Since taking this class I have started to be more conscientious in making decisions about my Personal Learning Network. Prior to taking this class, I think I was unconsciously seeking out a PLN for myself in many of the conversations I would have. I did my undergrad in English which created personal learning environments for me consistently. I love to read and I love to hear other people’s perspectives on novels and short stories so being in classes that were designed to hear everyone’s opinion was awesome. I would learn from classmates and hopefully my classmates also benefited from my opinions and perspectives. Since graduating I have really missed these discussions with peers. It might be time for me to seek out a book club! 

If I were to look for a book club or create my own, I now know that I would be seeking out dynamic, reliable, and participatory individuals. As I transitioned from my English degree to my PDPP Education program, I am realizing the multitude of  benefits a PLN offers, other than book club type engagements. One of the most important lessons we have learnt thus far in our program is that to be a teacher is to be a lifelong learner. This is an easy task for me as I love learning, so why would I ever want to stop? However I have noticed that there are some individuals who seem resistant to the knowledge our teachers are passing on. The people I tend to discuss and learn with can see the benefits of life-long learning and are also always seeking new ways of thinking or looking at a concept. To me this is what I would call someone who is dynamic. Someone who is not stuck with the idea that they already know everything and are open to hearing various perspectives on a topic. 

When looking for reliable and participatory individuals to include in my PLN I tend to observe while simultaneously trying to be my authentic self to let people know that I am reliable and enjoy participating. I am lucky to be in a class setting with my peers so it is easy to spot folks who are reliable as they would show up to class and group meetings eager to learn. Same with participating, it is easy to observe those who enjoy sharing their perspectives in class and actively listening to others as well. These are the people I am keen on making connections with for my PLN! 

After reading “Building your own PLN: seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network” by Bianca Woods, a few more thoughts came to mind. More specifically, I was intrigued by Woods’ description of how PLN connections are reciprocal. One quote that stood out to me was, “The relationships that form your PLN often aren’t the teacher-student structure you remember from school” (Woods, 2013). In the past, students have been viewed as an empty vessel for teachers to impart their wealth of knowledge, however this way of looking at learning has been changing in recent years. For me, I believe that I am going to learn just as much from my students as they will learn from me. This opens up the question of whether or not my students will be part of my PLN. I wonder if there are any limitations to this because as a teacher we do hold positions of power. Does this affect the ability to create an effective PLN? I am not sure but it is something I will continue to ponder and learn about! 

Bibliography: 

Woods, B. (2013, November). Building your own PLN: seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network. T+D, 67(11), 70+. https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/apps/doc/A348998538/ITBC?u=uvictoria&sid=summon&xid=1010abdf