Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) when used effectively extend our learning, increases our reflection while enabling us to learn together as part of a global community. Unfortunately it’s hard to make people new to social networking appreciate the importance of developing a PLN because they need to experience its impact themselves.
During this unconference type session Sue Waters facilitated a discussion on:
- What are PLNs
- What are the five top tools people in the session use to build their PLN
- How does a PLN change the learning dynamic from the traditionally modeled/supported school
- Our students need to be globally connected with a PLN but many of the tools are blocked. How do we deal with this?
- Getting students and teachers to use social bookmarking is easy but everything else is hard sell. What can we do about this?
- How can we make PLNs valid in the eyes of managers and administrators?
What Is A PLN?
As expected there was a wide range of differing opinions on what is a PLN (as shown below).
Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) vs Personal Learning Networks (PLNs)
The discussion on what is a PLN also lead to an interesting quick debate about:
- What are Personal Learning Environments (PLE)?
- What’s the difference between PLNs and PLEs?
As a follow up to this debate here some background on both the terms and a clarification of their history.
According to Wikipedia’s “Personal Learning Environments are systems that help learners take control of and manage their own learning” and the term was first used in November 2004. Whereas Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) are more about using web tools such as blogs, wiki, twitter, facebook to create connects with others which extend our learning, increases our reflection while enabling us to learn together as part of a global community.
A common misconception is the belief that the term PLN evolved from PLE. But Personal Learning Network was first used by George Siemens in October 13, 2003 when he described “A network, in the context of an ecology and communities, is how we organize our learning communities…resulting in a personal learning network.”
Reality is most people use the term PLN in preference to PLE. Shall we now debate Virtual Learning Environments?
Top Five Tools
As always the top 5 tools used to build a PLN were very personal as shown below:
To find out the rest of the debate on how PLNs change learning and challenges faced when using them with others you will need to listen to the recording.
Recording (60 mins):
https://sas.elluminate.com/p.jnlp?psid=2009-04-30.1807.D.4C3548A84E624FA254CD6511B7CA09.vcr
Helpful Resources:
- PLN Yourself Wiki – Sue Waters
- PLN series of Posts – Sue Waters
FINAL THOUGHTS
It’s impossible to summarise everything that was covered in this session — if you attended can you please leave a comment to say what were the main point(s) that you took away from being part of it. Or alternatively if you write a post please let me know so I can add your links to this post!
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Teaching as transparent learning | Social networking - what's it all about? Pingback on May 2nd, 2009 at 3:50 am
[...] I listened to recording of a live Elluminate session about Personal Learning Networks (PLN) faciliated by Sue Waters. She was discussing whether or not [...]
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May 1, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Last night was the first Elluminate session I’ve attended. I’ve seen Sue tweet and post about them but never taken the time to attend before. The “main points” I took away weren’t so much about PLNs — I’ll have to re-listen sometime to really digest it — but about how great this community of lifelong learners is. I wasn’t at all sure what to expect from an Elluminate session but it had a great pace, many different viewpoints, and multiple ways to collaborate and feel a part of the unconference.
Can’t wait for the next one!
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May 1, 2009 at 10:54 pm
For me, too, it was an enjoyable first! The thing I took away from the session was more about how to help our students and how to help each other. PLN’s are, for me, about sharing. Before networking sites were available, I felt like I was searching Google aimlessly looking for help. Now, I have dedicated people who are looking to share just like me. Someone made the comment about being “isolated” and is now able to find someone who he/she can collaborate with. Our students can use PLN’s the same way. It gives them a voice. Some of them need that. Again, great session! Hope to attend one in the future!
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May 1, 2009 at 11:46 pm
This was my 2nd experience with elluminate and I reflect on this experience as one who is attempting to develop a broader PLN, linking my experience as an aquatic research biologist with my current focus as an educator and a student. 80% of the web tools and apps I am exploring are new to me. The opportunity that these tools provide for me to relate with colleagues from around the world in real time is inspiring. I recall my experience as a young student with the PEACESAT system. How far we have come since those days!
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Sue Waters Reply:
May 5th, 2009 at 2:59 am
Hi Russ, Kathy and Michael, thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Elluminate session and PLNs. It was a really good sessions as a result of how well everyone interacted well together.. Our next session is this Friday and as Michael says these technology has made us come a long way.
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