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While I am not a newbie to using digital tools, there are a few mentioned in the readings that I had not been previously exposed to, have used minimally, or in which I am particularly interested. These include Diigo, Feedly, Scoop.it, Pinterest, Twitter and blogging. I intend to assess each one, and describe that for you here, starting today with Twitter.
Twitter
A micro-blogging tool, Twitter is one of the MOST recommended digital tools for developing your own Personal Learning Network (PLN) (Lynch, 2017, August 5; Nielsen, 2013, August 11; Nussbaum-Beach & Hall, 2010; Oddone, 2017, April 12; Trach, 2017, December 8). Almost all the readings expounded on the benefits of this channel: to connect, follow topics of interest and to share my own thoughts (with the ability to link to my blog for greater detail) (Clifford, 2013, January 3; Nielsen, 2013, August 11). The set-up is straight forward but researching tips on writing a terrific bio helps. Configuring notifications is important, or your phone will ding all day long! Think about what and how you want to be notified, remembering you don’t have to receive notifications at all if you don’t want to. Next, find people and hashtags to follow. Start with a few you know already through other channels, such as a Facebook page, or blog, from there, you can ‘daisy-chain’ to others by clicking their hashtags and followers (Trach, 2017, December 8). Use your discernment: select only those that sit within your focus area, or that you feel some affinity with. Start by retweeting, liking and commenting, before tweeting yourself about something that offers value to your audience. Remember to add relevant hashtags to make finding your tweets easier. Reciprocation is the byword of many online environments, and Twitter is no exception. While it is used for information gathering and building connections, for PLNs to work, there must be contributors: where else do all the tweets come from? Overall, I have found Twitter to be useful to find others in education, and to keep up with trending general and industry-specific news. There are numerous posts explaining some of the ways to use Twitter for educational purposes; here is one from eLearning Industry. However, I am only a few days into my Twitter life, with minimal exposure to it. Time will tell how much value Twitter holds for me. #inf53
References
Clifford, M. (2013, January 3). 20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/20-tips-for-creating-a-professional-learning-network/ Lynch, M. (2017, August 5). What is a personal learning network? [Blog post] Retrieved from https://www.thetechedvocate.org/personal-learning-network/ Nielsen, L. (2013, August 11). How strong is your personal learning network? Take this quiz to find out. [Blog post] Retrieved from https://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2013/08/interactive-conversation-on-developing.html Nussbaum-Beach, S., & Hall, L. R. (2010). The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age. Bloomington, UNITED STATES: Solution Tree Press. Oddone, K. (2017, April 12). Personalised learning through the PLN [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.linkinglearning.com.au/personalised-learning-through-the-pln/ Trach, E. (2017, December 8). Personal Learning Network (PLN) benefits, tools and tactics. [Blog post] Retrieved from https://www.schoology.com/blog/personal-learning-network-pln-benefits-tools-and-tactics
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About meI'm a learning designer from Geelong in Victoria. I have worked in vocational education and training for many years, and for the last four have concentrated entirely on creating learning content to support teachers and students. Archives
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