To Add a Little To Add a Little Zing,Zing,

Use a Ning!Use a Ning!How Technology Can SupportHow Technology Can Support

Professional Learning Communities Professional Learning Communities and and

Classroom TeachingClassroom Teaching

Presented By: Mary Christine Dion, Deb Kwiatek, Laura Nichols and Elise Spang

Professional Professional Learning Learning

CommunitiesCommunitiesAn Example of How Nings An Example of How Nings

Can Connect People Can Connect People and and

Bring Teachers TogetherBring Teachers Together

Why a Ning?Why a Ning?

• More convenient for teachersMore convenient for teachers• Can reach more peopleCan reach more people• Closed site, makes people feel safeClosed site, makes people feel safe• Dynamic tool Dynamic tool

• Teachers have their own pages/blogsTeachers have their own pages/blogs• Comment and discuss with othersComment and discuss with others• Can post photos, videos, websites, etc.Can post photos, videos, websites, etc.

• User-friendlyUser-friendly

Who, What?Who, What?• Who: Who:

• 43 Reading Teachers, K-1243 Reading Teachers, K-12

• What: What: • A professional discussion of the book A professional discussion of the book Strategies Strategies

that Work that Work on Ningon Ning• Members respond to discussion questions posted Members respond to discussion questions posted

on the Forum on the Forum • Members blog on their thoughts and impressionsMembers blog on their thoughts and impressions• Members do a final project (chapter summaries, Members do a final project (chapter summaries,

lessons, etc.)lessons, etc.)• Other resources (ReadingTeacherABC’s Other resources (ReadingTeacherABC’s

Delicious page)Delicious page)

Where, When?Where, When?

• Where:Where:• That’s the beauty of it- members can be That’s the beauty of it- members can be

anywhere as long as they have an internet anywhere as long as they have an internet connection!connection!

• When:When:• 1 initial meeting to preview the Ning and 1 initial meeting to preview the Ning and

listen to a podcast on how to navigate the sitelisten to a podcast on how to navigate the site• 3 Blog entries (1 per week)3 Blog entries (1 per week)• 1 final meeting to discuss and present final 1 final meeting to discuss and present final

projects projects

Active Teaching Active Teaching and LearnNINGand LearnNING

How Teachers Use Ning To How Teachers Use Ning To

Expand the Boundaries of Their Expand the Boundaries of Their Classrooms and Connect Classrooms and Connect

StudentsStudents

Getting StartedGetting Started

• www.ning.comwww.ning.com• Inviting MembersInviting Members

• Sending invitationsSending invitations

• Sending messages to membersSending messages to members• ““Broadcast MessageBroadcast Message””

• Setting up the tabsSetting up the tabs• How toHow to

• Struggles and frustrationsStruggles and frustrations

Questions,Questions,

and Commentsand Comments

Sample Sample Classroom Ning Classroom Ning

SitesSites

http://tinyurl.com/http://tinyurl.com/classroomningsclassroomnings