Week 5: Microblogging and Building my PLN

As I've been exploring various types of tools that can be used to 'curate' the web and collect information, my PLE keeps expanding (and I love it). But the Internet also allows us to connect with people who are useful in guiding our learning experiences and, according to Light (2001), social learning is key for success. That is why I'm developing a Personal Learning Network (PLN) of individuals who can be useful in supporting my learning through the use of Twitter.

ebooksinternational. (2014, April 10). "Twitter Logo" [Online Image]. Retrieved from http://savvybookwriters.wordpress.com/

Yes, I'm 22 years old and up until now I was never interested in joining Twitter (Even my 18 year old sister has had a Twitter account for a few years now... awkward). As I've said before multiple times already, I've always felt like Facebook was enough of a distraction in my life and I thought that the more involved I got with social media, the less productive I would be. However, after setting up a Twitter account (as per the requirements for my online class and not so  much by choice) I saw the potential for it to become a useful tool that could be included in my PLE - it allows me to be updated on trending topics around the world and obtain useful information, while also being able to share my own knowledge. I began following journals related to my field, such as Scientific American Mind (@sciammind) and quickly had a list of 50+ people and sites that I follow (all within less than an hour). My worst nightmare came true: I am now addicted to Twitter (thanks ADED 1P32). I can't stop. I start by following someone with similar interests as me and then quickly follow people they're following - it's the never ending circle of Twitter following.

Krahn, A. (2014, May 26). "Twitter Account" [Screenshot]

As with anything on the Internet, too much information can be overwhelming. That's where TweetDeck comes in handy - it organizes your Twitter account through a customizable layout that allows you to create searches to track topics, events and hashtags.
I previously mentioned how I was surprised that Google Reader had been discontinued due to declining use. I first blamed 'information overload' but I believe now that Twitter is to blame. Twitter keeps you updated on what's happening around the world with the most trending tags. More conveniently, Twitter allows me to follow most of the RSS subscriptions on my Feedly (such as news sites and bloggers). For that reason, I think I'll be spending more time on Twitter than on Feedly.
I had trouble deciding which section of my PLE to add Twitter on since it is handy for sharing resources, socializing, and obtaining information. I decided, however, that Twitter fit more into the socializing section since it's all about 'connecting' with other people.

Krahn, A. (CC) 2014

Because I've been spending so much time on the Internet lately and feel the need to still be productive I thought I'd share a blog from Edudemic on How To Be More Productive. If you wanna read more, you can subscribe to an RSS feed from the Edudemic website OR follow Edudemic on Twitter @Edudemic - your choice ;)