PLN - aka Powerful Learning Network

Day 22 of our TeachThought Reflective Teacher Blogging Challenge!

What does your PLN look like? What does it do for you teaching?

My research for my final part of my Masters is all around changing teacher professional learning to make it more relevant, connected and sustainable through Communities of Practice.  The journey to this research focus started when I began to develop my PLN online through Twitter and Facebook and face-to-face through my colleagues back in 2007.  I was frustrated with the way we seemed, as teachers, to be moving very quickly from one professional learning initiative to another with little chance to embed changes, examine our practice or sustain the learning and changes.

PLN's "Friends Educating Each Other": Using Twitter for Informal PD from Debbie Fucoloro

Many of the long-term projects we were involved in were incredibly valuable but difficult to sustain once they were finished and we moved on to the next one.  There had to be a better way to sustain the excitement we'd built up and the changes we'd made.  We also needed to be able to have a way that supported new staff into these changes or they would be easily lost.

My PLN had been the source of sustainability for me.  New Zealand educators are fantastic at creating and sustaining online PLNs so I've taken this idea along with my learning about Communities of Practice and turned it into my research.  Ownership of the learning is key and leads to motivation, excitement and engagement about learning.  These ideas are adaptable for all ages, especially our students but that's a whole other story, and research focus!

So what does my PLN look like?    
It is everything to my learning and teaching.  Some people might be surprised by the inclusion of my students but they are an incredibly important part and a conversation a few years ago when we were setting up their individual blogs taught me a valuable lesson.

We were adding their individual blogs to the sidebar of the class blog and they asked why mine wasn't on there.  I said to them that I didn't think they'd need mine on there and that they may not understand what I was writing about.  Not my smartest assumption.  Their reply, (they were 9 and 10 year-olds):

"We might not understand it all the time but you're a learner too and it should be on there."

This was so true so it is on there and quite a few of the students are still followers of the blog and I receive comments / questions from them.  The power of Student Voice can never be underestimated.


My initial research on Communities of Practice for teacher professional learning has lead to the following presentation.  It's just initial research at this stage but I want to change what we do and how we learn and our PLNs are a powerful way to do it.

Pathways to collaboration from Justine Hughes / Education Consultant / Teacher

#reflectiveteacher

What Are EduIgnite Events And Why Are They So Special And Important?

Last week I had the privilege of being involved in EduIgniteRotovegas.  Have you heard of these events before - or been to one?  If you haven't then I'd absolutely recommend being part of this movement.  First, a little bit about EduIgnite.

EduIgnite events enable educators to meet together - either face-to-face, or virtually, to share their interests and passions, and to support each other in their professional learning journeys.  Presentations are short and snappy and the theme is one of energy and enthusiasm - just what we need at times, particularly as this can be such a pressurised profession.

“Fast-paced, fun, thought-provoking, social, local, global—Ignite is all of these and more. It’s a high-energy evening of 5-minute talks by people who have an idea—and the guts to get onstage and share it with their hometown crowd. Run by local volunteers who are connected through the global Ignite network, Ignite is a force for raising the collective IQ and building connections in each city.  And, via streaming and archived videos of local talks, local Ignites share all that knowledge and passion with the world.”  EduIgnite - Emerging Leaders

I loved the description on the main website - Ignite - "Ignite is a geek event in over 100 cities worldwide."  As a self-confessed geek, this was music to my ears and I had wanted to become involved for some time.

My Twitter PLN is very important to me and, as chance would happen, a message popped up on the Monday night - three days prior to the event - asking if anyone would be keen to join in.  Without a great deal of thought, I tweeted back that I would love to... and before I knew it I was involved - and presenting!  No pressure at all and yes, I could have something ready by Thursday.  (Secretly... YIKES!!  What have I done??)

There was no need to panic.  We had a practice using Google Hangouts - many thanks to Sonya  (@vanschaijik on Twitter) and also Monika (@Belchick1 on Twitter).  I had all the theory behind Google Hangouts but little of the practical side.  I'd absolutely recommend using this tool - it has huge potential for flattening and flipping the classroom.  For more information about Flattening the Classroom, please check out the work of Vicki Davis - @coolcatteacher on Twitter.
If you'd like to know more about using Google Hangouts in the classroom, please click here.

My presentation was on changing how we provide homework - and in fact changing the whole concept of homework.  This links back to a previous post and the presentation slides are included here, along with the link to the TeachMeetNZ wiki where all our presentations are stored - it's a fantastic professional learning resource too.  My presentation recording and slides are also here.

The session itself was a great way to learn more about what drives our colleagues - there is a lot more to EduIgnite Events than just sharing practice.  It's about learning - ours and the students - and can also be a reminder about why we got into this crazy profession in the first place.  It was just such a fantastic opportunity to share with others, but one of the things I loved the most?  Hearing about what interests and drives others.  You can hear the enthusiasm when they are sharing.  We need more of this, especially in challenging times - just so we don't lose our passion and we can help support others to retain and grow theirs.

Many thanks to Marnel (@1MvdS on Twitter) and Anne-Marie (@mrs_hyde on Twitter) for organising this event in Rotorua - it truly was a privilege to be part of this growing community and I'm really looking forward to many more of these!

Stages of PLN Adoption

An interesting link that discusses the stage of PLN adoption and gives an interesting insight into the benefits, how to develop and manage it.

I think I'm at Stage 3 but trying really hard to work on Stages 4 and 5!!

See what you think. Would love to read your thoughts.

http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption

Website: The Thinking Stick. Recommended reading