I will be facilitating a workshop for Chicago Public School teachers tomorrow on building global networks, and I hope to involve GEC members. Please share your tips and tricks for building professional learning networks that lead to global collaborations and projects. Here are a few questions to get you started... no need to answer them all. Just offer any advice that you have! 

• How did you first start exploring opportunities to learn online from others? (For instance, I started going to a lot of web casts (EdTechTalk) and webinars where I met people in chat rooms and associated forums)

• Where have you found virtual colleagues with which to collaborate? Where are your favorite places to network? 

• What are some low existing global projects with low threshholds for participation that a newbie could join if they wanted to connect their classrooms? ( i.e. Projects by Jen Wagner)

• If you have designed a global project yourself, what are some tips for success? (My advice is to keep things simple, structured, and asynchronous.)

• Do you have a personal project to pitch to others? List it here! 

• What tools do you regularly use to connect with other teachers? 

• How do you manage to stay on top of global projects and professional learning opportunities? Any time management advice?

• How can you participate in projects when access to computers is limited? i.e the one computer classroom 
  

Any tips, tricks, and advice for teachers would be greatly appreciated!