Communication digitally is becoming faster, more convenient, and ever-changing from day to day. Anything that you want to know, you can find out about and research just as fast as it takes for you to type it in the search engine. This is the same concept when it comes to Personal Learning Networks. The rate that they are evolving is fascinating to me, as it helps us to become more connected when sharing, gathering feedback, and getting new fresh ideas to implement in our lives.
A PLN blog post called, "How Personal Learning Networks are Evolving," by Peps Mccrea, staffrm.io talks about how educators are using them to improve a number of things in their careers and gather support within the networks as well.
The first concept is that educators are sharing their ideas easier because they have shorter post, their thoughts or ideas are raw and authentic. I love the fact that in the posts they share, they appear natural and not always complete. They also talk about building upon ideas that may be shared and this is what networking is all about. No ideas is perfect but if we all have input and thoughts, this is the best way to improve it.
Challenging each other and their ideas is also another evolution of PLNs. Debate and challenge is so healthy to foster new and creative ways of thinking because it makes us think of things differently, even if we do not agree with the idea. The subject matter at hand needs to be assessed and not the author.
There is no end game to Personal Learning Networks and as they change, so do we. As a lifetime learner, I appreciate these concepts as we all need to continuously be challenged and evolve. Being an idol is never good for anyone and I truly believe that we need to take ourselves out of our comfort zone and be pushed intellectually.
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ReplyDeleteMichelle, great job with your blog page! I need to redo mine; it's so boring compared to everyone else's. I'm impressed with your point of view regarding technology evolving at a fast rate! I also agree that we should challenge each other's ideas, and healthy debate can foster a new way of thinking. Furthermore, I also agree that when we have a different point of view than others, we should be cognizant of how we respond to ensure we don't attack the author but focus on the subject matter. I truly enjoyed reading your blog and sharing your thoughts, Michelle. I look forward to our future blog posts.
ReplyDeleteI really liked this statement "There is no end game to Personal Learning Networks and as they change, so do we.". I think this is the pinnacle of what PLNs are all about. They are personal, and as we develop our skills and thoughts, our PLNs might change shape completely. For instance, I used to prefer to do everything in person. However, the fact is that not only does that cost more time, but most people function better with communication through phone calls, text, e-mails or zoom. My PLN today would look massively different from the one I would have developed twenty years ago. I look forward to your future posts.
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