Full Description
"This book is a testimony to true transformative practice. The whole school community pursued a single vision, with multiple checkpoints, while providing incremental support to the staff."
—Cheryl Steele Oakes, Teacher
Wells High School, ME
Advance your professional learning community into the digital age
What if your professional learning community was available 24 hours a day, every day of the year? Would you like to have a place to share lesson plans, student work, a new curriculum, and to provide a discussion forum for all stakeholders? You can, even with only a basic understanding of technology. The authors explain how they created an online professional learning network to share a new core curriculum, providing a framework for constructing such a network to fit your school's needs. The many benefits include:
Enhanced communication among teachers, administrators, and the community
Easy access to professional development for many more participants
Implementation of best practices and instructional strategies for improved teacher performance
Increased understanding of and commitment to educational goals
Included are checklists, flowcharts, screenshots of an actual learning network, case studies, and a glossary of terms. This book provides all the tools you need to build a successful and motivating professional community online.
Contents
List of Figures
Preface: Getting the Big Picture
How the Concept of a Professional Learning Network Came into Focus
What to Expect in this Book
Why We Wrote this Book
Acknowledgments
About the Authors
1. Focusing on a Professional Learning Network
What Is a Professional Learning Network?
Why PLN Focus?
Snapshot of Our PLN
A Bird's-Eye View of How to Build Your PLN
Review
Resources
2. Zooming in on Leadership
Why a Leadership Focus for a PLN
Snapshot of Leadership in Our PLN
A Bird's-Eye View of Leadership for Your PLN
Review
Resource
3. Going Digital: Infusing Technology Into a PLN
Why a Technology Focus for a PLN?
Snapshot of Technology on Our PLN
A Bird's-Eye View of Technology for Your PLN
Review
Resource
4. Landscape for Communication of Information
Why a Communication Focus for a PLN?
Snapshot of Communication on Our PLN
A Bird's-Eye View of Communication on Your PLN
Review
5. Framing Curriculum and Instruction
Why a Curriculum Focus for a PLN?
Snapshot of Curriculum on Our PLN
A Bird's-Eye View of Curriculum on Your PLN
Review
Resources
6. Exposures to Learning
Why a Professional Development Focus for a PLN?
Snapshot of Professional Development on Our PLN
A Bird's-Eye View of Professional Development on Your PLN
Review
7. Begin Your Focus With Eight Steps
What are the Steps You Need to Begin?
Snapshot of the Eight Steps to Build Your PLN
Review
Resource
8. Adding Perspective: Viewing a PLN With a New Lens
A Review of Why a PLN
A Snapshot of Our Experience
The Future of PLNs
The Future of Your PLN
References
Index
