Using+social+networking+and+a+PLN

= = =Social Networking, PLNs mlearning and Web 2.0 = =There is a lot of information on this page. Choose one area in particular that you are interested in learning about and do the activities connected to that: = Using social networking such as Facebook or Twitter etc. has become the norm for most of us these days, but how can you ise these in your teaching. Stop for a minute to discuss your ideas:

**Facebook **
On Facebook, of course, you can begin by sharing your own ideas with your colleagues, and in so doing extend your "virtual staffroom" but there are also quite a few groups for learners. have a look at the one below (If you click on the info page there is also a link to the official site) and decide how you could use it with your learners:

[|Splendid Speaking Group]

**Twitter **
By using # hashtags on Twitter you can set up a discussion for your learners and ask other people to contribute to this as well. Go to Twitter now and look up the this discussion: Type: #celtaVerona into the search box and look at the posts: How does this work? Can you think of ways in which you could use a space like this with your learners?

Your PLN is your "personal learning network". It consists of all the colleagues you know on social networks that you share ideas with etc. A PLN can really become an extended virtual staff room as you can simply post an idea or a question at any time of day or night and someone might be online who will answer. twitter is very fast moving so it pays to know when others in your PLN are generally online. How could learners create their own PLNs? Can you imagine how to do activities in class with this?
 * PLN **

**Using the Internet as a source in itself **
Everyone knows how to search the Internet for information but clearly structured webquests are very motivating activities for learners. Check out the site below which provides very easy ways to make them. Find out what webquests are and decide how you might use one with your TP group. [|Creating webquests]

Mlearning
Mlearning is all in vogue at the moment. It stands for mobile learning and refers to learning by mobile devices such as smartphones, ipods and tablets. Not everyone has these devices but increasingly studetns do so take a look at some apps that might be very useful for them.

Gavin Dudeney's excellent list of mlearning bookmarks: [] The Official itunes Apps Store is excellent for those with ipads or ipod touches: [] There are also many apps available for Android devices: []

Choose one app that you think might be useful for your learners. It is advisable, however, to try them out yourself first to see how useful they really are. My learners have benefitted no end from the [|Longman Dictionary app]which some have bought and loaded onto their ipods. It has transformed their writing.