What is A Personal Learning Network?

 What is  Personal Learning Network (PLN)?

Image source: https://k3hamilton.com/ED/pln.html

PL…What? PLNs are Personal Learning Networks that take place on an online platform.  Many teachers are already part of PLCs or Professional Learning Communities.  PLCs usually occur at a specific time and meet in a school setting, at a professional development course, or even at a school board/committee meeting. PLNs are a little less formal, but a lot more accessible. Both types of Ps bring people together to gain resources, show support, and engage in collegiality. PLNs are often national or global and occur across all kinds of mediums, at all hours of the day.  PLNs offer more than just inspiration for lessons, they offer opportunities for collaboration. 

Building a Personal Learning Network

Benefits 

There are so many benefits to being part of a PLN.  Not only can you access information, ideas, and resources, and gain support at any time- global participation can enhance your teaching. There are a wealth of teachers that can provide a wealth of knowledge. PLNs have the potential to inspire, enrich, and create lasting relationships between professionals. 

Any good teacher will have reflective practices, which means they are always present in their teaching, reflective in their lessons, and cognizant of their assessments. Careful consideration in data-driven instruction, engagement of a lesson, presentation of information, differentiation, and formative or summative assessments can be supported within a PLN. The art of teaching is not for a solidary person. “Teaching can be isolating, and that isolation and lack of support can lead to burnout. PLNs help educators to escape isolation that can become part of the profession” (Poth, 2023). As challenges arise, a PLN can help a teachers gain the resources and support they need, no matter what time zone or geographic region. 

Opportunities for Professional Growth and Wealth Knowledge 

Harry Wong who is well-known in the field of education states  "Effective teachers can be defined with a single word," Wong told the convention crowd. "Effective teachers steal!" Teachers who beg, borrow, and steal good techniques are teachers whose students will achieve, he added, noting that he is "the biggest burglar in the education field"! (Hopkins, 2000) This concept dates back to 1991 from his publication “The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher.” PLNs are a network of teachers who do just that! The solid idea influences teachers today to seek out information and learn from one another. Within the teaching community, I have personally asked others to share this, or question how did you do that?  I do not have many teacher friends, so the concept of being part of a global network of teachers with ideas that they're willing to share, offer support to other teachers, and be a resource is invaluable. As many teachers are “life-long learners,” they most times are “life-long teachers,” too unfaltering over an opportunity to teach someone something. 

Build Your Network

PL… Please sign me up! There are so many benefits to working with other professionals in the field of education whether they are in your building, district, state, region, country, or hemisphere. PLNs can be found across social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, X- formally known as Twitter, Pinterest, Blogger, as well as podcasts, webinars, and online courses. Access is always available! Although being part of a community means engaging and participating within the community, do not feel like you need to do that right away. Scrolling can be just as beneficial to start. Get your feet wet. Ask yourself what you need and you may stumble across someone who may need you and your talent. Be part of the network and share, it is important to feel like an expert as well! Remember that joining a PLN doesn’t make you less of a teacher, it makes you a better teacher. Collaboration between teachers has the opportunity to improve teaching practices which benefits the student learning. Not a fan of social media? BetterLesson can help “improve the quality of your classroom instruction, ReadWriteThink is a literacy hub to increase reading engagement and Share My Lesson offers ready-to-go lesson plans in a pinch.  Hopefully within this PLN, it inspires you to try something new! 

Infographic

References:

Best Professional Development Websites and PLNs for Teachers | Common Sense Education. (n.d.). Www.commonsense.org. https://www.commonsense.org/education/lists/best-professional-development-websites-and-plns-for-teachers

Building Your Professional Learning Network. (n.d.). Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/professional-learning-networks-teachers/

Building a Professional Learning Network – Online Teaching Hub. (n.d.). https://onlineteachinghub.education.purdue.edu/building-a-professional-learning-network/

Harry Wong Addresses National Conference | Education World. (n.d.). Www.educationworld.com. https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr289.shtml

Personal Learning Networks. (2020). K3hamilton.com. https://k3hamilton.com/ED/pln.html

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