PLN+Additional+Resources

Please refer to the resources to learn more about some of the potential tools you can use to set up your own Personal Learning Network ( https://sites.google.com/site/buildingapln/).
  **Twitter and Plurk**  [|http://www.twitter.com] and [|http://www.plurk.com]  Connect with other learners in 140 chartacter bites of conversation. **Starting Points ** Twitter in Plain English [] Brief and engaging video look at how Twitter works.

Twittering not Frittering [] Explanation of how Twitter can be used as a professional development tool. TwittGroups ADE and Teachers h ttp://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!// **Starting Points **  **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.

 **Cool Cat Teacher Blog (Vicki Davis)** @http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/ "Teaching content with new tools, enthusiasm, and the belief that teaching is a noble profession!"

**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.

A blog specializing in handheld, mobile devices as learning tools in the classroom. Most recently focused mainly on iPods.
 * Learning in Hand (Tony Vincent)** http://learninginhand.com/blog/

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

**RSS Aggregators** Bloglines: [|http://bloglines.com] Google Reader: [|http://reader.google.com] Pageflakes: [|http://pageflakes.com] Netvibes: [|http://netvibes.com]

**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. 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 Brief article explaining the implications and impact of Social Bookmarking in education 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.// **<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Starting Points **

Across platforms and around the world, use this tool to connect with others for free! It's like a world-wide FETC available 24/7. A great place committed "to help educators make sense of and meet the needs of a continually changing learning landscape." Start here to locate other K-12 teachers for cross-classroom collaboration.
 * <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Skype ** [|http://www.skype.com]
 * <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">iSightEd ** [|http://k12onlineconference.org]
 * <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Teachersonnecting ** []

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/]

**//Podcasts and Webinars//** //<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'times new roman',serif;">Podcasts are radio-like episodic learning opportunities delivered to you whenever you want to listen and/or watch ////<span style="color: #666666; font-family: 'times new roman',serif;">. Webinars provide a somewhat similar experience, however, they are conducted in real-time and often provide an opportunity for participation. // <span style="display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',serif; text-align: left;"> **<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Starting Points ** > **<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">iTunesU ** [] <span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: #000000; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> Part of the iTunes Store, these podcasts feature free lectures, language lessons, audiobooks, and more, that you can enjoy on your computer or on the go. Explore educational audio and video files from top universities, museums and public media organizations from around the world. **<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">K12 Online ** [|http://k12onlineconference.org] It's like a world-wide FETC available 24/7. A great place committed "to help educators make sense of and meet the needs of a continually changing learning landscape."

This site is jam packed with content to teach with and to explore issues of teaching and learning in the 21st Century.
 * <span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">EPN Web ** [|http://epnweb.org/]

By combining ustream with the use of Twitter, one is able to reach thousands, make connections, and get involved in profound conversations related to education, politics, history. Learning becomes authentic when students are able to participate in live Web TV with global audiences.
 * UStream Weblogg-ed TV** []

**Wikis and Nings** <span style="color: #666666; display: block; font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">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="display: block; font-family: 'times new roman',serif; text-align: left;">**<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Starting Points ** Classroom 2.0 Ning http://www.classroom20.com/ <span style="display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> A great place for building 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. 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.

<span style="display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; text-align: left;"> 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] ** Apple Learning Interchange
 * <span style="font-family: times new roman,serif;">// Enjoy great content, meet others, and collaborate online in this one-stop-shop community of educators. // **

<span style="font-family: arial,sans-serif;">Starting Points Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) ** [|http://ali.apple.com] **
 * 1. Sign up for a free account.**
 * 2. Search for free content.**
 * 3. Find other professionals with similar interests and join Groups.**

Education Communities TeacherShare (Scholastic) ** [|http://teachershare.scholastic.com] **
 * <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;">Starting Points
 * 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.