I created a document where I compared an open PLC (Discovery Educator Network) and a closed PLC (MCOE Professional Learning Community). It is interesting to see the differences. Here is the document: https://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1BYFYz1pIsNWTf2LZwIDyDvVVO09Dq0rQcamiWSh2fvw&hl=en&authkey=CIeErPgB

This article on PLC's is a good one. It goes over the definition of a PLC and explains why they are now so commonplace in education. I highlighted the key point, "suggesting that when teachers had opportunities for collaborative inquiry and the learning related to it, they were able to develop and share a body of wisdom gleaned from their experience." Because I think it sums up all the reasons why PLC's are now being utilized so often in education. Research has proven that when PLC's are utilized effectively in schools, student learning improves greatly.

This is a really good blog on how to start developing your own PLN. The blog suggests 5 steps to follow to get started and offers some websites to visit. At the end, the blogger provides additional resources if needed.

This article describes what social networking is and why teachers should use it in schools. It brings up a lot of good questions about how social networking can be used in the classroom. The article also addresses a lot of the issues involved in bringing this type of technology into the classroom.