Intro+to+PLN

Slide 1 Introduce Myself - Alan Lutz, Technology Coordinator @ St. Paul's Lutheran School, Orange, CA. My perspective on my PLN is as Tecnology Coordinator and lifelong learner. I became addicted to cool tools of MECC software on Apple II and then Mac. In 1996 I discovered the Internet and last 12 years I have been constantly surprised. A computer that is not connected to the Internet via broadband connection is primitive and of little value except as a tool to do other things off line. __Define Topic__ Define how narrow I want to keep my topic. Even though it's about using Web 2.0 tools in your classroom, and there are so many of them I'd love to talk about, only from two points of view: 1. what you need for your own personal learning network, PLN, and 2. some of the fun ones I found along the way developing my PLN and from my PLN.

At the bottom of title slide is the link to a wiki by Scott Meech and Judith Epcke. They just presented in IL Friday and said I was welcome to use their resources. They cover the same things but with a different format. I may be referring to their link during this workshop. This entire presentation is also posted on the Internet under my [|Google Docs page]. I'm running live PPT instead of playing the Google Docs version so I can be free to jump to other Internet pages while talking.

6 months ago when I chose this topic I thought it was somewhat an original title, even though the concept of a PLN has been around for at least 10 years. Now it is the buzz word at many current and upcoming tech conferences. Also could be PLC (community) PLE (environment?)

Get a Feel for the Audience What is your goal in developing a PLN? Why are you here? Are you a TC, Tchr, or just a lifelong learner.

Slide 2 - You Already Have a PLN Look at the various sources of our information. Books, Magazines, TV, Newspapers,

Slide 3 - Radio, Dictionary

Slide 4 - What are some other sources that you consider part of your PLN. Discussion among your selves.

Slide 5 - Definition of PLN for me

Slide 6 - Place in the new Great Park in OC called Lifelong learner section.

Slide 7 - Web site called Questia has online books. In this section, it is called the Lifelong learner books.

Slide 8 - This library in Kansas City, MO, is an example of where a lifelong learner would go often. Will printed books become obsolete some day?

Slide 9 - Learning Networks defined by [|Mark Wagner]

Slide 10 - [|YouTube video of Will Richardson talking about PLNs]

Slide 11 "He who learns from one who is learning drinks from a flowing river." Native American Proverb

The Desire to Learn It's all about passion. Why does anyone want to learn? I know I go through dry spells. sometimes I'd rather just veg out, take a break. Watch the boob tube. But there are times when I am online and looking up facts and one thing just excites me to follow a thread and next thing I know I'm twenty pages away from where I started and it's 1:30 AM. What would we (I) do if there wasn't an Internet?? I like to read books. But don't take time for it much anymore. So much! going on. Even hard to listen to podcasts because there is so much live everyday. Some people like my son only read one paper and few trade magazines. doesn't want to get into blogs. Knows they're there but is afraid he'll be too picky and read dumb stuff so he just doesn't even start. Some stand on the edge of the water for a long time. Gazing in at the messages that go by for a long time before daring to tweet their first time or write their first blog. I remember when I got my first CB radio, I know, really dating myself. It was summer 1977 and I was driving my VW bug up to Napa to visit a friend. I played with the knobs at first on I-5 and listened to the truckers. They sounded so crusty and edgy. They were protective of their channel 19. When I did finally meet another 'civilian' and we tried to chat for a bit they told us to pick a different channel. We obviously didn't sound like truckers. But near Los Banos, I needed work on my generator. I found someone in town on the CB that directed me to a great VW mechanic. I kept exploring my network, made connections, asked for help, and got it.

Slide 12 Students are already there:

Students are Learning In lots of ways outside the classroom. Teens spend about 9 hours a week on social networking compared to about 10 hours a week on TV. 96 % of students online have used social networking technologies such as chat, text messaging, blogging, online communities such as FB, MySpace. Webkins and Nick.com has chat section

Slide 13 - 60% of students who use socal networking talk about education topics online and 50% talk about schoolwork specifically. Times have changed. I have gone from chalk, to whiteboard, to electronice Interactive Whiteboard. or computer projected on screen. Are teachers keeping up with technology the way students are?