What is a PLN?
Growing your PLN (VIDEO) Learn about PLNs from leading connected educators on Twitter.
Creating a PLN Terrific resource that takes you step by step from defining a PLN, to using social media tools to build your own.
Building a PLN Great list of resources with a menu template to help you get started today!
Using digital literacy and social media to build a PLN (VIDEO) My video on how to build a PLN using Howard Rheingold’s five digital literacies.
Recommended reading Personal Learning Networks: Using the Power of Connections to Transform Education
Using Twitter to build a PLN
My First Year on Twitter A connected educator reflects about how Twitter has greatly improved his teaching.
Twitter for Teachers (VIDEO) A short, non-technical tutorial to help you understand how Twitter can help develop a teaching PLN.
How to Use Twitter (Tweet, Retweet, Direct Messages, Lists) (VIDEO) A more detailed tutorial on Twitter functionality.
Key Twitter lingo
- Tweet – a “tweet” is just the way to say you posted something on Twitter.
- Follow – You can “follow” particular people on Twitter to keep updated on all of their posts. It’s comparable to friending someone on Facebook.
- @ – The “@” symbol always comes before someone’s Twitter name. If you want to “tag” someone in a tweet, or tweet something to a particular person you just put the @ symbol and their name. For example: “@davidwalp lead a great presentation today!”
- Hashtag – a hashtag is a “#” followed by any series of words. You can use hashtags at the end of posts to categorize your post. Hashtags make it very easy to search for posts on particular topics.
Twitter Chats
The Power of Twitter Chats (VIDEO) Learn about chats from leading educators on Twitter.
Hashtag “channels” all hashtags are always open, meaning you can always post and view tweets to them. Many hashtags also host weekly moderated chats for real time discussion. Some of the most popular ones are listed below, but there are many other active channels as well.
A comprehensive guide to educational hashtags
#edchat – General hashtag for all educational topics. Chat meets Tuesday 12-1 EST and 7-8 EST.
#edtech – Focused on educational technology. #edtechchat meets Monday 8-9 EST.
#mathchat – Math. Chat meets Monday 3:30-5 EST and Thursday 7-8 EST.
#engchat – English. Chat meets Monday 7-8 EST.
#scichat – Science. Chat meets Tuesday 9-10 EST.
#sschat – Social studies. Chat meets Monday 7-8 EST.
#STEM – Science, technology, engineering, math. #STEMchat meets Tuesday 9-10 EST.
#artsed – Arts in education. Chat meets Thursday 7:30 – 8:30 EST.
#musedchat – Music. Chat meets Monday 8-9 EST.
#langchat – Foreign language. Chat meets Thursday 8-9 EST.
#tlap – Cross-curricular chat based on the best selling book Teach Like a Pirate. Chat meets Monday 9-10 EST.
#educoach – Educational/instructional coaches. Chat meets Wednesday 10-11 EST.
#plpnetwork – Professional development. Chat meets Sunday 8-9 EST.
#flipclass – Teachers using a “flipped” instructional approach. Chat meets Monday 8-9 EST.
#PBLchat – Problem based learning. Chat meets Tuesday 8-9 EST.
#ntchat – Supports new and pre-service teachers. Chat meets Wednesday 8-9 EST.
#cpchat – Connected principals. Always open, no regular chat time.
#gtchat – Gifted/Talented. Chat meets Friday 12-1 EST and 7-8 EST.
#satchat – Saturday chat for general education topics. Meets Saturday 7:30-8:30 AM EST and 10:30-11:30 AM EST.
Educators to Follow You will be able to see the value of Twitter quickly by following educators that regularly post useful links and tools that benefit your classrooms and professional development. Kickstart your experience by following the educators and groups below!
Just Tweet It! Twitter user directory organized by category.
David Walp @davidwalp
Jerry Blumengarten @cybraryman1
Steven W Anderson @web20classroom
Tom Whitby @tomwhitby
Will Richardson @willrich45
Shelly S Terrell @ShellTerrell
Scott McLeod @mcleod
Vicki Phillips @drvickip
Shelly Blake-Plock @BlakePlock
Vicki Davis @coolcatteacher
Nicholas Provenzano @thenerdyteacher
David Andrade @daveandcori
Steve Wheeler @timbuckteeth
Kyle Pace @kylepace
Richard Byrne @rmbyrne
George Couros @gcouros
Dave Burgess @burgessdave
Kathy Schrock @kathyschrock
Tom Murray @thomascmurray
Rich Kiker @rkiker
Patrick Larkin @patrickmlarkin
Lyn Hilt @L_Hilt
Lisa Dabbs @teachingwthsoul
Edutopia @edutopia
Ed Tech K-12 Magazine @EdTech_K12
Huffington Post Education @HuffPostEdu
Education Week Teacher @EdWeekTeacher
Education Week @educationweek
edReformer @edreformer
Education Next @educationnext