Digging deeper into my PLN #plnlab (tangientially #cck09 & #eci831)

So I've been involved exploration of personal learning strategies with my fellow RETA colleagues. You can learn more about this at http://plnlab.pbworks.com

How #plnlab got started

This experiment started with our own RETA Instructor Professional Development Workshop on Personal Learning Networks. Bethany (@tektrekker) and I started to look for ways to help our group of New Mexico's technology PD specialists integrate educator resources within their PLNs.

At that time, we had our trusting friends create a concept map of their personal learning network.

This was mine.




At the time, I was really seeking to identify elements of my PLN. I created the map by looking at how I had grouped and categorized information within my PLN tools. Looking back through the lens of network attributes (thank you CCK09) I now know that I was able to identify some of the small (and smaller) worlds that I follow, seek and contribute to. Blue and green represented categories that had manifested within Google Reader, Feedly, and Friendfeed.

It was also important at that point in time for me to share the types of features I felt I needed access to in order to execute personal learning. In the pink and black along the bottom you can see that stating particular tools and features was a way for me to document my approach; the strategies at work seemed critical.

PLN excitement took over...

And one day I did it. I told my team, "I know I'm about to open a can of worms here..." but why can't we do a webinar series about personal learning powertools? Like the amazingly cool creatives that they are, the RETA team said, "Yes!" Bethany took me up on the challenge and together we worked to create a plan for a personal learning investigation... in multiple formats. You can learn more about this at http://plnlab.pbworks.com

I was thrilled to share that and other artifacts as part of the first PLN webinar in August (archive is available here ~ http://nmsu.na3.acrobat.com/p28104310/ ). We had too much fun with a group of personal learning enthusiasts discussing aspects of personal learning (professional vs personal, specific vs serendipitous).

PLN Challenge 2 ~ Expanding my Network

Fast forward to September. I begin to see my network more through the lenses of value and relationships. I think about scale... it's not hard to see I follow lots of people on Twitter. Through my PLN lab conversations, I have learned that I have a much higher tolerance for noise than others.

For a while I considered limiting who I follow - ultimately this is very hard for me. Instead I decided to focus on depth. I wanted to go deeper into specific corners of my pln to find A ton of open educational resources open up for me. I decide to dive in.

Here are some of the results of my explorations...(all provided through Friendfeed widgets because that's my primary tool at the moment).

Synchronous sessions I watched or attended last week ~ my attempt to dive in deeper.



Memes I picked up along the way.



Here's my network now...this concept map really highlights the value I see in the various networks and some of the relationships between them.



Ultimately this challenge has led me to a much richer understanding of my network.

Join us in exploration of our PLNs. Lots more from me (and others) is available at our Friendfeed Connect Your PLN Lab Group.