Week 3

 Building Personal Learning Networks:  

RSS, Google Reader and Twitter


It is important that we focus not just on the tools - RSS feeds and Google Reader, but rather on the REASON you should embrace this technology, and that reason is to build your Personal (or Professional) Learning Network. (PLN).

What is a PLN? Check out this slidecast. Also, David Warlick has created this chart with links to examples of all sorts of PLNs. This is worth spending some time with!

How do you find your network? Check out Part 2 of this tutorial.

Now - lets look at the tools that let you create your PLN.

Make Life "really simple" with RSS & a news reader. What is RSS? Watch this Common Craft Show Video, RSS in Plain English.

You've heard of RSS? You've seen those small funny tags on websites? You've heard co-workers and acquaintances swear by it, but still have no idea what RSS is? Well don't worry, according to this survey you're still in the majority, but this is changing rapidly. In the information world, RSS is not only revolutionizing the way news, media and content creators share information, but it also is swiftly changing the way everyday users are consuming information.  

RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and is a file format for delivering regularly updated information over the web. Just think about the websites and news information sources you visit everyday. It takes time to visit those sites and scour the ad-filled and image-heavy pages for just the text you want to read, doesn't it? Read more about RSS here.

Now imagine if you could visit all those information sources and web pages in just one place and all at the same time ... without being bombarded with advertising... without having to search for new information on the page you'd already seen or read before... and without having to consume a lot of time visiting each site individually. Would that be valuable to you? Well, it's available now through a newsreader and RSS. Back to PLNs - David Warlick offers some great advice for managing your RSS Feeds to build your PLN. Check out his blog post.

 Thing #7:


Discovery Exercises:
  1. Read through this page and follow all the links to learn how to set up your own, personalized RSS feed reader.
  2. Create a free account in Google to be able to set up Google Reader .
  3. See also a this short tutorial about GOOGLE READER. Google Reader Tour, and video tutorial #1 or #2.] 
  4. Subscribe to at least 5 feeds to your reader. A place to find feeds you might want to add to your reader: Technoconstructivist's RSS Feeds for Teachers
Check your favorite local newspaper and discover if they have an RSS feed you can subscribe to.
Reader's Club new review feeds (pick one or more!)
Your co-workers or fellow Academy District 20/20 Things participants - tap into their knowledge and experience with RSS feeds to their blogs! (See blogroll in the right-hand frame)
Enter any Website, blog or wiki URL when you click on "Add Subscription" in Google Reader and Google Reader will set up a feed for you! Or - click on "Discover" to browse through some feeds that are available.
Having a hard time finding interesting blogs to subscribe to? Here are some of my favorites:
5.   Blog about your thoughts on PLNs, RSS or any of the blogs you discovered.

 Thing #8:  


We hope you will be inspired by reading someone's writing through this exercise! We want you to do more than just "listen" though. For Thing #8, you should
  1. Add a comment to a blog of your choice.
  2. Provide a link back to your own blog in your comment. (Most comment forms have a place for you to paste in a URL)
  3. After your comment is posted, provide a link to the blog that you commented on in your own blog posting.
  4. In your blog posting, reflect on why you wrote what you wrote in the comment!

 Curriculum Connections:  

Help students build a personal learning network around a particular subject area, class project or interest area. Model ethical and safe use of the tools. (Ideas: See "Networked Student" on You Tube.)
Tap into global collaborative school projects so students can use online tools to communicate and collaborate with students from another country.
iEARN Projects
  • Global Art: Images of Caring
  • Kindrid Family History Project
  • Our Footprints, Our Future
Idea #1: Use an RSS Reader for professional development and to keep up to date on issues of interest to you.
Idea #2: Use an RSS Reader to keep track of student blogs that you might set up.  
Idea #3 for Classroom Use: http://weblogg-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/RSSFAQ4.pdf


Twitter

 

What's all the buzz about Twitter? In terms of keeping up with your PLN, this is an amazing tool. Hopefully, if you follow the "right" people, you'll begin to see the value of using Twitter to keep current in the world of 21st century learning. To get started, watch this basic how-to video, and/or read through the steps to set up a Twitter account. A shorter step-by-step comes from Bernie Dodge, though I disagree with him on mixing who you follow on one account. If you want to keep your Twitter stream relevant to your profession, then follow friends, family, celebrities and others in a separate account. Trust me on this.

Still not convinced? Follow some of these helpful links on the Twitter for Teachers Wiki. Here, you will find that not only can Twitter be a useful tool for your PLN, but you can also start envisioning ways it could be used in schools.

Vicki Davis (CoolCat Teacher) gives some great advice for newbie teacher twitterers.

So, who do you follow? Start here - you might find some interesting educators who can enrich your personal learning network.

Or - if you want to hear first hand from some teachers who use and value Twitter, checkout this VoiceThread posted by @TeachaKidd - these are great people to follow!

Or maybe you'll find some folks here - on the list of top 100 edutweeters.

**NEW** A new group has formed of teachers from around the world who will "tweetup" on Tuesdays. The educators recommended for following on this list I can assure you are top-notch! Visit Tweachers.org.

Or...follow Nancy White (http://twitter.com/nancyw) and then follow some of the people and organizations she follows. They are terrific! Twitter Resource: Twitter & Tweetdeck: A Wiki for Twitter Freaks and Newbies Alike. (Check out the sidebar for links to other pages with great info.)


 Thing #9:  


Set up a Twitter account and follow 20-30 people or organizations related to education. Monitor the feed throughout the week. Write a blog post about what you learned.


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