Personal Learning Network

In this course, we network via Twitter with the use of #unietd hashtag. You will be required to voice your opinion about our lectures and RWLDs by using this hashtag. Using this #unietd will help you, graduates, and others interested in the educational use of technology network and learn from each other.

Purpose

Curating is the process of sorting through the vast amounts of content on the web and presenting it in a meaningful and organized way around a specific theme. The intention of this experience is for you to:

• Strengthen or build a professional branch of your PLN
• Practice curating information from digital resources that show meaningful connections to your field of study and future career
• Create a map of connections to effectively collaborate with diverse stakeholders to support student learning.
• Critically analyze and modify your current social media platforms
• Establish your professional digital presence and grow your professional digital footprint
• Reflect on how you can connect with resources and other professionals.

Stakeholders: Individuals or groups who have an interest or concern in the success and outcomes of a particular endeavor or organization. In the context of education, stakeholders may include students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community members.

This assignment aligns with:

• ISTE Standards for Educators:  2.1b and 2.2c
• ISTE Standards for Students: 1.1b, 1.3c, 1.7a and b
• InTASC Standards for Pre-Service Teachers: 9 and 10

These activities engage skills found in these unit of the Google Educator Level 1 Training Connection:

• Unit 2: Expanding Your Access to Help and Learning
  • Build Your own Learning Network

Assignment

This Personal Learning Network assignment will involve you in strengthening or building a professional branch of your PLN and examining its growth over the semester. You will work on this assignment all semester long. Follow all the steps and keep an eye of the course schedule to successfully complete the assignment requirements:

1. Create Pre-map

A concept map is a useful  tool to support visual thinking and helps visually represent or organize complex ideas. Your Personal Learning Network concept map won't be complex because it is your initial opportunity to consider these networks.

• You can create it on a piece of paper or using digital tools.
• Your map should show where you go to learn. What electronic media you use to make personal connections, ask questions, bookmark useful links, how you connect to experts in the field, etc.

Examine these PLNs created by students in previous semesters (use them as an inspiration not a strict guideline, requirements may vary)

2. Build Connections (Twitter +5)

During the semester, you will be challenged to find the new people and places to learn and with that expand the professional branch of your learning network.

• You will be active on Twitter with the #unietd hashtag. Use it to voice your opinion about our lectures and RWLDs, network with your classmates, and share useful resources and try to connect and engage in conversation with other educators.
• Additionally, you will document at least 5 various resources/connections that you have discovered/created.

Examples and More Resources

EXAMPLES of PLNs by EdTech students

Dr. Z's take on how to grow your PLN

Free self-paced course guiding through the process of building your PLN.

The Ultimate guide to Twitter for Teachers

Social Media @ UNI

100 Iowa Educators to follow on Twitter

Teach 100 ranks top education blogs

Pinterest pins related to education

Guide to Twitter Hashtags for Education

Reading Rocks with Ms. Acuff- by our grad, now Reading Recovery Interventionists in Waterloo
PE Geek - technology in your PE classroom

Google for Education - tutorials, teaching resources, taining and support

Edutopia - George Lucas Educational Foundation - practical tips, strategies, and resources for PreK-12

YouTube for teachers

The following are just a few ideas and examples to get you started: 

Connect with another person or persons (at least one required)

• Engage with other educators via Google community,
• Engage in an educational Tweet Chat.
• Like and engage in a Facebook conversation with a teacher.
• Find a professor who stimulates your thinking or a blogger who provides innovative ideas about teaching and learning. Comment on his/her post(s).
• Join an educational Facebook group and engage with the educators.
• Join a professional organization, AND engage in their digital presence (forums, comments etc.)
• Connect with the author of your favorite book.

Expand your learning channels 

• Subscribe and listen to some podcasts for educators.
• Learn something new by browsing the Resources tab from the Google Training Center.
• Complete tutorial/training via LinkedInLearning and collect the certificate of completion completion.
• Compile learning resources  in a YouTube playlist and Subscribe to the learning channels
• Participate in a free educational webinar (online workshop or session).
• Join and earn some badges from the Microsoft Education website
• Create informative Pinterest boards focused on some aspects of your profession, follow creative professionals (ex. Creative use of QR codes in a classroom).
• Find (or create) a Symbaloo webmix that organizes important resources.

3. What did I learn? Create Documentation

However you expand your PLN this semester, make sure to document the situation. Take screenshots of your interactions. Use Google Slides as a repository for your PLN documentation (talk with your instructor if you would like to use a different medium)
For each new PLN connection create a short narrative with a link to the resource and the visual examples (screenshots, certificates, video recordings ect). You can use the following prompts to reflect and organize your PLN expansion:

Tip for a future: Your slides will not be used for a public speaking presentation, but if you ever present with the "slide shows" it is worth to remember about the important 6x6 Rule for Presentation: Aim to include no more than 6 words per line and 6 bullet points per slide. Study shows that too much text confuses the audience. Should they listen to you or read the slide?

• A screenshot or attached file of the event, connection, or certificate.
• A short description of the resource (consider using bullet points).
• How did you establish/find/create/use this resource?
• How will you benefit from this resource in your future teaching? (Perhaps you benefit from it right now as a student).
• Link to your Twitter account.
• Link to all documented PLN resources.

4. Create Post-map and Reflections

Towards the end of the semester, you will reevaluate your connections and create an expanded version of  your initial PLN map

• It will include all of the new professional learning sources that you found/created/established. 
• Your post-map cannot be hand drawn. Use a concept mapping tool such as Popplet, Coggle, Mindomo, Bubbl.us, Lucid Chart, or Google Drawing.
• Use your documentation to write a narrative talking about the growth of your PLN and how you will use it in your professional life.

Rules for PLN:

• Be a productive member - Pay It Forward
• Think before you post
• Remember, you are an educator and a public person

Submitting:

Submit the URL to your Google Slides, or relevant blog posts documenting your PLN in the eLearning assignment submission box. Make sure your Slideshow is public. Copy and paste the address to avoid errors.

Point Structure (80 points)

Special Notes

• NOTE: Twitter is just a tool, engaging in educational tweet chat, following certain educational hashtag or influencers is your PLN
  Google Sites is only a tool - Using Google Sites to collaborate with parents and educators, or used to share ideas with the larger audience is a PLN
• You are required to use the Twitter hashtag, #unietd, to reflect on our lectures.
• If you already have a Twitter or Pinterest and other social media account that may include explicit content or materials inappropriate for school, consider creating a separate professional account. All activities should positively represent you as a Pre-service teacher.
• 10% of points possible will be deducted If you submit the wrong URL or your account is not public and your instructor cannot access your profile.