Busy educators who want to ask advice, offer opinions, and engage in discussions with colleagues increasingly turn to professional learning networks (PLNs)--online communities that allow the sharing of lesson plans, teaching strategies, and student work, as well as collaboration across grade levels and departments. As budget cuts limit district-level training opportunities, PLNs take a grassroots approach to professional development. Administrators and teachers say such networks reduce isolation, promote autonomy, and provide inspiration by offering access to support and information not only within a school but also around the globe. PLNs have energized a movement of sorts, as educators connect on their own through social networking that encourages innovation and helps them model what it means to be a lifelong learner.