Join the eduConversations on Google+

When I first began to grow my digital PLN, Twitter was my go-to space. It remains the cornerstone of my PLN but, over the years, I’ve expanded to include many more avenues. Google+ conversations, especially those in various Google+ Communities, are an ever-growing element of my learning network.

If you have a Google account but haven’t started using Google+ yet, this blog post by Alice Keeler about a presentation by @davidtedu can help you get started. The Google+ Help website also provides excellent support.

Communities in Google+ provide an area for people with similar interests to discuss various topics. You as a user also has control over how much of those posts appear in your Google+ stream. I follow a large number of Communities because I am an info junkie but I only have a core group of these actually appear in my stream. When I want to get my fix of the others, I visit the pages for those Communities and soak up the eduConversations.

I help moderate a few Google+ Communities:

• Google Teacher Academy Wannabes – I created this community after the first time I was not select for a Google Teacher Academy. It has grown to over 300 members. Participation in the community stream spikes when GTA applications deadlines near.
• Think Open Crossplatform Apps – This Community was created by Dee Lanier. I saw his keynote at the GAFE Southern Summit in 2014 and became a real believer in the open movement. This community is a wonderful source of motivation for staying open and for encouraging action to help pressure app developers to provide support for all operating systems.
• GEG West Tennessee – The Google Educators Group for West Tennessee is still young but will grow as GAFE use grows in our area. I am currently the leader of the group and moderator of the site but hope to share those duties with others as the Community grows.
• EdCamp Memphis – Not so much of a community at this point since we are just now nearing the first EdCamp Memphis. I am one of the organizers for the event and expect that this community will grow more after February 7, 2015, the date of our event.

Here are some other communities of interest you may want to check out. There are many, many more out there that I follow but these can help get you going.

Google and Google Apps Related – 

• Google Apps for Education
• Google Apps in Education
• Google Apps Educators
• Google in EDU Summits by EdTechTeam
• Google in Education Summits by AppsEvents
• Interesting Designs with Google Tools
• Chromebook
• Chromebook EDU
• Google Classroom
• Google Hangouts in Education
• Google Apps Script
• Apps Scripts for Education – Builders and Users
• Google Educator Groups – This is not a link to a Google+ Community but a link to the Google Educator Groups page. There you can find GEGs close to you. You can certainly join any of the Google+ Communities but especially join ones near you.

Education and EdTech Related – 

• School Technology Leadership
• Instructional Technology Integrators & Coaches
• EdTech
• EdTech and Professional Development
• Connected Classrooms Workshop – Looking to connect your classroom with classrooms around world? Start here!
• Open Education
• Educators on Google+
• Mathematics Education (K-12)
• STEM Educators
• Project Based Learning
• Minecraft in Education

Google+ Help regarding finding more communities.

What are some of the Google+ Communities you find most helpful and why? Share in the comments for the post.