Professional Learning Communities (PLC) is a term developed and explored by Richard Dufour. It outlines some essential mechanisms and big ideas about what teachers should believe, how they should connect and how their work should focus on student learning.
PLC's are considered an approach or process rather than a model of professional learning. Key characteristics include: shared values and vision, collaborative culture, focused on improving student learning outcomes, supportive and shared leadership, and shared professional practice. In the Ontario educational context, direction for PLC's is explored in Professional Learning Communities: A Model for Ontario Schools. PLC's are foundational approaches for collaborative teacher inquiry and teacher learning and leadership program. |
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Personal and/or professional learning networks are about making connections and building relationships with people or organizations that can answer questions, provoke your thinking, encourage you when things are difficult, or simply chat with when you have something to share. The focus in a PLN is on learning - yours, theirs, collectively gaining expertise. The network is local, regional, national or global in nature. Building your PLN is an essential tool for those new to the profession of education, or new to a grade, district, position or responsibility. Managing and updating your PLN regularly is one way to ensure you can connect, find and be supported throughout your learning journey.
Activity #1 Access this document or this page to find who you should be following on Twitter. If you are a Twitter user, consider following some of them. If you are not a Twitter user, why not? Choose one person in either list that reflects your interests in education and look through their feed to find what kind of things they are sharing and what sort of resources you might be able to access. Write a blog post about your initial impressions of Twitter. You could include – what you see as obstacles to taking part in Twitter, what you have learnt from being on Twitter, or who you have connected with via Twitter. |
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Personal and professional learning environments are the connected tools and resources you rely on to do your 'work' of teaching and/or learning. These tools and resources are immediately available in your context and environment.
Having a model to build your PLE is important. This article has some examples, however everybody's PLE is unique, therefore it comes down to what is important to you. |
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