Professional Learning Networks
Professional Learning Networks
image source: depositphotos.com
After watching Dr. Trust's videos about professional learning networks, I discovered that the cognitive benefits of PLNs are most relevant to me. What is most important in my collaboration with other professionals is sharing and learning new teaching strategies, tools, and resources. I work in a school with only four teachers, none of which have students in the same grade level. As many teachers report, this can be isolating and can hinder the development of new and creative ideas for classroom activities and practices. Therefore, it is helpful for me to connect with other middle school teachers to get ideas and tools for the concepts my students are learning.
The activity I participated in this week was creating an infographic using Canva on why educators should join a professional learning network. The infographic includes the definition of a PLN, the benefits, and some resources for starting a PLN. I also included QR codes that link to videos about PLNs and a list of ed chats and the times, dates, and hashtags educators need to know to participate. I wanted to create an infographic that was engaging, simple, and informative. I am considering distributing this to the teachers in my building to encourage them to participate in and build professional learning networks. To me, a PLN makes me feel less alone. Aside from a weekly teacher meeting, which usually has a completely full agenda, I rarely talk to the other teachers at my school. The day is always so busy and we often don't get a chance to share strategies or even positives from the week. In my infographic, I purposefully included that educators can not only connect with outside professionals, but their own coworkers. Although there may not be time in the day to chat with colleagues, educators can connect on off-time through posts or chats.
Some of the resources I found for building a PLN are Twitter/X, Instagram, and ISTE.org. My goal this year is to attend an ISTE conference, either virtually or in person, and participate in more ed chats in the meantime.
image source: personal Canva project
After creating the infographic, I decided to share the link on my own professional network on Twitter/X. I haven't logged in or posted in a while, but completing this assignment has encouraged me to participate in some new ed chats. I have participated in some ed chats in the past and had a very positive experience. I am interested in engaging in more chats on technology in the classroom or pertaining to therapeutic schools in particular. There are so many kinds of ed chats available and the topics are very specific.
image source: personal Twitter
Overall, I feel that this project awakened my need to connect and collaborate with others. Before teaching at my current school, I was used to having teams of teachers that taught the same subject. We were able to sit down and plan together, share ideas, and evaluate the effectiveness of lessons and projects. Unfortunately, in the environment in which I teach now, that is no longer a possibility. Even so, I am reminded that these networks are out there for me to both contribute to and learn from.
Resources
Best professional development websites and PLNS for teachers. Common Sense Education. (n.d.). https://www.commonsense.org/education/lists/best-professional-development-websites-and-plns-for-teachers
Poth, R. D. (2023, July 28). Building your professional learning network. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/professional-learning-networks-teachers/#:~:text=A%20PLN%20is%20a%20network,practices%20and%20trends%20in%20education.
Serviss, J. (2022, May 13). 4 benefits of an active professional learning community. ISTE. https://iste.org/blog/4-benefits-of-an-active-professional-learning-community
Your infographic is fantastic, Kate. I retweeted it! PLNs can "make or break" an educator. We get so intertwined in our daily routines that connections to others outside of our context are crucial for growth.
ReplyDeleteThanks for retweeting!
DeleteHello: I too loved your infographic. I had been wondering about the difference between and infographic and a regular flyer. Your post made that clear. I could not agree more that it is the isolation in addition to the busy activities of day that makes life diffucult for teachers. Your infographic is a quick, concises and simple way to give someone a quick tour on how to join and take advantage of professional learning network. Thank you. Karen
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it came across as concise! I feel that if teachers were already on the fence about joining, they wouldn't want to read something that was lengthy and confusing.
DeleteHello, Kate! I can definitely see the potential for cognitive growth within PLNs, particularly when you work at a school with only 4 other teachers. I'm privileged in my current position to work in a big department in a big library, meaning I can gather a lot of ideas within my library's own PLN. I can imagine that a PLN would be uniquely beneficial if your few colleagues work with different grade levels. I like the idea of colleagues connecting with each other through social media. I'd be curious to learn if your coworkers end up participating in these opportunities. I'd imagine that some coworkers may have boundaries around engaging with work topics outside of work, while others may be interested in exploring these topics in a way that lends itself to creativity, discussion, and dare I say, fun (i.e. social media).
ReplyDeleteYour infographic is also quite creative and fun. I appreciate how you advocate for the why of PLNs (the benefits) and the how of PLNs (how to join an ed chat and how to start a PLN). I enjoyed that you included QR codes for resources, making the infographic extra interactive. Do you have any favorite ed chats? Aside from ed chats, I am curious, which PLN platforms or groups have you discovered best meet your need for cognitive growth? Are there new PLNs that you're interested in trying out?
Best of luck with your future ed chats and PLN journey! I appreciate that you're looking to learn from PLNs and contribute your own insights. I am confident that you have plenty of fantastic insights to contribute!
Hi Aron,
DeleteI've done several ed chats on Twitter/X. I feel those are the most engaging for me. I also like following IG accounts, specifically if they post lesson or activity ideas. I usually participate in ed chats that are about special education or technology education.
Hi Kate,
ReplyDeleteYour discussion of working in a small school with limited opportunities for collaboration really intrigued me. It can indeed be isolating when you're the only teacher in your grade level. However, it's great to see that you are seeking out connections with other middle school educators. Sharing and learning new teaching strategies, tools, and resources highlights the good use of PLNs. Thank you for creating the infographic, you made it a whole lot easier to understand PLNs. Definitely adding QR codes linking to videos about PLNs and a list of educational chats was a smart idea as it makes it easier for users to access.I can definitely see this infographic being used in professional settings. Like you state, it’s important to connect not only with outside professionals but also with colleagues within your own school. We all may be busy, but it’s worth finding ways to share ideas and collaborate to help build a sense of community and support among educators. Besides the difficulty of finding time, have you encountered any other challenges or obstacles in your PLN journey, and if so, how have you overcome them? It’s also great to hear that you plan on attending an ISTE conference and participating in more ed chats. That is definitely a great way to grow your network. In the meantime, is there anything local that you can attend? I know you talked about collaborating with others. Maybe you can collaborate with people that are not teachers such as librarians, daycare workers, child therapists etc. Thank you for sharing!
Hello Kate,
ReplyDeleteI am a teacher too, and I agree with your statement that teaching can sometimes feel isolating and it can definitely hinder the development of new and creative ideas for classroom activities. For this very reason, I like to connect with my online PLN. I love to learn about new ideas and see what other teachers are creating through different online platforms. Your infographic looks amazing. It is very informative and engaging. I like that you included QR codes, websites, and apps. After reading through your blog, I have been influenced to participate in ed chats to expand my PLN, something I’ve never done before. Thank you for sharing.
Daniela