Earlier this year, on the Tech Matters Blog, we shared our thoughts on Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). These PLNs consist of groups of professionals who share knowledge, best practices, and resources with one another in a particular field. This is a way to foster professional development and create a supportive learning community.

Online communication has greatly expanded the reach and potential of PLNs to enrich this experience, particularly for teachers and administrators. We suggest that a great way to share your favorite education resources in your Personal Learning Network is to use the PowerUp What Works Teacher Professional Development (PD) Playlists. These playlists offers many valuable resources and tools to help teachers enhance their effectiveness in working with struggling students in English Language Arts and math. Additionally, we have 13 Quick Views, which provide short video overviews of effective instructional strategies and tools to use in the classroom. These materials support the easy-to-use 20 Instructional Strategy Guides in English Language Arts and Math that offer ways to enhance teaching and learning supported with technology. These media-rich tools are a great ways to deliver powerful teaching ideas that you can customize to meet your needs.

We would be pleased to offer a PowerUp webinar to jumpstart your professional development workshops. Let us know how PowerUp can help you better meet the needs of your struggling students. Consider this the PowerUp What Works Challenge for the end of the 2014-2015 school year! Comment below to share your thoughts with the PowerUp community of teachers, administrators, PD facilitators, and teacher educators.