Personal Learning Network (PLN)

So, my Personal Learning Network (PLN) is constantly being modified, added to, and adjusted to fit my needs as a future educator and current learner…well, really life-long learner is more accurate. For those of you who are unaware, a PLN is an acronym for Personal Learning Network. The acronym is moderately new; however, the idea is not. Teachers have always had learning networks—people we learn from and share with. We’re education and information junkies and we’re very social creatures. Put these together you have Personal Learning Networks!

Anyway, my PLN. For me, so far, my PLN provides access to information of interest to me as a pre-service teacher and future educator. I join the Nings they suggest (such as The Educators’ PLN), click on the links they recommend, read their blogs and wikis, checkout bookmarks suggested on Delicious, and I follow all of the above through the use of my RSS feed, Google Reader. I’ve recently added tools such as Google Docs, Slideshare.net, and Microsoft Photo Story to my repertoire.

Just last week, my experiences in relation to my PLN were particularly varied and rich. I collaborated on a group project with fellow peers using Google Docs, I created a slideshow on Slideshare.net to use in my field placement, I found some great ideas for my lesson plan by following bookmarks recommended on Delicious, AND I communicated with fellow educators through the use of Twitter on the pros and cons of PowerPoint presentations! Whew, talk about a busy week huh? Throughout all of these experiences, I sensed a feeling of camaraderie. How cool is that? Here we are, people separated by time and space and yet we are still able to make connections with individuals who share the same interests as we do. THAT is what I find so undeniably awesome about PLNs.

I believe that PLNs have unlimited potential. The amount of information, resources and technology available is rising exponentially and as educators we benefit from this, I think, more than anyone. Like I said above…my PLN allows me to make connections with fellow educators that I would not be able to make any other way.

BUT!

At least for me, I believe less is more. What I mean is, if I am keeping track of thousands of education resources to look through in Google Reader, do you think I’m really paying attention to any ONE in particular? That’s nearly impossible! I’ve realized this…I have to keep it short and sweet, just follow what I find necessary and if there is something in my RSS feed that I may not be paying as much attention to, I DELETE it!