Creating a Personal Learning Network

Brandie LedfordSac City Public Library

January 25, 2012

Today’s Learning Objectives

1) Decide What a PLN means to you.2) Find Ways to Set up a PLN that helps you

make personal learning easier.3) Determine when to edit your PLN when it

no longer serves your needs.

What is a PLN?

Too much information…too little time!

Types of Online Learning

Synchronous = Face to Face or Live E-Learning in Real Time

(ex. Adobe Connect, chat, ICN)

Semi-synchronous = Using Web 2.0 for communication and sharing

(ex. Blogs, wikis, social networking)

Asynchronous = Unscheduled and Self-Paced

Adult Learning Strategies

7 ½ Habits for Highly Successful Lifelong Learners

1) Begin with the end in mind – set goals.2) Accept responsibility for your own learning.3) View problems as challenges.4) Have confidence in yourself as a competent,

effective learner.5) Create your own learning toolbox.6) Use Technology to your advantage.7) Teach/Mentor others.7 ½) Play!

From: www.cmlibrary.org/public/learning/player.html2012 Update: See Lori Reed’s site www.lorireed.com, the original creator of the 7 ½ Things.

Barriers

Informal Learning Sites

5 Steps to Set up a Personal Learning Network

1) Find Your Tribe! Join a professional network group/ Wiki/Ning in your Town/State/Field of Expertise.2) Set up a personalized start page like iGoogle and set up an RSS Feed Reader like Google Reader. Set Google Reader to show up on your start page.3) Find 5 blogs using Google Blogs and subscribe to the RSS feed to start reading them.4) Begin following 5 microblogs or social network feeds using Twitter, Google+, Facebook, Pinterest, StumbleUpon or LinkedIn. Explore social bookmarking.5) Share what you know! A network is not just reading…you have to contribute. Add to the conversation when you can.

Find Your Tribe

• Iowa Library Services – Classes available on AdobeConnect – Check the C.E. Catalog

• ILA & Subdivisions -www.iowalibraryassociation.org/

• ALA - www.ala.org• PLA - http://www.ala.org/pla/• WebJunction www.webjunction.org (choose

“Learning Center”)

Using iGoogle

Setting up a Personalized Start Page

Opera Speed DialNetvibesPageFlakesChrome New TabiGoogleSpeed Dial for FirefoxMy Yahoo!SchmedleyWeb Wag

Finding Favorite Blogs & RSS Feeds

• MyYahoo• Newsgator• MyAOL• Bloglines• Netvibes• GoogleReader• Pageflakes

http://edutraining.googleapps.com/Training-Home

Microblogs/Social Networking

Social Bookmarking

Share What You Know

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Retention Rate

Lecture

Reading

Audiovisual

Demonstrations

Discussion

Practice

Teaching Others

Questions?