Week # 8: Personal Learning Networks

     Personal Learning Networks.......YIKES!  A slow flush of anxiety begins to settle over me just thinking about trying to keep up with all the information coming at me, flying past me, and passing me by.  Wesley Flyer’s blog, Moving at the Speed of Creativity, about creating personal learning networks is, simply put, the only way to comfortably handle the onslaught of information and manage what’s important in an organized system.  By choosing what’s important and how much information you can handle allows you to “tap into the flow of conversation, a web-based learning ecology”, either by jumping right in or testing the water with your big toe!  I’m definitely testing the water and going in slowly.  I am inspired by his quote: “...people look to us to model learning new technologies.”  With the new class I’ll  be teaching, 2st Century Skills, I believe people will be looking to me to model how to use digital tools and how to integrate those skills into their daily lessons.  My first small step, was starting a learning network involving other colleagues helping to establish the content of the class.  Okay, it’s more of a group than a network, but we do use Google Docs to share, edit, and comment.   

     Another small step I’ve taken - by force, but now I appreciate it’s value - is using Google Reader.  I like being able to subscribe to feeds NOW that I will go back to at a later date to explore for relevance, practicality, and helpfulness to me in planning for and teaching my new class.  This will be the time to do as Flyer suggests: read, evaluate, critique, and write.  I feel confident that I can do this and then my next step will be jumping in to comment and share.  

     I love Diigo.  Its bookmark, highlight, note taking capacity make it an excellent choice for creating a real collaborative personal learning network.  Of the three ways suggested to start a PLN, social bookmarking, Twitter, or Blog, I was thrilled Diigo was discussed.  It made me feel like maybe I’m on the right track.  I couldn’t even read about Twitter.  I’m not there yet but I’m getting curious. I notice Diigo has a Twitter.  Maybe I’ll start there!  Although I’m moving kinda slow, this class has provided me with (forced upon me?) many new discoveries and giving me a great springboard to dive in from!