Learning about MOOCs

vcrary has shared a Delicious stack with you. A stack is a collection of links and comments around a theme. "Has anyone in the study group checked out MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses? A number of them would be good learning experiences for those at upper intermediate and advanced English levels. The Coursera course I recommended is one. As I come across them, I will post others that seem suitable...." Learning about MOOCs 40 links stacked by stranack | 78 views Cheers, Team Delicious Find us on: Delicious blog / Twitter / Facebook

GeoTrio: another tool for your PLN

GeoTrio lets you create a virtual tour of just about anyplace on a map. You type in addresses or locations and easily create multiple “stops” that show the Google Street View snapshots of the area. You can also upload your own images.

But that’s not all.

What really makes GeoTrio stand out is the ability to easily make an audio recording for each stop on the map.

In many ways its similar to Tripline, which you can read about on The Best Sites Where Students Can Plan Virtual Trips (I’m adding GeoTrio to that list, too). Tripline is “slicker” and lets you grab images off the Web. However, it does not have the ability to provide audio narration.

via larryferlazzo.edublogs.org

Assignment for students:

Use this to plan a trip to someplace you've always wanted to visit or create a presentation to show your online friends about your home town or some place special to you.

Other: teaching, presentation, marketing, even site development tool

Posted via email from Meanderings

My PLN Blueprint in 5 parts

Educator Tom Whitby, blogging from My Island View, writes, 

This was one of my early posts explaining how I became involved in Social Media and the idea of a Personal Learning Network.It seems to be a topic that needs to be continually explained because of the growing number of educators who continue to enter the world of social media for educators. 

Part 1
One of today’s educational buzzwords, or fad terms is the PLN.  For my purposes it stands for Personal Learning Network. Others call it a Professional Learning Network or Community or even Environment. That would be PLN, PLN, PLC, or PLE. Many educators today are involved understanding and developing their own PLN’s. Everyone has one, and each is different and as unique as a fingerprint. Some employ technology, and others dwell in faculty rooms across the country and around the world. 

The history of my PLN began back in the late 70’s. It was formed not through the technology of the computer, but rather about the technology of a 27 foot sailing vessel. It was merely a sailboat, but in my mind, being my first boat, it was truly a vessel.
I live on Long Island in New York. It is a place where boating thrives for about five to six months a year, beginning in June and ending in October. As I grew up, I always went on others’ boats, but never owned my own. Working in a school district of a community on the shore of an island, I found many of my faculty friends were avid boaters. More specifically they were sail boaters , or more accurately, sailors. It was at this time of my life that I made a big decision to become a boat owner. I purchased a brand new 27 foot O’Day sailboat. There was only one small drawback to this major purchase and commitment, I had no idea how to sail. 

I took a Coast Guard Course and read a bunch of books. I ordered several catalogues and every sailing Magazine subscription I could get delivered. As my purchase was being readied for delivery, I determined that my preparation might be lacking. That is when I developed a plan out of desperation. This was to be my first organized development of a Personal Learning Network. 

The plan was simple and bordered on genius. It was based on knowing that sailors are a breed of boaters who love to sail at every opportunity. I informed the Yacht dealer that I wanted to take delivery of my vessel in the water and ready to sail in April. This was unheard of, since boating season did not really get going until June. That, however, was the genius part. I had two months before all of the sailors that I knew would have their own boats in the water. I on the other hand had a spanking-new Sailing vessel at their “Beck and call”. They only needed to take the owner along for the sail. I had about ten experienced sailors teaching me all that they knew in my Personal Learning Network. I was golden. 

I also recognized that I stumbled upon a real plan for personal learning. I did not want to make any other major purchases to test my assumptions, but I did pay close attention to what I had accomplished and how I did it. I took note of what I needed to know and how I gather those who knew it around me. 

With the advent of the Internet I have expanded my reach for those who know what I need to know. I have developed a PLN beyond the faculty room and to Educational experts literally around the world.

via tomwhitby.wordpress.com

Possibly the best description of the Personal Learning Network and how it works. Thinking just in terms of technology is misleading. I remember my first PLN: I was 14 and certainly didn't call it that. I was just trying to learn about something new on my own. Posted via email from Academentia

PLN Competencies

PLN Competencies

Filed under: Coaching,MOOC — Steve LeBlanc @ 1:28 am 

You don’t have a strong PLN (Personal Learning Network) the moment you show up at the right group, even if it is the perfect fit for your particular interest. Admittedly, finding a group of folks who share your passions can offer support, guidance and quick tips for simple challenges. For example, finding the right quilting group for a lone quilter can be a dream come true.

But what if your passions are not so neatly contained? What if your interests are broad and interdisciplinary? Specifically, what if you just can’t find a group that shares your varied interests? You could join different groups for your different interests or even create a new one. That works fine for discrete fields, that is, until you start to ask cross-cultural questions no one else in that group is interested in.

A strong PLN is not just a group of people, any more than a strong college education is the particular college you went to. A friend of mine had this to say of his Harvard degree: “The classes I took were not what made my education so valuable. It was more about the friendships I made and the radically different world view I acquired while there. Things I used to think impossible became matter-of-fact, almost mundane.”

via sleve.wordpress.com

Be sure to read the whole article. This is just the teaser and tip of the iceberg. I think it clarifies "network" as opposed to "environment," although making too much of the distinction gets in the way of understanding and using. The short version: network is part of your learning environment but not its totality. Shorter version: both are resources (of any kind) that you learn with and/or from.

