Constructing an Online Professional Learning Network for School Unity and Student Achievement
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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
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
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
References
Index
Index
Additional materials
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
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
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
References
Index
Index
Additional materials
Reviews
Constructing an Online Professional Learning Network for School Unity and Student Achievement
September 2011 | 136 pages | Corwin
| Format | Published Date | ISBN | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperback | 01/02/2026 | 9781412994927 | $37.95 |
| Lifetime | 01/02/2026 | 9781452296463 | $35.00 |
"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.
Table Of 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