PLN

A definition and explanation of PLN --> PLN stands for Personal Learning Network, and is the collective name for an individual's social community. It includes the toc people you get information from to form your thoughts and opinions. These PLN's usually are online, and include social media networks such as Twitter, Facebok, and blogs. People included in your PLN are family members, friends, co-workers, bosses, and field experts. List and explain ways to use a PLN as a teacher --> Using a PLN as a teacher can be very helpful in more ways than one. Teachers can communicate with their co-workers or people within their school. It also can be used for teachers looking for ideas and inspiration for new lessons. It can also help teachers keep in contact with parents of their students and the students themselves. Explain why a PLN is now becoming a valuable part of a teachers resource list --> PLN's are valuable because they have so much knowledge that is just a click, text, or phone call away. Information is invaluable in the classroom, so any bit of ideas or inspiration can really make a difference.

=**Blogs**= [|Mrs.Cassidy's Classroom Blog]-good for hands on crafts, also directly interacts with children in her class, very interesting [|Youth Voices]-This blog involves students and teachers alike, and everyone shares their opinions equally.

=**Websites**= [|Twitter]-follow teachers or others' thoughts, ideas, and inspirations [|Facebook]-easy way to keep in contact with many people all in one place, can chat, email, video chat

=**Wikis**= Mrs. Ibrahim's class**-**This wiki was created by a second grade class, and understanding their perspectives and how they learn can greatly help educators. [|Wikis in the Classroom]**-**This helps to inform teachers about how to effectively use wikis and understand all of the parts of a wiki.

=**Groups**= [|National Association of Special Education Teachers]**-**Facebook group that helps keep members up-to-date on happenings in the Special Education world, good information and trivia questions [|Pennsylvania State Education Association] -I belong to the SPSEA, which is the student branch of the PSEA. This organization has put together many rewarding conferences which have helped me to gain knowledge that I don't learn in the classroom. Belonging to this organization has a lot of benefits, including discounts on teacher supplies, grant money, and free subscriptions to a teaching magazine.

**Individuals**
PLN Yourself! Sue Waters uses her wiki as a guide to help teachers through the high waters of social networking. She explains how Twitter works and what it is used for. Her wiki helps teachers set up their Twitter account, and get the most use out of their surrounding resources. [|Kathy Schlock-] Through Discovery Education, Kathy Schrock has assembled a Guide for Educators. This guide includes many links for any activity for a teacher, and is often updated to keep up with the current standards. She has links for bulletin board ideas, assessment tools, and basically anything a teacher could want!