Blog Post #6

A personal learning network (PLN) is exactly what it sounds like. According to a blog that I found called Once a Teacher... explained a PLN as "the entire collection of people with whom you engage and exchange information, usually online." Each person's personal learning network will be different from another but that is what makes it personal. Your PLN consists of blogs, twitter accounts, and any other way you can connect with other educators around the world. If your personal learning network is used correctly, you will benefit from it tremendously.

Personal learning networks can help you as a teacher in many ways. It can help you find an answer to a question you are not sure about. It can help you learn things to pass on to your students. The list could go on forever telling the many ways a PLN would benefit you as a teacher. A personal learning network is formed by first choosing how you will keep track of everything you are going to have in your PLN. After reading all of the links Dr. Strange gave us, I would use Symbaloo because it seems to be the easiest to navigate and use on a daily basis. All of my PLN connections could be organized on one single page and all you have to do is click on the one you are wanting to go to.

I would begin my personal learning network (PLN) by following different educators on Twitter. I could have daily updates on their thoughts about things but I could also message them on Twitter if I had any questions and vice versa. I would also use different educators blogs and YouTube for valuable information I might need. By starting with just a few tools in my PLN I have a place to start from and work my way up. Each time I find something that would be beneficial for me as a teacher and my class, I can add it to my personal learning network so I can go back to it whenever I need to. After reading more about personal learning networks (PLN), I think every teacher should have one because nobody knows everything and as constant learners ourselves, even the smallest piece of new information can help you and your students in the classroom.