Chapter Six of the Connected Educator appears to have a heavy focus on the initial application of Personal Learning Networks and how Social Networking can contribute to building one's Personal Learning Network. It seems to be written by someone who had developed Professional Networks before Social Networks were as prominent as they are today. Another thing of note is the difference between a network and a community.
As similar as they may be, a network is a group of people connected by a shared interest or interests. A community is an interest shared by a group of people who aren't necessarily working together. I'm quite curious as to how varied the skill sets of a network can have. Ideally, a network would have some connections to every skill set or trade, or at least those which pertain to the network's intended purpose.
Another enlightening concept was the idea of roles. Individuals with specialized positions within the Personal Learning Network. It kind of escaped me that building a network means being a part of it yourself, you are as much a part of helping as anyone else involved. This chapter also says it's imperative that one's network is in a constant state of achievement, constantly innovating or working together to build the community. It's a lot more involved than my first impression, a contact list of people who could help myself and one another.
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