In this article, Whitby describes the rationale behind personal learning networks and how they may help educators deal with modern challenges. He also argues that PLNs have potential in future educational reform.

This blog post provides a critical review of the theory of connectivism. Stranack also discusses the application of the theory both in the classroom and within knowledge networks.

This brief 2011 USA Today article describes the experience of a school librarian helping students to create their own PLNs.

The resource linked here is a page to the first lesson of a MOOC on connectivism and connective knowledge. This page features several resources on connectivism, many f which are from Siemens and Downes themselves.

This article focuses on virtual communities of practice within higher education. It provides an overview of the definition, purpose, and literature concerning CoPs. Further the authors detail many of the benefits, barriers, and critical success factors associated with virtual CoPs. The article also includes numerous practical examples of virtual CoPs as well as quotes from faculty with experience in these communities.

This guide provides a practical interpretation of the theoretical underpinnings of communities of practice (CoPs) in higher education. The guide begins with a definition, review of the purpose of CoPs, as well as their lifecycle. The authors also outline the stages of development in a CoP. This section includes guiding questions and activities to help others facilitate the development process within their own CoPs. I found this resource to be helpful in visualizing the process of developing CoPs.

I enjoyed reading this blog post due to the clarity the author brought to the discussion on communities of practice. Often, articles and research on educational practices and ideas can become overly theoretical. I find that researchers who are the most helpful have a way of combining theory and practicality in a manner that is clear to the practitioner. Tony Bates has done just that in this post on CoPs. I found the graphic organizer on CoPs to be especially helpful. Additionally, his discussion on CoPs in the digital age (especially concerning MOOCs) adds a very important layer of thought to the course materials we have on CoPs. Thanks for sharing this, Darin. It is such a powerful resource!

In this article, Torrey Trust gives an overview of personal learning networks (PLN) and discusses their relevance in education. She identifies two different types of PLNs, information aggregation and social media, as well as their benefits. Many of the tools available for PLNs as well as examples for how teachers can use these tools are also examined. Additionally, three popular online PLNs, including Classroom 2.0, The Educator's PLN, and Edmodo are reviewed.

Dr. Etienne Wenger discusses communities of practice in this brief interview conducted by the Project Management Institute. Dr. Wenger provides his professional background with respect to communities of practice (CoPs). He also discusses learning partnerships, purpose and definitions of CoPs, tools utilized by CoPs, and the distinction between technology tools and CoPs.

In this video, Dr. George Siemens provides a brief description of connectivism. He shares a number of practical examples of social knowledge sharing and building, several of which led him to publish the 2005 paper on connectivism (located in the Module 1 Resources of this course). Three levels of knowledge-building including biological, knowledge reconciliation, and networked processes are also discussed.

In this particular video, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach is delivering a keynote at ULearn08 in New Zealand. This is a short snippet of that keynote speech. Nussbaum-Beech briefly discusses the primary differences between communities of practice and personal learning networks.

This website is one of my favorite go to places to learn about new technology tools. It is run by Richard Byrne, a former high school social studies teacher. There are resources for teachers in every content area and for any purpose. There is even a Facebook page you can like which features the same posts as the blog. Personally, I chose to like the Facebook page so the updates pop up in my feed. This allows me to see the posts throughout the year as they become available without any extra effort.