The concept of continuous learning is something that I believe is crucial for educators. Education is constantly changing and evolving and it is so important for teachers to be open to change and growth. Participating in a professional learning network (PLN) allows teachers to do just that--grow and change with the support of other educators. A PLN is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time (Whitby, 2013). Technology allows us to connect with colleagues near or far and share resources on the latest trends in education. I am constantly looking for new ways to engage my students and ways to grow professionally. This is something that takes effort and an open mind to foster life-long learning for not just our students, but for ourselves. “We must remember that lifelong learning requires effort. We expect this commitment from students. We should accept no less from ourselves” (Whitby, 2013).
So...begin building your P.L.N. in 6 easy steps!
1. Pick your Passion
PLNs are about learning, not necessarily about teaching. You can use a PLN to learn about whatever you are passionate about. Becoming a better educator may be your goal, so you can use a PLN to keep up on the latest tech tools, strategies for a 1:1 environment, or school leadership. OR maybe you are interested in learning more about a personal passion such as a hobby you enjoy. Connecting with other people who share a common passion to express ideas and experiences creates a learning opportunity for everyone involved. Start with whatever topic you want to learn more about and begin exploring.
2. Get a Twitter Account
Twitter is a social networking tool that allows anyone to send out short messages called Tweets. Along with texts and links, tweets can also contain media. There are plenty of Twitter chats available for just about every educational specialty, from principals to counselors to project-based learning. With Twitter, you can connect with individuals who have the same challenges and questions you have, and exchange ideas and encouragement. As a PLN, you can’t beat the genuine connection you’ll get from participating in a Twitter chat.
3. Do a Blog Search
Blogs are another great tool for building your PLN and can be an excellent resource for making connections with individuals who share a common passion. You can find many people who write about your passion by simply doing a Google Blog Search. You can narrow your search as much as you can to find exactly what information you are looking for. For example, you might start with searching "education" to "educational tools" to "educational leadership, administrators." In addition to following bloggers, you may also consider following their Twitter accounts (if they have one) as well.
4. Be a Lurker at first, then Get Involved!
5. Share!
At first, participating in a PLN can be overwhelming and intimidating. However, if you want to grow your connections and share your learning with others within your network, participation is key. Sharing your ideas not only supports the individual's cause, but also allows others to benefit from the content through your platform.
6. Make it a Habit
Developing and maintaining a PLN requires a good bit of time and commitment. Try to dedicate some time to it each and every day, even if it is only 15 minutes. Over time, reading and sharing will help to grow your network and to open up more possibilities for your own learning. Just like anything else you want to be good at, building a PLN requires nurturing and attention!
Professional Learning Network Tools That I have found most useful:
- I have had a Twitter account for the past 6 years or so, but I really started using it to build my PLN within the last 2 years, thanks to taking grad classes and learning how to really use Twitter. Until then, I must say I was really unfamiliar with how it worked and dreaded using it. It wasn't until one of my recent Eduspire courses that I really used it for more than just "lurking" and reading what others have shared. I engaged in a 6th grade chat and it was really eye-opening. I did not realize just how beneficial Twitter could be for connecting, sharing, and learning from others near and far. As a result of the chat and engaging in conversations through tweeting and retweeting, I started following specific hashtags relevant to my role as a sixth grade ELA teacher and hashtags relevant to my passions and goals involving technology integration.
- Other social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have also served as great tools for building my PLN. I am part of a group on Facebook for Lucy Calkin's Writing which is the program that my district uses in grades K-6. Participating in this group allows me to connect with other educators who also teach this curriculum. I have been able to share resources relating to the subjects I teach and collaborate ideas for ways to effectively implement the content within my current instructional practices. From the group, I have "met" other educators who I follow on Instagram or subscribed to their blogs.
- Lastly, another way that I grown my PLN is through frequent collaboration with my grade level colleagues. This has been extremely helpful especially during the initial shut down when we were all forced to do something we never thought possible: teach virtually. Throughout this process, we met frequently to share ideas and resources to make learning possible for our students. We relied heavily on each other for support and guidance. During a tremendously uncertain time, we grew together and learned from one another in ways we never did before. And because of the powerful connections we made during this time, we continue to work together to build off of each other and share ideas through consistent collaboration and discussion. I have to say, this was a very positive outcome from 2020 and I am grateful to work with such knowledgeable and supportive colleagues!
Whitby, T. (2013, November 18). How Do I Get a PLN? Retrieved March 8, 2021, from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby
10 Reasons Every Teachers Needs a P.L.N. (3, September 2008). TeachThought. Retrieved March 8, 2021, from https://www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/10-reasons-every-teacher-needs-professional-learning-network/
Brittany,
ReplyDeleteEffort and having an open mind are definitely two important factors as you engage in life-long learning. Picking your passion is an interesting one, because I think far too often when building a PLN educators feel like everything has to be focused specifically on education, when in fact it could be something like a hobby or passion that they could incorporate into their teaching style! Twitter and Blogs and all sorts of social media now how so many educator groups it is awesome! But in particular, I like your “Be a Lurker at First, then get involved!”. It helps to not only understand the format but then how the interaction best occurs to get the most out of your PLN whether it is sharing ideas, adding to others’ ideas, etc. It sounds like you have benefitted from Twitter, Facebook, and just that simple face-to-face (or Zoom) interaction with your colleagues. What a positive outcome to have grown your interactions with colleagues from 2020!
Layla