The corollary is that you can learn by following passively (lurking) but you will always learn more when you participate actively.

My next post

Hi Takaran

I walked today for 70 minutes in Kawagoe to attend my contract bridge club. It was warm and fine day today. In USA, they say that it is like Indian summer,don't it?

I walked slightly slowly. Then my pedometer showed only 1,400 steps. It's difficult for me to walk 20 thousand steps in a day.

I have to go out tomorrow and the day after tom mow. I'll write to you next Tuesday.
Good night!

Sadamu

Posting your pictures

Takaram

If you want to post your pictures to blogs, please click "Add image" on your new post screen.

You can easily

choose your picture from your PC. These pictures show myself playing my ocarina last week. You can't hear how well I played my ocarina, can't you? Sadamu

My self introduction

Takaram

I think that I had introduced myself already. However I couldn't remember when and where. I had read your introduction before. I'm not sure whether it was written for our class mates.

I use Google to communicate with Vanessa. As I was inactive on blogging-English for long time, I think that you are able to see almost no MSG between Vanessa and me on it.

Today, I linked your blog to mine on Google Reader. I hope this works well.

Sadamu

May I ask you a question?

Takeshi and all,

Yes you may ask a question, but please ask here by posting questions to the blog. You may have misunderstood the assignment and perhaps the procedure. I don't see any comments posted to the PLN topics. Collaboration and written discussion by posting to the blog are an important part our projects and assignments. 

Instead of writing privately, you and Sadamu should have posted comments and questions to the blog. When I send my answer to the blog as I am now, everybody shares the information. That may save me from writing 3-4 more students privately when it's not necessary. Of course there will be times for private communication. However, this is not one of them.  

You can show me - in writing right here on the blog. Write out - in your own words - what a PLN is, why you want your network to do, what it should include - and why. You can post this as a comment here or to Sadamu's post. I have to say though, that I think everyone would benefit by more discussion and sharing ideas. I'd also like to post more ideas and materials on the topic.   

Personal Learning Networks are virtual lockers (or filing cabinets)

This article has more about PLNs, how to setting them up, using rss feeds and so on. I like the expression about PLN being "virtual lockers." You can set up a PLN page on any topic you want to learn more about and save information on ~ not just English.

Are there any teachers in the group? Bookmark Edutopia for future reference.

Personal Learning Networks Are Virtual Lockers for Schoolkids | Edutopia

PLE as subset of PLN

PLE as subset of PLN
Originally uploaded by catspyjamasnz

If you google PLN (Personal Learning Network), PLE (Personal Learning Environment) links will come up too. 


Confusing, isn't it? The difference confuses me too. We're not the only ones. This might help.
PLE as subset of PLN, comment on Flickr posted with image

Someone in my PLN asked what the difference between a PLN and a PLE is. This is how I see the relationship - the PLE as a subset or component of the larger Personal Learning Network.

Just my initial thoughts, but can take it from here.

Collaborative Learning: Writing and PLN's

Building your PLN or Personal Learning Network is an important part of what we will be doing here. The blog post I'm sharing explains them very well. This is one of the clearest explanations I have come across. I am also hoping we will discuss what PLN's are and how to use them here. 

Among other things, I envision this blog as a shared PLN that we will all learn from. My own PLN includes other blogs and groups, social media, friends and colleagues I exchange email with. Currently, I am participating in an online workshop that includes developing PLN's. 

Non-internet version of a PLN might be clubs for common goals and interests, sharing information with friends from work or just sitting around with other students talking about classes and studies. Can you think of other examples? 

When we've all settled in, gotten acquainted (or reacquainted) and you've learned more about PLN's, I'd like to create an assignment similar to the one below.

Self-paced learning does not mean you have to do it alone. 

Vanessa

Writing Challenge #23: My PLN via Tara Benwell's Posts - My English Club by Tara Benwell on 9/21/10

PLN stands for Personal Learning Network. These days, English teachers use sites such as twitter and Facebook to create a PLN. We also visit each other's blogs. These sites act as an online staffroom that is open to the whole world. We interact with each other online and share ideas and links.

English learners can form a PLN too. You don't want to learn English alone, do you? MyEC is a great space to create your PLN. You can chat, write on each other's walls, comment on blogs, and practise English in a variety of other ways. You'll have so much fun that you'll forget you are learning English.

Your online PLN consists of the people who you interact with most online. You learn from them and they learn from you. You have a special connection online even though you may not have met all of these people face-to-face. Like in real life, your PLN will change from month to month and year to year.

One important thing about creating a PLN is sharing it with others. New members of MyEC (my English class) look for hints about who to befriend. Who are the most active users? Who wants to use Skype? Who likes chatting about set topics in the chat room? This month we are going to describe our PLN. This will be good writing practice. It will also be helpful for new MyEC members who are looking for learning partners. Your PLN can include people from within MyEC as well as people outside of MyEC.

Starting your own PLN

1. Open a new blog post. Create a list of people who you learn from online (about 3-10 people). Find a link to each person's website, online public profile (i.e. Yahoo, Blogger, Google), twitter account, or blog.
2. Describe what you learn from each person and why you consider this person an important member of your PLN. Use the tag PLN. This will make it easy for us to point new MyEC members to some friend suggestion lists.
3. Share a link to your PLN post in the comments below.