Learning and Leading - December 2010/January 2011

Contrast that to the just-in-time
approach to gaining knowledge a pro-
fessional learning network (PLN) pro-
vides: I need to know the best tool to
convert my digital camera’s AVI movie
to an MP4 file that my kids can pick
up from my classroom webpage so that
they can preview something we’ll be
working on in computer lab next week.
As I write this at 8: 15 a.m. on a Sunday,
I’m sending out the tweet: “Quick! For
an experiment for an article I’m writ-
ing. Reply with the best (and hopefully
free) tool I can use to convert .avi to
.mp4?”
Twenty-three minutes later, I’ve
received nine replies, including three
retweets that broadened my call for
help to others’ networks. Here are the
suggestions I’ve received so far:
ronhoutman: OK - I’ll bite - try AVC
http://bit.ly/drCaRl - works great and it’s
freeware. 2 minutes ago via TweetDeck

I don’t know everything, but I am in touch with others who are likely to know what I need to learn.

Struggle2Learn: I use Youtube Down-
loader! 2 minutes ago via web
paulrwood: keepvid.com 2 minutes
ago via Twitter for iPhone
aelloway: http://bit.ly/d0WfST Not
sure if it’s the best - but it’s free! :) .avi
to .mp4 3 minutes ago via TweetDeck
monk51295: convert.avi to .mp4?
http://www.convertavitomp4.com/ 3
minutes ago via Seesmic twhirl
blairteach: zamzar.com 4 minutes ago
via TweetDeck
Now I have a number of options to
choose from. Voilà. And this is just
using Twitter. If I posted on Facebook,
I’m sure I’d get more options. But I
don’t think that’s necessary, do you?
I’ve demonstrated the efficacy of the
tool. Can you do that for the last three
PD sessions your school has provided,
however well meaning?

—Scott Merrick is a virtual learning curriculum specialist at Metro Nashville (Tennessee) Public Schools’ new Virtual Learning Program and “Lowly High Grand Poobah” of ISTE’s SIGVE. His username on his blog (http://scottmerrick. net) and on most social media sites is “ scottmer-rick,” and he cordially invites new friends and colleagues to join his PLN.

get answers to questions. Twitter, blog feeds, Facebook, virtual world groups, and listservs also connect educators to the activities and ideas of the greater educational community.

Unfortunately, these activities are unlikely to gain credit with any but a few administrators or licensing agencies, and with good reason. PLN interactions are usually not structured around a single concept or development activity, so they’re not easily quantifiable or trackable, and administrators can’t guarantee that all teachers are getting the PD they need. Educators and education researchers use data to determine how to approach student learning; it makes sense that someone needs to track data to determine professional learning needs as well. Based on that data, district adminstrators can decide if a PD program should lead to a staff meeting or workshop, or to helping teachers grow their PLNs.

Educators and education researchers use data to determine how to approach student learning; it makes sense that someone needs to track data to determine professional learning needs as well.

Although I have sat through my share of less-than-informative staff meetings, I have also been repeatedly surprised by innovative content I never knew I needed that was designed by people who have been observing my field in ways my PLN and I cannot. These moments of staff-meeting zen, when they occur, are reminders that my tweeting and blogging friends might not be providing everything I need to grow as an educator.

Likewise, PLNs also complement
formal PD by helping us coordinate
and discover opportunities beyond
what our districts and colleges offer
locally. Traditional face-to-face PLNs
consisting of local colleagues, profes-
sional associations, and school leaders
can highlight local or subject-specific
needs, while digital PLNs can expose
educators to ideas from all over the
world. Sometimes I need further re-
search to understand how to use the
tools my PLN tells me about, and I
can get this through attending webi-
nars, conferences (virtual and real),
and workshops.

—Rurik Nackerud, who is finishing his graduate degree, looks forward to working with secondary students again while collaborating with the Cen- ter4EduPunx as K–12/emerging technologies coordinator working on virtual worlds, augmented reality, and open online learning projects.