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A helpful introduction to connectivism; includes discussion of whether or not connectivism can even be considered a learning theory. Located behind a paywall, so you will have to access through BSU Albertson's Library.

(I accessed this one through the BSU library; it required a login) This article was geared toward technology leaders and information literacy specialists in schools and discussed the need for them to have access to the most current information. This could apply to any educator, though. They provide five reasons why librarians need PLNs: access to the thinking of colleagues, access to timely information, ability to post questions and get responses, ability to collaborate with colleagues, and to be able to communicate about events. Each of these is discussed in detail, and management tips for effective participation in a PLN are provided as well. This is a clear resource that makes a convincing argument of why educators need social-media based PLNs.

I really like annotated bibliographies because they provide so much information on a topic in a fairly simple analytical summary, and they allow the reader to delve further by providing the source. The author, Kristi Newgarden, has two fields of interest: educational technology and teaching English as a Second Language. Overall, the focus of the bibliography is on Communities of Practice and Lave and Wenger's concepts of Legitimate Peripheral Participation.

Scott, it's great that you found this annotated bibliography. What caught my attention initially was that it was posted on a TESL website, but after reading further the author mentioned that the resources mentioned could benefit any teacher in any subject area. This is a nice way to find resources on a topic without having to type in a search engine or review resources at the end of a research study. Even better when there is a summary provided so you don't have to figure out if that is a beneficial resource or not.

J Matibag - One thing I didn't touch upon, but didn't, is the benefit summaries provided in an annotated bibliography like this one. Thanks for putting that into your post. Having these description certainly gives the reader a chance to discover more sources in less time. Most studies I've read tend to be 10-25 pages, so this circumvents sifting through studies that may not be what one is looking for.

By Loertscher, David V. and Koechlin, Carol (2011). Check out the library at BSU for full text! Discusses each component of digital PLEs in greater details and provides a model that divides the PLE intro three distinct stages of development (each phase empowers the learner to manage specific aspects of his/her learning potential.)

An excellent study of using multimedia in math to improve engagement and learning outcomes. You will need to be logged into BSU account to access.

A common assumption in multimedia design is that audio-visual materials with pictures and spoken narrations lead to better learning outcomes than visual-only materials with pictures and on-screen text. This study's results show retention rates vary depending on media used. **Login to BSU Library for full access of this article

Great example of the Networking Project for Edtech 541

You will need to use your BSU information to access this article. This article addresses the "challenge of developing theory in relation to the practices of mathematics teaching and its development". This a lengthy article but well worth the read for any level of mathematics teacher! The author is trying to "show" how theory can really be put into practice. The author highlights and well supports that: 1) students learn through exploration and 2) educators using inquiry as a tool to enable teachers to develop teaching.

You will need to use your BSU information to access this scholarly article. The focus of the article is on ALNs but it is relevant and can easily be extrapolated to PLNs. It looks closely at how collaborative learning can affect feelings of success or failure.

You will need to use your BSU information to access this scholarly article. This article discusses how situated learning can evolve into Community of Practice. The author asserts, " The basic argument made by Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger is that communities of practice are everywhere and that we are generally involved in a number of them - whether that is at work,school, home, or in our civic and leisure interests." Some CoPs are formally created while others are much more casual. This article is a great summary of Wenger's initial discussion of the topic.

You will need to use your BSU information to access this pdf article by Christine Muller. This is a pretty dry article that attempts to make the connection between the need for community and mathematics. The author states, "Despite a common belief that mathematical practitioners prefer isolation and self-study, we observe that they are highly collaborative and active in their community. Mathematical collaborations are essential for any stage of mathematical practice". The author states the need to further analyze the need(s) for web-based community tools, such as discussion spaces that facilitate international online collaboration on the Web. This article is a starting point of a great discussion but needs much more elaboration.

You will need to use your BSU information to access this scholarly article. This article explores the foundation to the concept of Connectivism. Connectivism is basically how the various connections are created, formed and strengthened in education and in all types of learning.

Technology is changing the way people can learn. With constant access to the internet, learning can take place all the time and everywhere. This is especially true with online learning. Connectivism is the theory that claims knowledge exists in the world, not in just an individual. This theory is what drives good online learning practices. The four major concepts that describe effective online teaching using connectivism are establish the feeling of the online classroom, create a social presence within the class, use activities and technology to make meaningful learning experiences and also to teach and guide your students through the learning process. These four concepts are best used within a social and learning community like Facebook or Blackboard that helps to connect the learners and the teacher. 

I thought this was an interesting because the way the classroom is constantly changing there is the opportunity to learn anywhere. A perfect example is this course! I have taken classes with people from all over the world through BSU due to the advancements in technology. The fact that the connectivism theory embraces the knowledge of the world, goes hand in hand with the effectiveness of online education. Social networking is another way that those connections can be made.