543: PLE Diagram

(Photo Sources: Feedly, Blogger, Wordpress, Facebook, Twitter, Diigo, Google Plus, Edmodo, Edweb, Google Classroom, Google Docs, Google Sites, TPT, Pinterest,Camera)

Here is my Personal Learning Environment diagram.  I used Popplet to create the diagram, and found Popplet very user friendly.  I learned a couple of things about myself while creating my diagram.  

The first thing that I learned is that I need more reflection tools.  I use Wordpress and Blogger to blog reflections of assignments and activities.  Then, I used a camera to show that in my own classroom, I record lessons to analyze and share with other teachers in my building.  I need more ways to digitally reflect.

I also learned that I am heavy in Google tools.  I know that I LOVE Google apps, but this really reinforced how much I use Google.  I use Google for a variety of purposes.  Maybe that's why I love Google so much, there is an app for everything! It also makes life easier.

While I was creating my diagram, I realized that many of the tools can be used in more than one area, and some can be used in all four categories.  I did put Blogger and Wordpress into two categories: reflecting and publishing.  I thought they were major resources for both categories so I wanted them in both.  My diagram also made me realize how big of an impact one little person can have.  Using my PLE resources, I can reach so many people.  It shows that one voice can make a big sound.

Looking at Courtney Calhoun's PLE diagram, we have many similarities and differences.  Courtney chose to break her diagram up into professional and personal/professional categories and I chose to break my categories into collecting, reflecting, publishing, and connecting.  We shared many of the same digital tools including: Google +, Feedly, Blogger, Diigo, Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.  She uses a few professional tools that I don't: Google Reader and LinkedIn.

Here is Megan Apgar's PLE.  We have similarities in our categories and tools.  We both chose categories with aggregating/collecting, connecting, and reflecting.  We shared similar tools: Wordpress, Twitter, Facebook, Google +, edweb, Diigo, and Pinterest.  She chose working collaboratively and used Google Drive and Dropbox.  I also use Google Drive and forgot to put it in my diagram.  I chose Google Docs to use in connecting/collaborating with others.

Here is Amanda Hensley's PLE.  She chose a different way to represent her Personal Learning Environment.  She put her main dish (Twitter and Facebook) in the middle of her plate, along with the side dishes (Google Drive, YouTube, LinkedIn, Google Plus, and more).  Then she put her "sometimes" resources around her plate.  I really like how she prioritized the resources by how frequently she uses them.  Like her, I use Facebook and Twitter the most.  I would also include Google Chrome, Drive, and Docs in my main dish section.  I would also have Blogger, Edmodo, and Wordpress as my "sometimes" resources that I use, but not as frequently. She has some resources that I am not familiar with and will need to look in to, such as Discovery Education.

Here is Kimmy Davis's PLE.  I really like how she showed her connections to her groups through a juggling act.  She said, "I chose juggling because that's what it feels like with so many connections  It's hard to keep all the balls in the air and really participate with the various groups." I agree that it feels like a juggling act keeping up with everything, especially once school starts.  Sometimes, though, my resources are frequented more often during school when I am looking for a particular resource, especially TeachersPayTeachers and Pinterest.  She mentioned Snap Chat in her diagram, and this is an app that I use too, with my friends and family, but did not list in my PLE.  Like Kim, I use WordPress, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and Google +.  I have not used LinkedIn, Goodreads, Tumblr, or Instagram, so these are resources that I can look into.

Let's take a look at Brian Betteridge's PLE.  Brian added in a resource that is not a technology one, that I wish I would have also put on my diagram--"Community of Educators."  This is such a major part of a personal learning environment and I should have put it in mine.  Brian and I share some common resources: Edmodo, Google +, Edweb, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Wordpress.  As with the other diagrams, I see LinkedIn, Flickr, and Goodreads as resources that I do not use.  Since I have been seeing them in so many other diagrams, that must mean they are good resources to use.

Here is Joanne Matibag's PLE diagram.  Joanne chose a very unique way to present her PLE.  She based it off of beach chairs that she saw in Morondava.  Once again, we share many similar resources, such as: Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Wordpress, edweb.com,  and Feedly.  Since her subject area is music, she has many different resources than me including: Flute Listserv and ACDA website.  She uses Facebook for personal activities and also teaching resources.  I haven't used Facebook to find teaching resources as much.  I have been using it to connect with other educators.  I tend to use Twitter, Feedly, Pinterest, and TeachersPayTeachers to find resources. 

Comparing my own diagram to other classmates' was really eye opening. Seeing some of the resources over and over show me that I need to look into these resources and they must be great if so many of my classmates are using them.  It also made me realize that I left out some important resources for my own diagram, such as Google Drive, Readworks.org, and Scoop.it.  It was really neat to see how everyone structured their diagrams differently and to see what others' PLEs entail.