In reflecting on my CUE experience I’m struck by how much the internet has broadened my personal learning network. More important than any of the sessions I attended were the connections made in the hallway, passing through the exhibit hall, back at the hotel. The diagram at left attempts to explain with concentric circles around me the networks I have built through internet communication over the past few years.

There were several people I knew at CUE because we’ve worked together or met through various meetings such as friends from LAUSD or LACOE. These were face to face friends. However, there were a much larger group of people who I’ve met through trainings I’ve conduced as a result of my web site, Open Court Resources.com. Then there were the Apple Distinguished Educators who were well represented at CUE and made up another large group of people who I know. Then there were another group of people who I would not ever have known were it not for Twitter, Classroom 2.0, and blog reading. These teachers come from all over California and even other states.

If you don’t read blogs, then you don’t have the opportunity to expand your own network to include people you may never have known.