A video that defines a PLN and discusses the importance of them in an educational environment.

I am very pleased with this video. It's an interview with Etienne Wenger and he explains, in his own terms, his research and definition of the Community of Practice.

This video is dedicated to developing an understanding of the property and applications of the connectivism learning theory.

This defines and simplifies the idea of a Personal Learning Network

I enjoyed this article - simple and to the point. An educator is only as connected as the technology he/she uses. While math formulas may not change, how the information pertaining to that math formula is disseminated has changed throughout the years. We've gone from an abacus, to pen and paper, to calculators, to computers, to tablets and smart phones. Educators today have to not only master their chosen field, but also technology ... and that is everchanging.

The author suggests that learning takes place when a learner connects ideas from his/her various personal learning networks. Further, those pieces of information is controlled by information technology. This idea becomes apparent when running the same search in Google, Bing or Yahoo. The author purports that in order for a teacher to be effective, he or she must understand this idea of connectivity and how it impacts a student's learning environment.

The author suggests that learning is a process of connecting information sources. What better place to connect information than online, where a world of information is at our fingertips. The author discusses Web 2.0 (blogs, wikis, social networking, and virtual gaming environments to name a few) and how they've impacted learning and helped to shape the idea of connectivism.

The author suggests that the foundation for connectivity is constructivism. The learner becomes the center of the of the learning process; rather than the dissemination of knowledge. The author further discusses the need for educators to adopt multiple methods of teaching in order to be effective in reaching the most students. Lastly, the author suggests that learning takes place in a collaborative and cooperative environment,

Etiene Wenger, a major contributor to the idea of a Community of Practice defines the term, explains how they're used within organizations, and discusses the importance of maintaining them so that they're most effective.

This article addresses the fact that learners have multiple identities as they cross into their various communities (work, school, home, church) but must maintain a strong sense of self within each community. This article briefly discusses the impact of situational cognition on education. They suggest that if learning is truly acquired by doing, then educational institutions must adapt and offer opportunities to hands-on, real-world experience.

This article separates technology used in communities of practice based upon the technology's function. Some technology supports content (blogs, vlogs, microblogs, status updates, wikis, collaborative document authoring tools, social bookmarking, media libraries and albums. Project coordination is aided by use of event calendars, task management tools to track project deadlines, and decision support tools. Incentive and recognition technology allows members to be recognized by way of badges and endorsements. Other technology supports member interaction. Profiles and social networking like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Instagram, member commenting, discussion boards, and webinar services allow for member interaction on their own time frames.

This is my favorite website. It's updated weekly on Sunday. If you're not familiar with it, take a look. It started out as a sociology experiment and turned into a global phenomenon that has prompted several bestselling books. I love this website.