F

F is for Forging Online Connections (My PLN/PLE)

This week our class task is to develop our own PLN and discuss what exactly that acronym entails. A PLN is a Personal Learning Network and it is a set of connections that go beyond traditional face to face connections or resources. It is very similar to a PLE which is a Personal Learning Environment. I plan on building my PLN/PLE using the following:

• Twitter: I will use Twitter to connect with other like minded teachers and join in on the ongoing discussion between Manitoba educators. I will also use twitter to share what goes on in my class and connect with outside information sources such as news accounts and different non-profit organizations to help broaden my students' horizons. 
• Pinterest: I will use Pinterest as a means of inspiration as well as a curator to keep track of ideas, websites, articles, etc. I will also follow the boards of other teachers and educational programs to have access to even more great ideas!
• Blog: I will continue to blog to share my ideas about education and my experiences as a teacher.
• YouTube: I will use YouTube to share student work and projects as well as using it to show other videos to increase thier knowledge and spark their interest. 
• Shelfari: I will use this curating site to keep track of my classroom books and more importantly, I will use it to discover new books and see what books other people are using in their classrooms and join in on discussions with people who have the same type of library as myself. 
• Symbaloo: I will use Symbaloo to keep track of our common classroom websites and include the Symbaloo on my classroom website so that parents can easily access the websites we use. Symbaloo also has a blog feature and a section where they highlight different educators and give you the option to follow their profiles. I think this would be a neat way to connect with various excellent teachers who also use Symbaloo.
• Instagram: I will create a class Instagram profile to share the work that we do and perhaps connect with other classrooms and see what they do. I will also follow other teachers and see the ideas from their classrooms that they share. 
• Ning: I will use Ning to stay connected with current, former and future students in the Faculty of Education. 
• Maple: I will use Maple to become a part of many discussions of issues in our field as well as resources and ideas. This is a professional environment and I will stay connected to it so I can grow as a professional teacher.