PLNs (Thing 16)

Of course I'm on facebook (and myspace though I never log on there anymore). And it's great to keep in touch with old friends, family members, etc. But beyond that, online professional networking through PLNs occupies a lot of my "free" time :-) And sometimes the two combine!

Before taking this course, I was a member of a PLN but not a very active one. I read a lot of the conversations on plurk, other blogs, Ning communities, etc. but never really felt knowledgeable enough to participate. That's actually the main reason that I took the course - so that I could learn more about Web2.0 and gain the confidence to become a more active participant. I felt like more of a "taker" (always going to my online PLN with questions/problems) than a "giver" (never really felt like I could offer advice for others or answer their questions).

As for the benefits of PLNs - a mastercard commercial just screaming to be made:
*laptop - $1000
*internet access - $40/month
*having a colleague there anytime of day to bounce things off of, ask for advice, etc. - priceless!!

I teach special education. There are 3 other self-contained special education teachers at my school, none of them have a similar class make-up as mine. While they are valuable resources for many things, sometimes I really need to talk to someone else who teacher students like mine. Problem is, I'm the only one in the county! Enter my online PLN members! From Kansas, Texas, England, Australia - they can help!!