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Professional Learning Networks
Professional Learning Networks
From my experience, networking in general has been a challenge. Although I am vocal and able to communicate effectively in professional settings, I am generally a quiet personality type. Online communication and the exchange of ideas on a technology platform has been slightly beneficial based on my past experiences. I also believe, however, that what you get from these platforms is based on what you put in.
Previously, I have joined PLNs with intentions of gaining something from them, however, I became inactive and shared very little. In the end, the advantages from such communities have been low. This is due to personal matters and my lack of involvement on a consistent basis. With an opened mind, I joined three professional learning networks that I believed I could learn from. This time, I hope to contribute with my outlook and perspectives, while gaining information that may help maximize my the management of my day to day responsibilities.
Additionally, I am interested in expanding my opportunities in the future in order to utilize my talents outside the classroom. I think it would be useful to join a community that can educate me on the skills and information I may need to pursue a career beyond that of a classroom teacher. PLNs appear to be useful tools to share experiences in order to help others, while gaining knowledge (both opinionated and research based) I could both try and implement at current and future organizations. Although I do believe I can be effective in the classroom with what I am learning from Lamar University's DLL Program and the PLNs I joined, I will continue propelling my years in education with growth and the possibility to see what the future has in store for me.
I have joined the following Professional Learning Networks. Each one has something unique and useful in my field of education and beyond.
Edweb is an online community for educators. It prides itself in helping teachers by enhancing skills and sharing resources teachers need to better help their students. This online community gives teachers access to free webinars and the ability to gain continued education certificates and professional development. The access to all of the online resources is a great feature of this PLN. The resources stem from math and literacy to assessment and classroom management. I plan to use some of these resources and hope to collaborate with their expansive community of teachers. Hopefully I can learn ways to enhance my teacher toolbelt and possibly share some of the tricks that I have used to be a successful educator this far.
As a current math teacher, there is no question in my interest in this online platform. Although I am not a math coach, the resources and tools shared in this community are amazing for anyone involved in the learning process. As a parent helping my child learn and learn how to learn, it is significant that these skills can be transferred away from the classroom in order to enhance the significance of what is being learned. Some of the resources on Math Coach’s Corner are practical while others are more preference based. As a math teacher, pushing critical thinking and the ability to analyze through problem solving and steady effort is essential to the growth of a math student. In my opinion, there are never enough ways to look for a solution to a problem, and this site gives a plethora of resources and shared discussions on how to tackle some of the challenges in math curriculum and instruction.
As stated earlier, I am interested in leading outside of the classroom. One area of interest I have is the field of instructional design. EDUCAUSE is an IT community that shares and finds solutions to technology issues in higher education. Membership for the general EDUCAUSE association must be through an organization, however, I decided to join a section of the organization that focuses solely on instructional design. This online group is rooted primarily from forums and discussions. Once joined the discussions are shared mainly through emails and may not be shared outside the membership. This PLN discusses and shares matters of concern in instructional design such as analytics for course design and learning and data collection, analysis and application for student and adult learning from a higher education perspective. The group is involved with the annual EDUCAUSE conference and uses the online platform to discuss and share information on technical issues throughout the year. This is a bit outside my comfort zone as I am still learning about the field of instructional design and have no experience in higher education. I plan to use these shared discussions to learn more about this field and how I may be able to position myself in order to be part of this professional community and work setting. Understanding some of the issues, challenges and even insight on their processes will help me become more knowledgeable about some obstacles that may occur and how they can be troubleshooted before I enter the field.
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