Twitter+as+a+PLN

Using Twitter to Help Build Your Personal Learning Network (PLN)

**Overview:** Twitter is a great tool to use to as part of your personal learning network (PLN.) It is a social networking tool that brings information to you rather than you having to seek it out. The more carefully you choose your network to follow, the better the information you will find. by Chris Demetrios (The 30 page .pdf manual-updated 2009. **Click to download a free copy**.

**GREAT Article**: Why Should Teachers Try Twitter by William Ferriter @plugusin on Twitter ﻿(Educational Leadership, Feb 10. 2010)

Twitter Quotes:
"//I am smart but my network is brilliant!" (@web20classroom//) //"We need to think of ourselves as connectors first and content experts second. " (@willrich45)// // " //Twitter is anytime, anywhere Professional Development. It is sharing ideas, resources and growing as a professional." (@evmaiden)

**What is following**? Here is a page from the Twitter Help section that explains this in more detail.
 * You are subscribing to their Tweets as a Follower
 * Their updates will appear on your page
 * That person has permission to send you private Tweets, called "Direct Messages" (much like in //FaceBook//.)

 **How do I find people to follow on Twitter**? Find people who add value to your learning and value to your network. Here is a blog article that may be of some help in finding people to follow.

**Tools to help you manage Twitter** >>
 * [|TweetDeck] - is a quick and easy way to manage your tweets, status updates, direct messages, etc. The page is nicely organized for you and all of your Twitter services are viewable at once.
 * [|Twitpic]- use to add pictures to your tweets (Source: Twitter Wiki)
 * [|Twhirl] - similar to TweetDeck
 * [|TweepML] - makes it easy for you to start following other people's lists (ex. [|Educon 2010 list])
 * [|Twitterific] - app for iPhone, iTouch or iPad
 * [|Twitoaster] - is a Twitter web application that threads & archives your conversations in real time.
 * [|5 Best Twitter Apps for Android] ( May 2010)
 * [|Twitter for iPhone, iTouch, iPad] (2011)
 * [|Twitter for Blackberr] y (2011)

Parting Advice:

 * Start building your PLN in baby steps.
 * Sign up for a Twitter account. It's fun and easy. Some of the people I follow are linked here in this document. Just click on any of the names you see as hyperlinks :-)) Look over their posts to see if they are of interest to you. If so, click Follow! It's as easy as that. That should get you started!