PLN? Why you should care as an educator.

What is a PLN and why should you care as an educator? A PLN or professional learning network, is a way to connect with other individuals in your field. The amount of time it takes to create a PLN is up to you. How much time do you want to invest and what results are you looking for? Personally, before starting my masters I never took care of my PLN. I created one and forgot about it. I would get emails and just delete them. Who has the time?! Now, that I have learned more and invested some time I am happy with the results. In as little as two weeks I have started using Twitter (follow me @AbbyCameron131), TweetDeck (super cool tool to keep you organized!), and LinkedIn to connect with individuals and companies within the field of education. It is an easy way to share articles and find

interesting information on what's happening in the field of education. I love that it's quick, easy, and helping me become more connected outside of my school district. I have met people from all over the world and am learning about how new educational policies are impacting students across the country. Love STEM? You can connect with @ISTE, @NASA, and @EdTech to learn about new and exciting things that are taking place. Did you know that a PLN can increase your score on your teacher eval? Yep, if you are evaluated using Danielson it counts towards Domains 1 & 4.

Being apart of a PLN is a great way for you to connect with others. It allows you to quickly and easily access information and share it with others. I suggest starting with Twitter or Facebook (for educational purposes, create a private account for your personal usage) and see who you know on LinkedIn. Invest in yourself and share with others the talents you have.

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @AbbyCameron131 !