PLE is not information consumption, but information creation and participation. Authors relate PLE and ONLE to the theory of connectivism and discuss various applications and limitations.

Fantastic quote: "Educators perceive the instructional value of integrating Web 2.0 tools include autonomy, diversity, openness, and connectedness (van Harmelen, 2006); yet, they find multiple technologies daunting, which may affect their attitudes toward online learning. The integration of multiple Web 2.0 tools has created frustration among educators and students because they lack knowledge of the tools (Lee, Miller, & Newnham, 2008), difficulty learn- ing different tools (Weller, 2007), conducting multiple authentications (Suess & Morooney, 2009), visiting multiple sites for different tools, etc. This phenomenon results from a lack of understanding of the social networking learning paradigm and inappropriate integration." This article describes the role of Personalized Learning Environments (PLEs) and how Open Network Learning Environments (ONLEs) are instrumental for creating a PLE. The authors indicate that connectivism is a key underlying principle for developing such a PLE--seeking connections to learners and sources of information. They cite Siemens ("the pipe is more important than the content in the pipe"), which surprised me, as I read that comment from Siemens as hyperbolic. Practical advice for creating your own PLE are also incorporated, as well as examples of how to work and learn within a PLE. The authors suggest that PLEs (operating through ONLEs) disrupt LMSs in the same way that technology disrupts learning in general. Interesting analogy.

Due to mobile world there are new types of learners. They might already know social networking but do they really know how to manage and use this correctly? They need to be taught to deal with information overload, provide information back into a network, and learn how to stay current.

This article contains a you tube video by Wendy Drexler discussing the connected student and the usage of Web 2.0 tools to create student PLN's

Connectivism is a pedagogical approach where the person has control over when, where, and how they learn.