How to prepare a professional development plan

Personal Learning Network

Reginald Hyman

DBA-Human Resource Management, Walden University

DDBA 8006: Contemporary Challenges in Business

Dr. Neil Mathur

February 7, 2021

Personal Learning Network

Creating a personal learning network will improve our engagement with peers developing networking skills, doctoral knowledge, and professional growth. A personal learning network is a community composed of like-minded individuals building foundations relationships between peers, professors, mentors, advisors, and career professionals to connect by gaining insight on commons interests and knowledge (Marin et al., 2014). As a doctoral student, it helps to use the necessary resources that enhance communication and engagement between people in the personal learning community. The most effective tools for building a personal learning network would include social media websites and advanced technology with the internet (Riel & Fulton, 2001).

These tools will allow each person in the personal learning network to collaborate and expand upon sharing needed concepts and ideas. Using different social media tools and new technologies would create options to communicate quicker with members virtually in the learning network (Riel & Fulton, 2001). Some other resources would use research software on the university website from the writing center and library to improve communication effort with professors and other doctoral students. Another way is to use a new technology software with Zoom meetings to stay connected by identifying needed information among colleagues. Linkedin is a more career-oriented professional social media platform to build relationships with colleagues, college classmates, business partners, and employers.

The information used in a professional profile on social media Linkedin includes educational background, work experience, volunteer work, business interests, and professional goals. A professional individual wants to connect with people and organizations with common interests in similar topics, related business fields, and professional experiences. Building the personal learning community will incorporate learning information, which identifies business interests, career topics, scholarly knowledge, and social change. The specific text to use, for example, would provide a description; let us connect we have the same interests in the business industry. A personal learning network is organized and prepares a community, contributing to several individuals' expertise to form a productive network. The social media profile information will gain people and other organization members by using blogs and Twitter to contribute to the personal learning community (Thompson, 2012). When developing a personal learning network, I will learn how to improve different community methods and outcomes.

Some essential learning network members would include doctoral students, Walden professors, Walden staff, professionals, military veterans, and spiritual advisors. The first group is doctoral students find in course website discussions, Linkedin, and Walden Facebook group. The doctoral students would be included in the personal learning network because they understand research information, share scholarly writing skills, analyze different situations, and critical thinking skills (Olehnovica et al., 2014). These are a few aspects of a doctoral student knowing how to stay efficient with a learning network. Doctoral students are fundamental to the education development connection and growth of the personal learning network cycle.

The second group, Walden professors, is essential to the continuous learning process through Walden University, which adds value to the learning network to the doctoral program and studies. The professors will allow students to develop their research skills, enhance their writing ability and overall educational knowledge. The Walden professor will give guidance on how to prepare for residency and doctoral study within the program. The professor will improve the doctoral student's overall performance in properly using APA writing as a guideline to become an influential research writer. The Walden professors' lectures would impact the doctoral students' understanding of course assignments and research materials. As a doctoral student, I would reach by staying connected to these educators by emails and personal social media platforms.

Career professionals are vital to expanding the personal learning network in other professional areas and career enhancement. I can learn numerous skills and obtain knowledge among my colleagues related to performance and job skills. The professional career-oriented individual would give additional insight and expertise in areas and strategies I may not know yet (Reil & Fulton, 2001). The career professional is significant to professional development and exchange career advice for advancement in our career goals. The professional individual will allow each person to share needed information that can benefit its learning community productivity and results—using communication and collaboration to stay relevant in understanding professional career dynamics and academic knowledge (Olehnovica et al., 2014).

Military Veterans has many personal and professional experience which will impact my learning network continuous growth. For instance, veterans hold many different experiences, other professional skills like leadership abilities, decision-making skills, and implementing strategies. These are a few reasons to have a personal learning connection with veterans from different branches of service. The different veterans will be associated with several social media websites Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin. I can find these individuals with other military-related veteran groups and only on specific veterans' website DAV and Wounded Warriors Facebook group pages.

A spiritual advisor would provide guidance and insight in spiritual aspects of life, work, family, and college. A spiritual advisor is crucial in understanding how to handle different situations that arise, both positive or adverse events. I would find these advisors within the local churches, social media church websites, and Facebook pages. This person is vital to the personal learning network finding insight and peace of mind.

In Conclusion, building a personal learning networking is a process of staying connected to an individual that impacts several ways to the growth and outlook to create positive change (Marin et al., 2014). A personal learning community is vital in learning and improving different areas of one life from professional, personal, and educational. The personal learning network will help people learn how to cooperate, communicate, and collaborate with new ideas and advice. The personal learning network would allow better know-how and understanding of how to view new technologies and competencies (Riel & Fulton, 2001).

References

Marin, V. Negra, F., & Perez, A. 2014). Construction of the foundation of the PLE and PLN for collaborate learning. Comunicar, 21(42), 35-43.

Olehnovia, E. Bolgzda, I. Kravale-Paulina, M. (2014). Individual potential of doctoral students. Structure of research competences and self-assessment. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174(12) 3557-3564.

Reil, M., & Fulton, K. (2001). The role of technology in supporting learning communities. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(7), 518.

Thompson, S. (2012, May 20). Personal learning networks (PLN) 101. Twitter [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://technologyembedded.wordpress.com/2012/05/20/twitter-101/