So you have your personal learning network (PLN) already. It could be a professional network of teachers in your district or county. It could be an organization of your specialization. But you don't have to limit yourself to space-bound and face-to-face interactions. So what if you can't attend an education conference in Singapore? You can still connect with fellow educators worldwide and invite them to be part of your personal learning network. How? Through the Internet, of course!

Building a personal learning network online has become a hit among teachers who are tech-savvy. These aren't just the young ones but even older ones who embraced technology. The World Wide Web is full of places to explore and tools to use for your online PLN. Start with the following baby steps, and you will soon be hooked!

• Spend time online. The World Wide Web is playing an even greater role in various fields, including education. More and more learning resources are being made available online. More and more teachers are taking their classrooms to trips online. And more and more experts are sharing their knowledge online. Indeed, the Internet can turn into a teacher’s ally not just in making learning exciting and interesting for students but also in making professional development easier for you. There is a wide array of materials online, mostly for free. And if you know where to go, there are online classrooms for teachers that you can join — also for free.
• Get an e-mail address. An e-mail address is the virtual key to establishing an online PLN. This gives you access to social networking sites, online education communities and forums, and official blogs. Create an e-mail address on Yahoo! or Gmail. Since this is for professional interaction, it is best to use your complete name or a play of your name and initials. Make sure your e-mail address does not contain words like “cutie” or “sweet.” Use this e-mail address in all your online activities so you will have an easier time keeping track of the sites you visit and the people you interact with.
• Create accounts in social networking sites. That’s right, social networking sites like Facebook are not just for your teen students. Although more popularly used for connecting with family and friends, social networking sites are also increasingly gaining popularity as avenues for interest communities. Sought-after speakers on teaching have their own Facebook accounts where teachers can post questions or even share thoughts on all sorts of topics. You can search for acclaimed educators if they are members of any social networking sites. Even top educators accept requests from all over the world.
• Build your online professional profile. The fun thing about creating an online network is that you can project your personality to the online world. People who have never seen you — and perhaps will never see you face-to-face — can get a good grasp of who you are and then decide to connect with you. An online profile includes your complete name, profession, educational background, beliefs and interests, and even your photo. A website called www.linkedin.com allows you to build an online professional profile and connect with professionals in the same field. E-mail address and mobile or landline numbers are posted on profiles so you can contact fellow educators and ask them to join your network. Or there is always an option to send a message and request for contact details.
• Check out websites, blogs, forums, wikis, nings… Yes! The Internet world has morphed beyond what you know. But it’s no reason to be scared. It’s reason to be excited! So many avenues for learning are out there now, and all you have to do is choose where to begin. The easiest to start with is plain and simple browsing. Visit websites like www.edutopia.org or individual blogs like www.teacherbootcamp.edublogs.org and read the articles or blog posts on a multitude of topics. Check out the profiles of the educators who write the articles and the people who comment on the topics. Once you’ve found the website or blog you like…
• Join in! The idea behind PLNs is not simply learning from others but learning with others. So it’s important that you also participate in online activities. Establish rapport by first sharing your thoughts or queries. And because teachers are naturally inclined to answer questions and share information and insights, you will be noticed — and befriended — in no time. From this initial interaction, you can now expand your PLN from having contacts or online “colleagues” to exploring other online resources aside from blogs and websites.

When you’re already comfortable working online and you’ve established your initial online personal learning network contacts, it’s time to set out and explore other online resources, such as sites that help you organize your PLN. You’ll find activities and learning experiences that are just as good as that Singapore conference — for free.

*photo by Jakub Krechowicz