I always love Sylvia Duckworth's graphics and illustrations! She does a great job creating a visual display of a concept. I also like that they included that a PLN allows for a lot of choice - who to connect with, how much you want to add, and you can take away as much or as little as you like. Thanks for a great link, Lindsay!

Thomas Whitby is an educator that I have followed on Twitter and consider a valuble member of my PLN. So it is fitting that I would include an article written by Mr. Whitby explaining the purpose of a PLN. Mr. Whitby explains that PLNs use social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with like-minded individuals. Unlike traditional professional development sessions, PLNs can take place any time and anywhere through the use of the WWW. Each PLN is uniques and serves its own purpose and each member is a potential source of information. Mr. Whitby concludes his article with information on how to build a PLN and links to PLN resources.

In this article, the author explains in simple, easy to follow steps what a PLN is and how to effectively set one up. The first explain that PLNs "has its origins in connectivism theory (Siemens, G. & Downes, S., 2005)". The P is about make personal connections and relationships. The L (learning) is about sharing ideas and resources. The N (network), perhaps the most significant part, allows learners and educators to "tap into and share diverse, global perspectives". Included in the article is a short video about PLNs. There is also an excellent argument for why it is so important to be a connected educator in today's 21st century learning environment.

An informative look at how PLNs work and the benefits of a PLN. Told from the perspective of a scenario in which the PLN is not initially accepted as a valuable tool of learning, the creator of this video shows that a PLN offers: 1. user ownership, 2. user independence, 3. user self-determination. The video goes on to show the benefits of collaborating through PLNs.

A YouTube video to explain connectivism. The author uses the example of a student "Bob", who is failing his political science class because the material is too complicated and not important to him. When Bob discovers that social media networks such as Facebook have resources that relate to his class, he begins to make connections and understand the material. Suddenly Bob has more understanding of the issue and is more interested in the topic. The creator of the video describes this process as the learning theory known as Connectivism.

A cute powtoon video discussing the benefits of Connectivism as a learning theory. In the video she explains that an a advantage of connectivism is that the learner can connect with people around the world and understand different perspectives. Connectivism also encourages critical thinking and indepth examination of a topic.The important thing is not to know everything about a topic, but to know where to go to find the information.

The author of this blogspot begins by defining exactly what is meant by a 'learning theory'. They then go on to discuss what learning is and how connectivism relates to learning. The learning theory of connectivism goes beyond simply looking up facts on Google. Learners are now connected (through nodes) and learning is not linear, but instead, "the ongoing development of a richer and richer neural tapestry." This article is an interesting look at learning theory and connectivism.

This is a wikispace dedicated the theory of Connectivism. A lengthy description followed by video and links are included. In this wikispace, connectivism is described as a group activity that is in a constant state of change. As new information is acquired by the group, old information may be altered or abandoned. It is connecting and educating in the digital age. "Whereas in the past learning was competitive, coercive and paternalistic, the new ethic of learning is collaborative, global and universal."

In this fairly in-depth article, Etienne and Beverly Wenger- Trainer, focus on many different aspects of Communities of Practice. Some of the key elements they name regarding CoPs are: they are intentional, they can improve performance among members, the members have a shared domain of interest, the members have a commitment to the group, and the members build relationships that enable the to learn from each other. The 3 main element of a CoP are the domain, the community, and the practice.

http://valenciacollege.edu/faculty/development/tla/documents/CommunityofPractice.pdf In this article, Smith summarizes the work of Lave and Wenger related to their social learning theory known as Communities of Practice. Smith reiterates that learning should not be an individual endeavor but rather something that takes places with a social context. He summarizes the article with three main ideas: "Learning is in the relationships between people." "Educators work so that people can become participants in communities of practice." "There is an intimate connection between knowledge and activity."

http://web.stanford.edu/~eckert/PDF/eckert2006.pdf A relatively short explanation of Communities of Practice, their meaning and purpose. The writer also makes a comparison between Communities of Practice and a Speech Community. According to Eckert, "Communities of practice emerge in response to common interest or position, and play an important role in forming their members' participation in, and orientation to, the world around them."

One of my favorite websites for keeping up with current trends in educational technology is Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne. The website is regularly updated and provides valuable tips and resources.
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/

1. Arts Integration: Resource Roundup. (2013, April 17). Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/arts-integration-resources
All points of arts integration -- from benefits and implementation to linking the arts with core curriculum -- are covered in this roundup of useful Edutopia blog posts, articles, and videos.
2. Buncee | Create, Present and Share Engaging Multimedia Lessons. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.edu.buncee.com/
A tool to create engaging, interactive, multimedia presentations.
3. Integrating the Arts with Technology: Inspiring Creativity | LD Topics | LD OnLine. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ldonline.org/article/30245/
This thoughtful article demonstrates how integrating the arts with technology can inspire creativity, especially for students with disabilities.
4. Mariel. (2014, March 11). Why Should We Encourage Technology Integration In Our Arts Curriculum? Retrieved from https://www.psarts.org/encourage-technology-integration-arts-curriculum/
A useful article showing the benefits of integrating technology in the arts curriculum.

