CAIU1

Creating a Personal Learning Network with Web 2.0 Tools
PLN stands for "Professional Learning Network" - it's the answer to "why would anyone use social networking?" When you use the power of social networking to build a PLN, you leverage those tools to expand your knowledge and connections in your professional life. Exchanging contacts with like-minded people has been around forever - so this really isn't something new, just a new way to do it.
 * What is a PLN?**

**Twitter & Plurk** **Twitter and Plurk** ** [|http://www.twitter.com] and [|http://www.plurk.com] ** //Connect with other learners in 140 chartacter bites of conversation.//

**Twitter in Plain English** [] Brief and engaging video look at how Twitter works.

Explanation of how Twitter can be used as a professional development tool.
 * Twittering not Frittering** []


 * TwittGroups ADE** and **Teachers** http://twittgroups.com/groups/ade and [] Listing of many Apple Distinguished Educators and Teachers who are using Twitter

Many free tools and applications to help make twitter a more effective community and communication tool.
 * PR 2.0: Twitter Tools for Community and Communications Professionals** []

**Blogs** //Blogs are great tools to read, reflect and respond to the thoughts of fellow educators and technology thinkers. Using an RSS aggregator makes it easy to collect and read many blogs from one starting point. Ready to move to the next step? Think about starting your own blog to share your thoughts with others!//    **Links to School-related blogs** [] Blogs are grouped by blogger's role and function. Every educator can find something of interest to start reading and following.

**50 Useful Blogging Tools:** (fromTeaching Tips.net) [] Tips on tools, safety. and getting students involved in blogging.  "Teaching content with new tools, enthusiasm, and the belief that teaching is a noble profession!"
 * Cool Cat Teacher Blog (Vicki Davis)** @http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/

**Weblogg-ed (Will Richardson)** []Author of //Blogs, Wikis,// //Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms//, Will Richardson blogs on the power of the read/write web.  **Learning in Hand (Tony Vincent)** http://learninginhand.com/blog/ A blog specializing in handheld, mobile devices as learning tools in the classroom. Most recently focused mainly on iPods.

**Learning.now** [] PBS Blog by Andy Carvin that examines current trends in learning with technology.
 * Free Technology for Teachers** http://www.freetech4teachers.com/Ideas and links to free teaching resources located around the web.

**Become a Blogger** Blogger: [|http://blogger.com] Wordpress: [|http://wordpress.com] Edublogs: [|http://edublogs.org]

**Delicious and Diigo** [|http://del.icio.us] and [|http://diigo.com] //Here's a place to store your favorite websites and share them with others.// //Delicious is a Social Bookmarking tool - find an interesting site, tag it with keywords that are related and share it with others in your network. Diigo takes Social Bookmarking a step further by adding tools for highlighting, commenting and annotating web pages either for your own use or for sharing with your network.//

**Starting Points ** **FCE (Claudia Ceraso)** []  Claudia's network includes over 400 fellow educators. Her Delicious links and those of her network are a one-stop shop for almost any grade level and subject area.

Brief article explaining the implications and impact of Social Bookmarking in education
 * Cool Tools and EdTech** [] A good starting group for Diigo with contributions from over 200 educators.
 * Seven Things You Should Know about Social Bookmarking** (.pdf) @http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7001.pdf


 * Social Bookmarking from the Teaching Hacks Wiki** [] Explanation and ideas for using Social Bookmarking in the classroom.

**iChat and Skype** //Use these tools to chat using text, audio, or video with other users over the Internet. With iChat you can also send and receive files.//  Across platforms and around the world, use this tool to connect with others for free!
 * Skype ** [|http://www.skype.com]

 **Teachersonnecting ** [] Start here to locate other K-12 teachers for cross-classroom collaboration.

They provide content, tools, and resources for collaborative project-based learning opportunities that are proven to be diverse, challenging, and innovative
 * <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">GlobalSchoolNet ** [|http://www.globalschoolnet.org/]

**Wikis and Nings** //Wikis are collaborative websites that users can create and edit together. A Ning is more like a social community for sharing conversations with other users who share a common interest.// <span style="font-family: times new roman,serif;"><span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> **Classroom 2.0 Ning** http://www.classroom20.com/ <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">A great place for b uilding contacts with other educators who are interested in using Web 2.0 tools. A weekly live show on Saturdays gives members a chance to communicate and learn together.

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 * ISTE Ning** [|http://www.iste-community.org] A new Ning created by ISTE to promote communication among ISTE members. Special Interest Groups for Tech Coordinators, 1:1 and more give an opportunity for focused conversations.
 * Classroom 2.0 Wiki** [] A wiki devoted to " building resources for the classroom and professional-development use of Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies."

**<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Build your own collaborative website/web community ** //**Most of these services will remove the ads from your site for free with proof of your educational status.**// Ning **[|http://www.ning.com]** Wetpaint **[|http://www.wetpaint.com]** Wikispaces **http://www.wikispaces.com** PBWiki **[|http://www.pbwiki.com]<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">

Education Communities** - **<span style="font-family: times new roman,serif;">// Enjoy great content, meet others, and collaborate online in other communities specifically designed for teachers. // **<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;"> TeacherShare (Scholastic) **[|http://teachershare.scholastic.com] Connect with other classroom teachers as you share lesson plans online.**

TeachersConnecting **[|http://teacnersconnecting.com] Looking for a classroom collaboration partner? This site will help you find other classes around the globe for project-based activities.**

PBS Teachers Connect **[] Discussion boards, resource sharing and comunication with other PBS teachers.**

TeacherTube **[|http://teachertube.com] Watch video creations from other classrooms, then upload and share your own.**