http://www.med.monash.edu.au/assets/images/scs/nutrition-dietetics/s01-what-is-a-cop.pdf

This is another resource that discusses what a CoP is and how to best utilize it. It discusses the importance of domain, community and practice and provides a nice infographic to tie them all together. I like this resource because it has a case study of a CoP. The CoP was made up of 11 individuals who all worked in remote stores. They came together to learn how to deal with the stressful working environment. As a result of the CoP, they all felt more comfortable in the jobs. It was a simple example of a CoP, but it did a good job showing how and why they can be useful.

http://www.gettingsmart.com/2013/01/20-tips-for-creating-a-professional-learning-network/

Learning networks are based on the theory of Connectivism. This article makes that connection and then offers 20 tips for people to maximize the use of their PLNs. The first 10 tips are centered on effectively using a PLN. These tips start with how to join an online community, to actively participating, and communicating with new members. The second 10 tips are on staying productive with your PLN. These tips include using bookmarks, establishing a blog and staying current with online tools. I like this article because it gets at the heart of a PLN without saying it directly. In reading through the tips on how to do it, you inherently begin to understand why its useful to professionals. It is a good way to learn what a PLN is without someone having to directly say it.

https://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby

This article talks about why a PLN is useful and why it has not been adopted fully. PLNs are so useful because they are personal. PLNs can be set up to meet anyone's needs or interests. Previously, interacting with other professionals was limited to face to face interactions. With the increase in new technology and social media, these interactions can take place with vastly more people. A PLN is something that requires time. It is not a temporary thing that can be picked up briefly to address a problem. Successful users of PLNs see that as a mindset and a tool for continuous growth. People who do not see them as a mindset will have a hard time buying in and working on the initial skills required. I like this article because it addresses so of the apprehension people have to create and use a PLN.

http://www.teachhub.com/what-pln-why-do-i-need-one

The article gives a brief explanation as to what a PLN is and why educators need one. A PLN is a personalized network of other teachers and resources designed to make an educator a better teacher. Previously, educators relied on higher level courses to grow professionally. A PLN is better for two reasons. The first is that a PLN allows us to personalize our education. Second is that educators are sharing information rather than just receiving it. This resource is nice because it does a good job explaining what a PLN is and why it is useful. It goes on to mention that social media like Facebook and Twitter are primary places to communicate with a PLN.

http://www.innovativelearning.com/teaching/communities_of_practice.html

This resource goes into the history of Communities of Practice. The article discusses legitimate peripheral participation was a central component of CoPs, but later abandoned this in favor of an inherent tension in duality. What I like the most about this resource is that it distinguishes a CoP from a team. CoPs are not just a group of people that have been assembled to meet a goal or objective. Members of a CoP come together due to shared common interest and only disband when that interest is no longer present. The comparisons between the two are interesting and do a good job separating a CoP from other groups of people.

https://www.learning-theories.com/communities-of-practice-lave-and-wenger.html

This article does a good job introducing what a CoP is and also identifies the importance of domain, community, and practice. This resource goes one step further by discussing how CoPs go about developing their practice. These methods include problem-solving, request for information and seeking help from others. They also discuss motivation within a CoP. Members engage in social participation. This social participation helps them shape their identity and they are motivated to become closer to the middle of the community so they can be more like the members they idealize. I like this article because it reinforces the main principles of CoPs and it discusses the motivators for members of the community.

http://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/

This article does a great job explaining what a CoP is and how it is different from other communities. The article defines a Cop as, "Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly." These CoPs are different from other communities because they have three crucial characteristics: domain, community, and practice. Members have a shared interest in the community's domain of interest. Members participate in their community and interact regularly. Members practice and create experiences to share and learn from in relation to their domain. I like this article because it is brief but very informative.

https://www.teachthought.com/learning/the-difference-between-instructivism-constructivism-and-connectivism/

I liked this resource because it gives a very simple explanation as to how these three theories are different. Constructivism, in particular, seems to be very similar in many ways to Connectivism. This resource recognizes this similarity and explains how they are different. For Connectivism, the networking is the most important piece. Teachers still play a role in facilitating conversation between learners. Connectivism relies more heavily on internet use and pattern recognition. Learning occurs as learners connect ideas to preexisting networks and identify similarities. I like this resource because it does a good job distinguishing Connectivism in a small amount of time.

http://www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

This resource goes into more detail on Connectivism. What is nice about this resources is that it also addresses the other big three learning theories: Behaviorism, Cognitivism, and Constructivism. These three learning theories all are built around the fact the learning occurs within the individual and that an emphasis is placed in the knowledge being learned. Connectivism places value on what is being learned and tries to address how learning occurs within a network. In a world filled with so much information that can change daily, emphasis is being placed on connecting ideas to each other and learning through these connections. I liked this resource because it did a good job discussing how Connectivism is different from other learning theories.

http://education-2020.wikispaces.com/Connectivism

This website provides a good overview of Connectivism. Connectivism is a theory promoted by Stephen Downes and George Siemens. It is described as a learning theory for the digital age. In this model, learning occurs through connections within networks. It is the role of the learner to find, establish and maintain networks. Learning occurs through the sharing of information and ideas through these networks. This website does a nice job laying out all the key ideas behind Connectivism. There are two videos at the bottom of the page. The first is of George Siemens discussing Connectivism. The second is an animated video of a student learning in a connectivist environment.

I love this resource!
https://newsela.com/
This website has articles for students to read. Each article can have its reading level raised or lowered at the push of a button. It's a nice way to differentiate for all of your students. Each article also has activities and links for students to use afterward! Check it out if you do reading of any kind in your classroom!