uq personal learning networks and teachconnect presentation

Personal Learning Networks and Introducing TeachConnect

Steven Kickbusch & Nick Kelly

Why do you connect?Where do you connect?When do you connect?What do you connect with?Who do you connect with?

Personal Learning Network (PLN) … a useful term

“everything & everyone that you look to when you need to know something about being a teacher”

Isn’t that obvious? …

The more you put in, the more you get out

Not all PLNs are equal!

Strategy matters

“I just google when I need to know something”

Compared to…

Socialisation into the profession

Practical help

Convene relationships

Support for reflection

Provision of feedback

Modelling of practice

Kinds of support you’ll find online

Components of a PLN

Email contactsChat roomsWebinarsBlogsSocial media

TeachConnectwww.TeachConnect.edu.au

Learning to ask!

“The more you ask, the more you get”

“There is no down side to asking”

An online community to

support pre-service

teachers in the transition through

practicum and into

early career.

What isTeachConnect?

• Teaching is often a very isolated career

• Collaboration can lead to better outcomes

• Beginning teachers feelunsupported

• There are gaps in support

• Online support can be improved

Why

?Te

achC

onne

ct?

A space for deep reflection upon teaching practice.

Pre-service and Early-career teachers are mentored by

experienced teachers.

Mentorship Circles

Small

Private

Trusted

Stable

Community Q&A

Growing Knowledge database

Answering questions

Sharing resources

Giving adviceKnowledge

never lost

Helping one

another

A space for Community Knowledge Sharing where teachers help one

another

Shared knowledge is easily accessible to the rest of the wider community.

Your Student email address i.e. joe.bloggs@uqconnect.edu.au

password (you should change this straight away)

One of the things I've found is that if any one of a group

of people with similar problems asks a question

there's a good chance that the question will reflect some of the thinking of their peers.

- Myles Horton

Further reading

• http://www.scoop.it/t/personal-learning-networks• http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/20-

tips-for-creating-a-professional-learning-network/• http://educationtechnologysolutions.com.au/2015/07/2

3/develop-a-personal-learning-network-to-inspire-lifelong-learning/

• http://edupln.ning.com/• https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embe

dded&v=K4Vd4JP_DB8

Steven KickbuschSteven.Kickbusch@qut.edu.au

Contact us

Nick KellyNick.Kelly@qut.edu.au