Cross-Curricular Unit: Language Arts

1. Folktale Writer's Workshop | Writing with Writers | Scholastic.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/folktalewshop_index.htm
A complete lesson for writing within a genre.
2. Roblyer, M. D. (2016). Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (7th ed.). Pearson.
3. Six Characteristics of Folktales Flashcards | Quizlet. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://quizlet.com/23074770/six-characteristics-of-folktales-flash-cards/
4. StoryCreator - Create Your Own Book | StoryJumper. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.storyjumper.com/main/help
This is a website for creating Ebooks. It is simple to use and provides plenty of scenes and props along with interesting text boxes for your pages. I choose this Ebook creation tool because I felt it would be simple enough for elementary aged students to use.

Digital Game-Based Learning

1. 6 Basic Benefits Of Game-Based Learning. (2013, March 15). Retrieved from http://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/technology/6-basic-benefits-of-game-based-learning/
2. Banville, L. (2016, October 1). Brain Trainers May Kick Start Learning in Students. Retrieved from http://www.gamesandlearning.org/2016/10/01/brain-trainers-may-kick-start-learning-in-students/
3. Byrne, R. (2010, February 22). Ten Interactive Geography Games and Maps. Retrieved from http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2010/02/ten-interactive-geography-games-and.html
4. gamifi-ED - home. (n.d.). Retrieved October 18, 2016, from http://gamifi-ed.wikispaces.com/

Social Networking and Walled Gardens

​1. Amanda Lenhart. (2015, April 9). Teens, Social Media & Technology Overview 2015. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/
2. Anderson, E. (2015, May 11). Teenagers spend 27 hours a week online: how internet use has ballooned in the last decade. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/11597743/Teenagers-spend-27-hours-a-week-online-how-internet-use-has-ballooned-in-the-last-decade.html
3. Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://padlet.com/
4. Safety First: Social Media and Securing your Kid's Safety | Visual.ly. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://visual.ly/safety-first-social-media-and-securing-your-kids-safety
5. VoiceThread - Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ed.voicethread.com/
6. What is walled garden? - Definition from WhatIs.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/walled-garden

Acceptable Use Policies

1. 1-to-1 Essentials - Acceptable Use Policies | Common Sense Media. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/1to1/aups
Guidelines for schools on writing AUPs.
2. Education World: Getting Started on the Internet: Acceptable Use Policies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml
Guidelines for writing AUPs with additional resources.
​3. Why Have a Technology Policy in Your School or Library? | Librarians | Scholastic.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/tech/techpolicy.html
An explanation as to why a school needs an AUP, with guidelines and examples.

Video Integration in the Classroom

1. Multimedia in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://fcit.usf.edu/multimedia/overview/overviewa.html
An explanation of how and why to use multimedia in the classroom. Explains relative advantage of using multimedia.
2. Video in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://edtechteacher.org/tools/multimedia/video-classroom/
A great resource! Gives a variety of ideas on how students can create videos for the classroom, how teachers can integrate videos into the classroom. Explains video file formats and names a variety of video sharing sites.
3. Why Use Video in the Classroom? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/ntti/resources/video1.html
Explains how to utilize videos in the classroom.

Shared Google Docs and Google Sheets

1. 34 Interesting Ways to use Google Docs in the Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KRts3A_nrnwpr40hxZY9eKrRzu7pxFajKUEBay6foR8/embed?usp=embed_facebook
2.Dr. Alice Christie's Using Spreadsheets in K-12 Classrooms. (n.d.). Retrieved
from http://www.alicechristie.org/edtech/ss/
3. Sharing and Collaborating. (n.d.). from http://www.gcflearnfree.org/googledriveanddocs/sharing-and-collaborating/1/
Tips and video tutorials on how to share and collaborate on Google Drive apps

Basic Suite Software

1. Google Docs; Microsoft Word: Word processing programs that allow users to create documents, flyers, lesson plans, etc.
2. Google Sheets; Microsoft Excel: Spreadsheet programs that allow users to input data into rows and columns and apply mathematical formulas to the data.
​3. Google Slides; Microsoft PowerPoint: Presentation software that allow users to create colorful and interactive presentation.