Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach and Will Richardson – PLP Network

Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach and Will Richardson are co-founders of the Powerful Learning Practice Network: a group of “connected learning communities” for 21st century educators seeking professional development.

Key Questions and Comments:

• (14:55) So much of what we talk about is the learning outcomes, both the professional development of the students and the activities. I’ve always been an advocate for the learning experience and the experience the students go through and the teachers go through in professional development more so than the outcome — that’s a hard argument to make — but what are the opinions here around that issue?
• (19:05) One of the things that intrigues me about PLP is that getting people excited about getting connected is a first step. [PLP] moves people to go deep. Could you talk about what you have built into your process that helps teachers get to a deeper level?
• (25:55) One of the things I really have loved about PLP is the cognitive dissonance – in fact the emotional dissonance — that many of our participants go through and that we go through. One of the challenges we face when we are teaching and learning is being very comfortable with that. What I’d like to have Sheryl and Will explain is the kind of discomfort that they go through when working with folks. What do you have in place to help people deal with their cognitive dissonance and be comfortable with it, be one with it?
• (32:30) One of the things I think that makes this program unique is actually the role of the school leader as part of this program. Could you help describe that a little more for those who are watching?
• (34:35) Why not just consider the experience an outcome?
• (48:40) What do Will and Sheryl observe in their work about the formation of learning networks? Do they see the formation of networks as an experience/outcome of their work with teachers?

View the Conversation
During the broadcast, the conversation also took place on Twitter using the hashtag #connectedlearning.

Guests for this webinar included:

• Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach: Sheryl is a 20-year educator with experiences as a classroom teacher, technology coach, charter school principal, district administrator, and digital learning consultant. Sheryl is a regular presenter internationally on topics of homelessness, teacher leadership, community building, educational leadership and 21st Century reform. She is also president of 21st Century Collaborative, LLC. You can Follow Sheryl on Twitter at@snbeach
• Will Richardson: Will is an internationally respected author, speaker and blogger with 22 years of public educator experience whose focus is helping educators realize the potential of Web 2.0 technologies in their own personal and professional practice and in their classrooms. Will is a national advisory board member for the George Lucas Education Foundation, and is the Chief Learning Officer at Connective Learning, LLC. You can Follow Will on Twitter at@willrich45
• John Norton
• Ronnie Burt
• Christen Dodd
• Brenda Sherry
• Peter Skillen

Resources for this webinar:

• The Connected Educator by Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach
• Powerful Learning Practice Network
• Premise and mission behind PLP Network: What we believe from the Powerful Learning Practice Network
• Student 2.0 Group: #DigiFoot12
• Leading Edge Experience: The Leading Edge Boot Camp eCourse and The Leading Edge Community
• Pushing the school reform issue: Diane Ravitch’s blog
• Transform and reform [education]: Phil Schlechty, school reform leader
• Wasting Minds: Why Our Education System is Failing and What We Can Do About It by Ron Wolk
• Unschooling movement based on work of educator John Holt
• Communities of inquiry – group of people making a commitment together and dedicating themselves to improving overtime
• August is Connected Educator Month from the U.S. Department of Education