Professional Development Opportunity: Draw Your Network

Maybe, to help your school adjust to a shift from a top-down professional development structure to a personal learning network, it would be good to start with everyone drawing their own network.

Here's your plan:
1. Distribute drawing materials to faculty ahead of time
2. After an ice-breaker, pose the question "How do you learn?"
3. Have each teacher draw their own map of their learning network. You might want to model via a projector by drawing yourself and connecting to, say, other faculty.
4. Next, have them collaborate and discuss ideas.
5. While they are discussing, have them identify the items that a) have changed in the last month, and b) is someone who doesn't work in their building.
6. Facilitate a discussion about where we can grow as professionals, and how the items in step 5 don't always foster the best growth.
7. Show them some other sample maps. For example

Alec Couros, PhD Thesis illustration, the Networked Teacher - http://educationaltechnology.ca/couros/580

Dave Warlick's Picture of his Personal Learning Network - http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/archives/1409

Stephen Downes - PLE Diagram - http://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2006/10/ple-diagram.html

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