Sean Banville's Blog

The power of the PLN and a stunning ELT conference

Since I started tweeting last summer I have read many accounts of the power of the PLN – the Personal Learning Network that comprises the tweeters you follow and are followed by. Little could I realize then that the very first two people I followed on Twitter would give me one of the most awesome and inspiring experiences of my professional career. Those people are Burcu Akyol and Shelly Terrell – I liked the tweets they were posting at the time I started looking for followers so I pressed the “Follow” button.

The power of Twitter became very evident to me very quickly. Here’s why:

• Within a few weeks I was pleasantly shocked to be tweeting with major names in ELT.
• The greatest wealth of cool websites, tools, thoughts and ideas appeared hour after hour in my tweetstream.
• I made friends with some of the loveliest bloggers around. Both they and their blogs have been so enriching.
• My PLN encouraged me and gave me the confidence to start blogging – something I should have done years earlier.
• My PLN supported me in getting plagiarizers to take down my materials.
• I get lots of time-saving help with ideas for my websites.
• My PLN post my new lessons across the Twitterverse.
• I have an incredible source of excellent advice and support – 24/7.

ISTEK 2010 – Yeditepe University – Istanbul

Last month Burcu tweeted me to ask if I’d like to be an invited speaker at the inaugural ISTEK Schools International ELT Conference in Istanbul. I jumped at the chance to return to Turkey – my previous three visits to this wonderful country were all very special.
But what was most exciting for me was the chance to see so many of my PLN.

This was the best conference I’ve ever been to.

Ever.

Burcu made sure of that – a definite rising star graced with outstanding vision, drive, dynamism, charm and warmth.

My PLN made sure of it too. I met dozens of them. They were all more than fantastic.

There was a common element to most of my first meetings with my PLNers that I found both amusing and touching. In some instances, we would either instantly recognize each other, smile and say hello and chat as though we had shared old times. In other cases, a hug would precede any attempts at verbal communication.

I left the two-day conference with many new friends.

There has never been an occasion in my life when I have made so many friends in so short a time.

Twitter has increased several hundred-fold the number of my professional contacts.

I have made dozens of life-long friends who share my love of education, technology, blogging, materials design and sharing.

I need to thank again the biggest mover, shaker, fixer, sharer and carer around – thank you so much Shelly.

I am excited about the future opportunities that will arise from my PLN.

Roll on ISTEK 2011.