Why aren't you a member of EdWeb.net?

So today, I am taking a bit of time to look for additional learning opportunities after attending my state's annual conference, FAME Annual Conference.  This day is an opportunity to remind myself what is available to me.  I find myself wondering, why don't I spend more time on edWEB.net.  

From edWeb's information page,
"edWeb.net is a highly-acclaimed professional social and learning network that has become a vibrant online community for exceptional educators, decision-makers, and influencers who are on the leading edge of innovation in education.
edWeb members are teachers, faculty, administrators, and librarians at K12 and post-secondary institutions. edWeb is a place where educators who are looking for ways to improve teaching and learning can gather and share information and ideas with peers and thought leaders in the industry.

Any educator can use edWeb for free to create a personal learning network or professional learning community to make it easier to collaborate, share ideas, and move forward faster with new ideas and initiatives, particularly those than leverage technology to accelerate improvement."

Some of the best webinars that I have ever participated in were provided on edWEB.net.

edWeb.net hosts professional learning communities (PLCs) that offer free webinars and CE certificates. Once you have created a free account on edweb.net, you may join any of these online communities.  Each community provides members with the opportunity to get advice from experts, exchange and celebrate ideas, ask questions of the collective mind, and discover new methods and practices for personal growth and development.

Each community has the following features, more or less:

• Community blog---which features news and announcements within that community, feature articles from experts, and other exciting information.
• Discussion forums--provide members to ask questions and engage in conversations that are relevant to your learning and development.
• Resource library--additional materials provided by community members for the benefit of the PLN.
• Webinar archives--unquestionably the best part of edweb communities, are the archives, in which you may view a recorded webinar, take a quiz, and earn ceu's asynchronously! 
• Polls & Quizzes--usually used to gauge collective opinions or to gain insight for future webinar offerings.
• Wiki's
• Bloglinks
• Weblinks

The webinars allow you to have professional development with those experts from other states that we would only come in contact with at a state or national conference.

There are a number of communities on edWEB.net from which to choose.  My favorites are...

• Emerging Tech:  Using Technology to Advance Your School Library Program, sponsored by Follett.
• Game-Based Learning, sponsored by Filament Games.
• LMC @ The Forefront:  A Collaborative Community for Library/Media Professionals, sponsored by Library Media Connection.
• School Librarians Networking Group
• TEAM21:  Teachers for Educational Access to Media for 21st Century Learning
• Technology in Schools- What, Why, and How?

Emerging Tech:   Using Technology to Advance Your School Library Program, sponsored by Follett.

"Emerging Tech is a professional learning community (PLC) where school librarians can explore all the ways to integrate technology and 21st century learning into school library programs.The community hosts free monthly webinars and live chats presented by Michelle Luhtala, Head Librarian at New Canaan High School (CT)."

Michelle's webinar, "Flippin' Library! A year i the life of a flipped library" changed the way I think about what I do and what my expectations of students and patrons should be.

Game-Based Learning, sponsored by Filament Games.

"Game-Based Learning is a free professional learning community (PLC) that provides educators, game developers, researchers, and industry executives with a place to learn, ask questions, discuss topics, and share information about games and learning"


Are you interested in teaching with games, game simulations, video games, or gaming platforms?  Then, you should be a member of this PLN.

• LMC@ The Forefront:  A Collaborative Community for Library/Media Professionals, sponsored by Library Media Connection.

"LMC@ the Forefront is a free online collaborative community where school librarians, district librarians, and school library LMS students can collaborate on all aspects of being a K-12 library media professional. Our PLC offers school librarians a place to explore together the challenges, opportunities and resources that make school libraries vibrant, vital research and learning environments. We'll share insight, answers and encouragement to help you transform your school library into a thriving hub for 21st century learning and teaching."

Over 3,500 members strong and filled with an archive of wonderful past webinars.  Just, wow!

• TEAM21:  Teachers for Educational Access to Media for 21st Century Learning

The focus of this group is to curtail filtering and limited internet access in schools and the implementation of effective digital citizenship instruction.
"School should be the training ground for online interaction, the place where digital citizenship instruction is embedded across disciplines – not the place where students are sequestered from the real world."

A small PLN, but nevertheless, an important conversation.  The bloglinks are the most active component of this PLN.  I hope this edWeb community will grow and provide webinars.

Technology in Schools - What, Why, and How?

"Technology in Schools is a professional learning community (PLC) that provides information on how to evaluate, select, and purchase the best technology for your classroom, school, or district."

Everything you ever wanted to discuss about technology, but may have been to shy to bring up.  Wonderful webinars, an active blog, and an active discussion forum drove me to joining this PLN.

These are only a few of the worthwhile communities to be found on edWeb.net.  I am hoping to explore more of the communities and add to my personal learning network.