Creating a Personal Learning Network
Walden University
Contemporary Challenges in Business
7/29/2018
Introduction
We are living in a world of technology and information where all the people of the world can come together using the internet. The internet has been used for a lot of uses and it can also be used in education. Education has benefitted more from the internet today than could have been predicted before. One of the things that the internet has enabled us to do today is to create a Personal Learning Network (PLN) (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2012). The age of the internet has revolutionized the learning experiences where one was limited to getting interactions during special events that were bound by place and time. The world today is using Personal Learning Networks to get into conversations that can take place everyday and at any time.
Tools for Creating a PLN
The world today requires one to be constantly connected if they want to remain relevant as individuals so that learning becoming a way of life. The best way to ensure that one is connecting with professionals and academics is by creating the Personal Learning Networks. It has become a requirement for one to have a PLN so as to get as much knowledge as possible (Dabbagh, Kitsantas, Al-Freih, & Fake, 2015). When creating a PLN, it is important for one to chose the right tools and networks so that it becomes a success. The best tool that one can use in building such a network is social media. The first thing that I would do is join as many social media platforms as possible. The ones which are preferred by people are Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook (Dabbagh, Kitsantas, Al-Freih, & Fake, 2015). LinkedIn is particularly popular because one can create a channel to stay connect to colleagues and develop one careers and view opportunities available. Facebook on the other hand is important for connection to colleagues, administrators, and the entire world away from the learning circles. Twitter is also like Facebook where I can be able to share ideas and support other professionals and get new learning opportunities. Using the social media platforms eliminates the need to have face to face interactions.
Professional Profile
Creation of a Personal Learning Network also involves the careful selection of the information that will be displayed in the professional profile. When it comes to the social media platforms, there are several communities and groups that I would follow and seek to join so as to join people with similar interests. Being among people with shared interests will help in furthering career, learning, and social goals (Dabbagh, Kitsantas, Al-Freih, & Fake, 2015). When one uses social media, one can benefit from the learning experiences and professional development of individuals who have done it before and are now ahead (Barabási, 2002). It is important to have information that is contributing positively in the professional and learning endeavors of all of the participants. The things that I would be introducing are images with content, newsworthy information, interactive material like questions relating to my field, and content with positive emotions (Warlick, 2009). It is essential to have this kind of content so as to interact with the people in the learning network. The other thing that I would work on is my personal profile. It is important to list one’s qualification, skills, and education background. People will be able to follow you once you have listed these qualifications and they know you share similar interests. It is also important to have the official name in profiles and have a statement that shows one that you are open to interactions. People who are interested can freely connect with you and when one requests people for interactions they are likely to accept with an official name and formal statement showing interest.
People and Groups
The first groups that I would target are the academic ones. These groups are made up of current students and scholars. These groups are essential because they keep one in touch with the developments in the learning circles (Dabbagh, Kitsantas, Al-Freih, & Fake, 2015). These channels will help one to know of events and lectures taking place. One also gets a platform for obtaining knowledge through discussions. These groups can be found in all social media platforms.
The second group that I would want in my Personal Learning Network are professionals and related institutions. the professionals help one to know the next step after completion of the current course (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2012). Professionals and institutions are on social media today and one can search for them and request to link up with them. One can send friend requests to professionals, request to join the professional groups and follow the twitter handles.
The third group of people that I would want to connect with are the teachers and school administrators. When one is in good communication with these parties, it becomes easy to get the learning opportunities and support as one goes about their studies. Connecting with the school administrators and the teachers would involve asking them if they are present on social media and whether they would mind interacting there with them. Connecting with them through platforms like Facebook will enable one to reach out to them whenever one needs any support (Warlick, 2009).
The fourth type of people I would want in my Personal Learning Network are the niche groups. these are the people that I share personal interests with. These can range from entertainment, physical fitness, Hobbies, and religion. It is important to have people who have interests that are similar in the learning networks. On a platform like twitter, one can use a search like #Outdoors to reach out to people who love travelling. Searching for individuals with similar interests is easy on social media because of the advanced search features that are present.
The final group of people that I would want in my PLN are friends and mentors. These are people that I value and can be helpful in the process of growth. These are people that one is connected to on more than one shared interest (Warlick, 2009). These are people am comfortable around and can easily have open conversations on various topics. The best way to figure out who these people are it to have organic interactions. One can easily communicate with them through platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and twitter. Personal conversations will help one identify these types of individuals (Dabbagh, Kitsantas, Al-Freih, & Fake, 2015). Social media opens up room to have deeper conversations in person like inviting them for coffee.
References
Dabbagh, N., Kitsantas, A., Al-Freih, M., & Fake, H. (2015). Using social media to develop personal learning environments and self-regulated learning skills: a case study. International Journal of Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, 3(3), 163-183.
Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2012). Personal learning networks: Using the power of connections to transform education. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree Press.
Barabási, A. L. (2002). Linked: The new science of networks, Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.
Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network: New technologies can keep you connected and help you manage information overload. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(6), 12-16.