Building a Personal Learning Network - Coursework Example

 Personal learning network (PLN) Generally, a personal learning network or PLN is the whole collection of people with whom one engages as well as exchanges information, always online. These kinds of networks are there and will be there forever, since no one can exist in isolation, we need to interact with others for one reason or the other. Initially, they were one’s friends and family, maybe educators one worked with. However, as the Internet as well as web 2.0 instruments have become almost ubiquitous. These PLNs can comprise of tons of dissimilar communities amounting to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, social bookmarking tools, LinkedIn, wikis, and many others (Rajagopal, Brinke, Bruggen, & Sloep, 2012). Primarily, looking at my Image, anyone I interact with is a portion of my PLN, whether they are professional peers, social contacts, or experts within their area. Today a great part of learning takes place over the on-line platform, since it is easy to find as well as connect with others on the having the same interests from all over the world. On my part I use the PLN for various reasons as indicated in the diagram above. First, I use m PLN for professional development. Here I am connected through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter to professors in area of a profession. These are individuals who have either taught me at school at one point or the other and those I have come across at one point or the other. The main reason for choosing this group of professionals is to learn from the content-era specialists (Rajagopal, Brinke, Bruggen, & Sloep, 2012). Figure1: An image of my personal learning network Professionals normally develop the attitude of a professional learner as a way of approaching their professional life as well as learning in a networked manner, and then they build and maintain as well as activate their contacts globally. Personal contact details are included in a way that observes privacy and security but promotes interaction. This also depends on various provisions by online interaction platforms and other platforms of interaction. In this way I am able to pose some questions on my profession and get answers, especially on issues that promote my professional standing in terms of knowledge. Normally, the people I engage wit have written articles, journals and books on various aspects of my profession. Getting these people’s ideas and opinions on subjects, helps in motivating and promoting research on subjects apart from providing the necessary knowledge for this development (Rajagopal, Brinke, Bruggen, & Sloep, 2012). Basically, a teacher-student and collegial relationship are built where their mutual benefit in such a way that new ideas and perspectives are generated as part of enhancing the profession. As explained above getting these people and related groups involves three major parts of a process. First, I get my ideas write, for instance, the thing to be learned or the questions I need answers for my profession. This is followed by identifying the people and groups I have a clue or information could be useful for answering the questions (Adamic & Adar, 2005). The second step is the search for these people and groups online through social networking sites and Internet search engines. Chances are that I may find all or part of the people and groups I have identified and send a connection request. Nonetheless, the search also reveals groups and people that are privy to the information I need professionally, but I have no clue about them. This process is not complete before the connection or friend requests are accepted like on Facebook (Kester & Sloep, "Knowledge dating and knowledge sharing in ad-hoc transient communities," In Rob Koper (editor). Learning network services for professional development, 2009). However, some connections are more automatic such as the micro-blog twitter handle. Finally, having been connected, we enhance the relationship by raising issues of attention to both parties and necessitate sharing eventually promoting professional development. As mentioned above other uses of my PLN include locating resources for use in my work such as free software and websites and getting lesson ideas for planning for work from master professionals. Normally, free software and websites help in testing the workability of a system. Software cannot be preferable until it is tested before it is applied for long-term use (Rory, Bitter-Rijpkema, & Sloep, 2011). It is therefore, through a PLN that one can be able to get and share information on such subjects. This will generate information and ideas from experienced and acknowledgeable practical minds on the subject. Another way a PLN is useful to me is a threefold involving learning concerning a new technology and the way to integrate it within my work system, finding collaborate solutions as well as finding interesting connections to education news (Patnoudes, 2012). In essence, these aspects come with a calling that one should be updated not only with the prevailing situation but also get to move on without disturbance or any noticeable difference in terms of negative deviation from the norm (Jan, 2008). The procedure and process leading to this is similar to the one already outlined only that it is customized to serve particular purposes. It can be said that when you have a huge group of people that are combining large amounts of information as well as collectively recognizing the most helpful, valuable, or interesting portions, it just makes sense to valve into this collective knowledge. Generally, the pattern that helps me achieve my PLN comprises of the following web 2.0 instruments (Wagner, 2013). The first tool is the micro blogging category. Here, there are many educators from across the world who undertakes sharing resources and best practices in brief bursts. Examples in this category include Twitter and My guide to Twitter. The second and the most applicable category is the one involving social networking sites. Here one can keep up with individual, more social contacts such as family, friends and former partners or colleagues. Example in this category includes MySpace and Facebook. A professional profile category has also emerges as a place of finding other experts and professionals in one’s field. Examples include the most common corporate profile platform known LinkedIn (Patnoudes, 2012). On its part, the blog's category has become useful as great information sources such as classroom best practices and personal opinions, blogs are used in monitoring the heartbeat of new patterns and trends in educations as well the commenting forth and back results into great relationships and ideas. Examples in this category include WordPress and blogger among others. The final category considered in this discussion is the RSS Reader, whichmeans Real Simple Syndication is an instrument that permits one to keep up with a number of favorite blogs, entirely in one location. This includes the Netvibes, Page Flakes and Google reader (Patnoudes, 2012). Generally, it is on these platforms and others that PLNs are built and operated in the world today. Therefore, networking involves making connections contributions conversations and requests. References Adamic, L., & Adar, E. (2005). How to search a social network. Social Networks, 187-203. Jan, V. (2008). Let's connect: A practical guide for highly effective professional networking. New York: Morgan James. Kester, L., & Sloep, B. P. (2009). “Knowledge dating and knowledge sharing in ad-hoc transient communities," In Rob Koper (editor). learning network services for professional development. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Patnoudes, E. (2012). Why (And How) You Should Create A Personal Learning Network. Journal of education academics, 2-8. Rajagopal, K., Brinke, J. D., Bruggen, V. J., & Sloep, B. P. (2012). Understandeing personal leraning networks: Their Structiure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally usw them . First Monday, 1-4. Rory, L. L., Bitter-Rijpkema, M., & Sloep, B. P. (2011). What's in it for me? reccommendation of peers in networked inniovation. Journal of Universal Computer Science, 1.659-1.672. Wagner, M. (2013). Personal Learning Networks for Educators. Workshops, 12-15. Read More