Connecting "Beyond our Place"

WHY: Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development:

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been defined as:

"the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86)


What are PLNs? 

A personal or professional learning network (PLN) describes the groups of people you connect with to learn, share ideas, knowledge, and resources with.

Connected educators share a deep commitment to understanding ideas related to teaching and learning. Connected learners and educators:
• develop networks and co-construct knowledge from wherever they live
• collaborate online
• use social media to interact with colleagues around the globe
• engage in conversations in safe online spaces
• bring what they learn online back to their centres, classrooms, schools, Communities of Learning | Kāhui Ako, and communities
• focus on maximising student learning and staying current with knowledge about learning.

Claire and Anne: Something to tweet about

Claire and Anne share their journey of creating professional relationships and collaborations using Twitter. They discuss the benefits of building a professional learning community with a mixture of face to face and online connections and how this community supports student learning. They challenge us to do anything we can to connect and empower our learners to achieve to the best of their ability, to enjoy online but also get out there and enjoy offline as well.

How to create and grow your PLN 

Step 1: Develop an online profile. 

This is a chance to think about how you would like people to ‘see’ you, and why they might want to connect with you. 

You could: 

• give a sense of your current role 

• share your experience 

• share your passions 

Step 2: 

Now it’s time to think about what’s on top for you. 

What do you want to know more about, what do you have to share. Then you can find some like minded educators to connect with. 

Sketchnote by Sylvia Duckworth

1. Plant the seeds (Get started building your PLN) 

Create accounts on social media 

Start exploring by following people and looking at their resources 

Lurk if you don’t feel ready to actively participate. 

2. Nourish the crop (Cultivate your PLN)

Participate actively on social media 

Engage with your PLN 

Nurture and develop relationships 

GOLDEN RULE: Give as much as you take (upload as much as you download)

Make sure to thank people and give credit 

3. Weeding (Streamline your PLN) | Use hashtags #, G+ communities, Facebook groups, etc to streamline your social media activity | 

DO NOT engage with online trolls or overly negative people who thrive on creating discordance. 

4. Harvesting the crop (Reap the benefits of your PLN) 

Curate your newly found resources 

Implement new ideas and strategies in your class. 

5. Re-generating the crop by harvesting the seeds and re-scattering 

(Share your knowledge with your PLN) 

Share your curated resources 

Start a blog 

Encourage your colleagues to join SM to start the cycle again.

Craig Kemp's Guide to creating the perfect Twitter account

Why participate? 

Twitter helps you to make connections globally and locally and to easily reach beyond the physical walls of your organization/school to find like minded people.

You can learn and share new ideas, knowledge, resources, and information, and maybe make new friends. What is it?
• A digital, online microblogging service
• Everyone has a twitter handle which starts with the symbol @ eg @ConnectEduNZ
• Each tweet is a microblog of 140 characters
• Tweets can contain images, GIFs, videos, polls, links (as urls and hashtags - ie start with the symbol #)
• You control who to follow and who can follow you
• Connect and communicate with your followers and those you follow via “@reply” tweets
• You can also direct message (DM) people

Worser Bay School (Twit)ters
School Hashtag: #WorserBaySchool

Nicola: @NStevenson
Susie: @skeenan_susie
Gabrielle: @gabrielle_meech
Ximena: @Edk8R
Anna: @annnafield

Gillian: @GBCowie

Follow a few connected educators like:

@kjinquiry ‏

@lynnesilcock

@chrissiebutler

@Cleansweep_ 

@karyngra 

@jbrownbear
@mashupmath

@dylanwiliam
@BevansJoel

@joboaler

@runloulou
@BridgetLCM
@GregPearceNZ
@heymrshay
@askawenga
@GlenysHanley
@kerriatlearning

@MrsThorogood

@leonie_hastings
@vanschaijik 

@AKeenReader

@StefanieTuesday

@melmac21

@stuartkellynz
@Welly_ED ‏
@UrsCunningham 

@paulinehendog

@fuse711
@Hayley_Smith27
@amybrt5
@Abdulchohan
@stephcamp1
@mrkempnz
@fivefoot3
@NZWaikato

@annekenn

@robeanne
@ AKeenReader
@catrionapene
@OrzeckiT
@stephen_PtC,
@ClaireAmosNZ
@mosborne01
@SirKenRobinson
@virtuallykaren
@BeccaSweeney
@dwenmoth
@Taranz1
@TarnzC
@EduWells

@louisebconwell 

@st3ph007

@stepheneames
@beebryhte
@knowclue
@dorothyjburt

@temihinga
@GeoMouldey
@simonsinek
@lindayollis

@missmeyne

@MissBrooten

@mareec

@Lmball70

@MyRedCooper

@CeliaFleck

@dianagracenz

@tewakatroy

@NZPEteacher

@julielindsay