One of this week's goals is to find resources and links for your own professional development. Let's begin building your Personal Learning Network (PLN). Your PLN can be created using a combination of digital tools - such as blogs, wikis, online networks, Twitter, and iChat. Explore the links below and begin your PLN journey!

Personal Learning Networks (PLNs)

Will Richardson explains personal learning networks.

The Networked Teacher This graphic shows a comparison of what a networked teacher was in the past compared to the networked teacher of today.

Building a PLN with Web 2.0 Tools The Learning Never Stops! Voracious Learners and Tech Divas, the energetic trio of Michelle Bourgeois, Colleen Glaude, and Katie Morrow present a fun and easy meal plan for growing your Personal Learning Network using Web 2.0 Tools.

The Four Cs of Participation in an Online Communities As we grow our personal learning networks, we experience various stages of participation in our online communities.

For a collection of bookmarks on PLNs, click here.

General Education and Personal Professional Development Websites

Edutopia is funded by the George Lucas Foundation and includes articles, videos, and resources for professional development. Edutopia.org offers practical, hands-on advice, real-world examples, lively contributions from practitioners, and invaluable tips and tools.

K12Online Conference is an annual event where the conference sessions happen virtually. Teachers from around the globe have presented sessions on topics covering virtually every curriculum area and grade level. Search the Archives to see past year's presentations.

The Apple Learning Interchange site includes lesson ideas, discussion forums, and resources for the classroom.

Apple Classrooms of Tomorrow 2 / Challenge Based Curriculum

Classroom 2.0 An online community of technology using teachers who share ideas and best practices.

Global Education Collaborative Connect with others worldwide on learning projects.

Digital Citizenship

VoiceThread

VoiceThread Digital Library Share projects and ideas!

VoiceThread Ning "Looking to create, build and keep resources for people using VoiceThread in their classrooms."

VoiceThread Examples in Education

VoiceThread4Education Great resources! Also, find others to collaborate in learning beyond your school.

Times are a changin' and so is Bloom's Taxonomy. Check out the new Bloom's Digital Taxonomy.

TED Talks Demystified for Teachers - Quite an energizing line-up of amazing talks by today's leading thinkers, visionaries, and researchers. Listed by content area. Tune in and enjoy!

Math Tidbits -

Connecticut District Tosses Algebra Textbooks and Goes Online

Amazing Library of Video's Teaching Math Concepts

Social Bookmarking

Getting Started with Delicious

Blogs

Teachers just like you are out there sharing their thoughts and ideas with a global audience. Here's a selection of great blogs to get you started.

Two tools on your laptop can help you subscribe to blogs so that new posts come straight to your computer:

• Mail. Yep - the same application you use to read your email can also help organize your blog subscriptions. To use it, open the blogs below in Safari, then click the blue RSS icon in the top right corner of the address bar:
  Once you open the RSS feed, you'll see a link to SUBSCRIBE IN MAIL on the lower right of the window.
  
  
• Google Reader. To learn how to use Google Reader as a blog reader to collect and subscribe to blogs, here's a video to get you started:

3 Steps for 21st Century Learning contributed by Ellie Fitzgerald
Always Learning by Kim Cofino

Bionic Teaching by Tom Woodward

Bud the Teacher by Bud Hunt

Free Tech for Teachers

Generation YES! by Sylvia Martinez

Milobo's Musings by Michelle Bourgeois

A Not So Different Place by N Bosch

Presentation Zen

Successful Teaching by Pat Hensley

Teachers at Risk by Elona Hartjes

Weblogg-ed by Will Richardson

Cool Cat Teacher by Vicki Davis

Rubrics

Click here for rubric resources.