Week 5 - Microblogging & Building My PLN

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a great week! This week, I learned about the importance of Personal Learning Networks and the possibility of using microbloggers, such as Twitter, as a learning tool.

As a student, I've recently come to realize that I need to start to diversify my learning strategies, and start pushing myself to learn in different ways. Personal learning networks are defined by Weisgerber (2011) as deliberately formed networks of people and resources capable of guiding our independent learning goals and professional development needs (http://www.slideshare.net/corinnew/empowering-students-through-learning-networks). Similarly, Dickens (2012) describes personal learning networks as a collection of different groups, websites, social networks and conversations that one brings together to increase learning (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A667plNCzwA&feature=youtu.be). Essentially, personal learning networks are everything we use to help us achieve our learning goals, and what I've recently discovered is that my personal learning networks that are related to my academic goals need to be expanded beyond textbooks and lectures.

Klingensmith (2009) suggests many ways to increase one's PLN - including using social networking, wikis, blogs, and RSS's. I have slowly adapted these tools into my PLE over the past few weeks, and so far it has been a success - these tools are, without a doubt, enhancing my learning. One of the tools that he mentioned, which is this week's emphasis, was microblogs such as Twitter. When I first read that, I was slightly confused - how could I possibly learn using Twitter? Fortunately, I chose to explore the Twitter Handbook for Teachers (http://bisd-it.wikispaces.com/file/view/twitter-handbook-for-teachers.pdf/348795912/twitter-handbook-for-teachers.pdf), which detailed all of the incredible ways I can use Twitter to enhance my learning. What I have learned this week is that Twitter can actually be a hub for ideas. Hill (2010) compared Twitter to a stream of ideas - every Tweet someone sends out is an idea that adds to the stream (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tT6N_8wcn4&feature=player_embedded). Like every other part of the Internet, though, we need to use it carefully, and only 'pluck' the ideas from credible sources (Tweeters) and ideas that inspire us. Digital literacy and using the Internet critically again plays a role here - we need to be careful, but if we do use these incredible tools the right way, it can absolutely make a difference in our lives. Interestingly, one of the links I explored even stated that we can cite Tweets, implying that we can use it as a source when writing (http://www.mla.org/style/handbook_faq/cite_a_tweet)! Upon further consideration, this makes sense, as Tweets that are sent out from credible sources should be as valid as something that they publish professionally. By following people who have achieved success in the field of our interest or organizations that are leaders in our field of interest, and following their Tweets, Twitter can be just as effective as blogs or newspapers for learning about current developments related to things that we are interested in.

(Webb, B.) (http://www.kickass-creatives.com/creativity-101-idea-streaming/)

A significant theme of this week's activities is the importance of integrating social activities with learning. Light (2001) states that studying together with others is central to academic success - an idea I never took seriously before (http://innovativelearning.com/teaching/social_learning.html). Light's arguments for social learning are convincing, and in the future I will begin to attempt to develop my use of social learning - I trust that it will significantly benefit me as a student. As I explored Twitter this week, I also learned that I can use it to achieve this new goal that I have set. Connecting with others and keeping up with their new ideas can teach me a lot! I will absolutely be adding Twitter to my PLE in the collaborating and socializing section, and I am excited to see how using these new tools can enhance my personal learning environment.

(Cushard, 2012) (http://www.mindflash.com/blog/2012/10/practical-ways-social-learning-can-enhance-formal-learning/)

As the amount of sources we have learned to use increases, the need to carefully choose our resources and the information that we use becomes more important. A realization that I had this week was that my focus when using the Internet should be my goals - a lot of times, as a digital citizen, I tend to get carried away and spend to much time on one source or another. That goes against my goal for efficient learning, and I really need to begin to be much more critical about how I use all of these magnificent tools that I now know how to use (ex. ScoopIt, LinkedIn, Google Alerts, Twitter, etc.).

This week, an interesting article that I found using my RSS discussed a real life implication of using Twitter to take advantage of and grow our personal learning networks. Naugle (2014) states in his blog post (http://plnaugle.blogspot.ca/2014/01/bc3-website-i-cant-live-without.html) that, "because of tweets sent out by members of my PLN, I've been able to attend conference sessions that are being lived streamed while I sit in the comfort of my home. I've learned about the newest innovative strategies...(Naugle, 2014)" I'm very glad I was able to find this article through my Feedly, as it gives an important real-life example of how Twitter can truly help us grow our personal learning network. It truly motivates me to better use the tool and to truly take advantage of all that it offers by continuing to expand my network. Fellow classmate Connor discusses an important key quality of Twitter that can be extremely helpful to users. He states, "Twitter supports a broad base of individuals, who all range from a variety of backgrounds. (Scott, 2014) (http://www.connors93.blogspot.ca)" The fact that Twitter is a popular and widely known tool worldwide in all fields of study and interest makes it the ideal tool to connect to others with. Through Twitter, we are able to learn from people we've never met before, from places miles and miles away that we've never been to before! Imagine telling that to someone 50 years ago!

It truly has been a pleasure learning about these magnificent tools this week! Can't wait to continue to expand my PLE!

Take care everyone,
Lewis