Being an innovator in education can sometimes feel lonely but it doesn't have to be. Creating your personal learning network allows you to surround yourself with peers that can open up new opportunities, share experiences and scaffold your own education. Participants will learn about the potential of Second Life in developing their Personal Learning Network. A panel of STAR Discovery Educators will discuss the process of building a presence in Second Life, the various tools to used to support continued communication and collaboration in Second Life, and the potentials and pitfalls they have encountered in their virtual journey together so far. One of the goals of the STAR Discovery Educators in Second Life is to provide guidance, resources, and support for educators seeking to explore Second Life. Participants will be able to ask questions, explore some of the facets of Second Life, and join a community of educators in this virtual world.

Participants will:
Learn some of the basics of citizenship in Second Life
Discover a few of the many beneficial areas of interest in SL
See a model PLN as it was developed from an idea into a reality
Collaborate with other educators about the potentials for use in their own professional lives
Leave equipped with the basic knowledge and a support network to ensure their success in integrating Second Life into their professional life.

Outline

15 minutes - Overview of Second Life with a focus on educators in Second Life

15 minutes - Overview of the tools, events, and resources that support a Personal Learning Network

15 minutes - Tour of educational opportunities in Second Life

15 minutes - Q & A from participants

Supporting Research

Attwell, Graham (2007). The Personal Learning Environments - the future of eLearning?
eLearning Papers, vol. 2 no. 1. ISSN 1887-1542.
www.elearningeuropa.info/files/media/media11561.pdf

deLaBruere, Lucie (2007). Tech Savvy Learning Communities (a la Moodle). Infinite Thinking Machine. Retrieved on September 23, 2007 from http://www.infinitethinking.org/2007/09/tech-savvy-learning-communities-la.html

Downes, Stephen (2007). The Future of Online Learning and Personal Learning Environments. Slideshare. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from http://www.slideshare.net/Downes/the-future-of-online-learning-and-personal-learning-environments

Guhlin, Miguel (2005). Personal Learning Networks: Blogs as Webs of Connected Learning. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from
http://www.edsupport.cc/mguhlin/artifacts/writings/2005/blogsplns.htm

Jacobson, Michael J. & Levin, James A., (1993) Conceptual Frameworks for Network Learning Environments: Constructing Personal and Shared Knowledge Spaces. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/tta/papers/JL_EdTele/

Johnson, Doug (2007). Loertscher's Three Learning Spaces. Blue Skunk Blog. Retrieved on September 23, 2007 from, http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/2007/9/19/loertschers-three-spaces.html

Sienens, George (2003). Learning Ecology, Communities, and Networks: Extending the Classroom. elearnspace. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from,
http://www.edsupport.cc/mguhlin/artifacts/writings/2005/blogsplns.htm

Tobin, Daniel R. (1998). Building Your Personal Learning Network. Corporate Learning
Strategies. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from
http://www.tobincls.com/learningnetwork.htm

Nussbaum-Beach, Sheryl. "The Art of Building Virtual Communities."
21st Century Collaborative. 05 Aug. 2007. 3 Oct. 2007
http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/2007/08/the-art-of-buil.html.

Robbins, Sarah. " Social Network Mechanics are Like a Good Party : UberNoggin: Big Brains - Big Ideas."
UberNoggin: Big Brains - Big Ideas. 25 Sep 2007. 3 Oct 2007
http://ubernoggin.com/archives/116

Presenter Background

Nancy Sharoff, MST, MS (Instructional Technology), SDA (Laelia Laval, SL)
Nancy grew up in Europe attending Department of Defense schools in Germany. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree she worked as an Academic Advisor for the University of Maryland, European Division. Upon completion of her MST she taught 2nd grade, 4th grade, and 5th/6th grade Math, and currently is the K-4 Technology Facilitator in Ellenville, New York. She went on to complete a Master’s in Instructional Technology and certification for School District Administrator. In addition to a K-12 setting, Nancy has developed and taught various workshops and graduate level courses in the areas of educational technology, as well as, reading. She has presented at local, state, national, and virtual levels. She is a Discovery STAR Educator (a DEN in SL Leadership Council Member and Blog Chair), Google Certified Teacher, and iSafe Certified .

Lori Abrahams, MA in Education (Lor Fredriksson, SL)
Lori has been an educator for 33 years in IL and GA. She has taught 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and instructional technology for K-8. Lori has been an active Illinois Computing Education (ICE) member and NICE member, is currently member at large on the ICE Governing Board, was Secretary of ICE for 4 years, Chapter Liaison for 5 years, has been the program chair for IL-TCE the past 5 years, and was on the NECC 2001 program committee. Lori has presented locally the past 12 years various technology workshops. She is a Discovery STAR Educator (a DEN in SL Leadership Council Member and Events Chair) and is iSafe certified.

Fred Delventhal, M.Ed., (Riptide Furse, SL)
Fred works as senior level Instructional Technology Coordinator in Arlington Public Schools, Virginia. He has presented at Northern Virginia Technology Educational Consortium conferences, the Technology and Learning Symposia (Virginia), and the Virginia Department of Education Educational Technology Leadership Conference. Fred has worked as an adjunct professor for George Mason University Instructional Technology Certificate Program and for the Four Rivers Consortium (Virginia). Along with the teachers Fred works with, he has won multiple awards at the MHzNetworks International Shortie Film Festival. He is a Discovery Star Educator. He recently flew with a team of teachers aboard NASA's Weightless Wonder Microgravity Jet through the NASA Explorer Schools program. Fred serves as the DEN in SL Leadership Council Chair. Along with his Leadership Council he has presented several times in Second Life to both virtual audiences as well as live.

Anne Truger (JessieMarie Flanagan, SL)
Anne is an Instructional Technology Specialist with the Special Education District of Lake County in Illinois. Anne has been a special education teacher for 16 years. She has a masters in Instructional Technology. Anne is a Discovery Star educator and a member of the DEN in SL Leadership Council. Anne has presented at both state and national technology conferences for the last 10 years.

Beth Knittle M.A. & M.Ed., (Beth Kohnke, SL)
Beth is a District Wide K12 Technology Integration Specialist, Visiting Lecturer Bridgewater State College. Beth is a Star Discovery Educator and a member of the DEN in SL Leadership Council. She also participated in the Lighthouse Learning Project in Second Life. Beth has (will ? it is this November) presented at the MA state technology education fair, MassCUE and also leads the MassCUE Special Interest Group on Universal Design for Learning.

Elaine Plybon (Celestia Cazalet, SL)
Elaine is the Science Instructional Specialist at The Academy of Irving ISD in Irving, Texas. Elaine has been in education for four years, having made the transition from the corporate world into education later in life. Elaine taught high school Biology, Chemistry, GMO (Geology, Meteorology, and Oceanography), and Science Research and Development prior to becoming an instructional specialist and is currently using an Integrated Physics and Chemistry classroom as her "lab". Elaine is a STAR Discovery Educator and currently serves on two DEN Leadership councils: she is the building co-coordinator for the DEN in Second Life leadership council and the blog coordinator for the DEN Texas leadership council. Elaine has presented at campus, district, and state levels and will face her toughest challenge in October - presenting on an international level through Second Life. Elaine is a member of the National Science Teacher's Association (NSTA), the International Society of Technology Educators (ISTE), and the Texas Computer Educators Association (TCEA).