Finally helped me connect the dots between the difference of Personal Learning Environments and Personal Learning Networks: it's all about taking it social.

Focusing on the use of Twitter in a PLN, a study was conducted involving seven educators. The results were encouraging as Twitter provided an excellent medium for personalizing their PLN and having immediate access. Although much of the article goes on to explain how Twitter works in a roundabout way, it does explain the merits of open and public forums for collaboration and discussion.

This is a one-page graphic that describes the nuts and bolts to the connectivism theory. Produced by Western Education, it concludes that this theory was successful in a controlled study in which each student chose 10 modules to study from a longer list. With the use of a group to share ideas, each student became a vital cog in the experience, not just bystanders.

A paper suggesting the need for technology to fully nurture and create an authentic learning process. It advocates for a an equal, four-part learning ecosystem that includes learning content, learning context, learning subjects, and learning technology. In addition to technology having its own dedicated category, the idea of connectivism can be found throughout the other three categories as well.

A research brief produced by the National Council of Teachers of English, this publication focuses on three aspects of a successful community of practice: mutual engagement, joint enterprise, and shared repertoire. Although the phrasing is different, the central concepts are similar to other reports on this topic. It does, however, also break down the needs of institutional support as a necessary condition for these communities to thrive.

An interesting angle on how communities of practice are being presented for a specific purpose. In this case, it is for NIRSA- a company that is tied to collegiate recreation. This site encourages people to get involved in a community of practice largely for sharing resources and discussions.

An article that claims the success of communities of practice comes down to two things: "shared experience over time and a commitment to shared understanding." It further explains that not only are the experiences key, but it is crucial that those experiences have variety and diversity.

A straightforward government-issued document on Communities of Practice that focuses on a variety of benefits for both organizations and individuals. Uses business at the working guide- not education- but the principles are the same. Very easy to comprehend document.

This article examines PLEs with a working definition of "a combination of social media-enabled systems, applications, and services which help learners to take control of their learning by aggregating, manipulating, and creating digital contents and learning artifacts, and sharing them with others." It advocates for an atmosphere of learning that is far different than the traditional sense; one that is driven by student-led activities and exploration.

Written in 2007, this article purposes an "alternative design" to online education that seeks to expose students to a variety of different technologies instead of having them master one. It would then ask students to share new found resources and ideas with other students. Although this "new" concept is clearly the type of education the MET program subscribes to, it is interesting to read about it in a hypothetical sense.

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