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Professional Learning Networks (PLN) have significant value in building teacher knowledge and pedagogy however, this value is also translated into a student context. The four C’s of 21st-century learning - collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity - are fostered through students connectivity and networking.
Overall learning outcomes derive from the key considerations behind theory and rationales aligned with PLN - “learning happens in the dialogue, the conversation and the problm solving (or not solving)” (Morrison, 2012).
When problem-solving occurs collaboratively, those in the network need to use online tools to connect and engage in collaboration such as Skype, Zoom and Google suite apps (Morrison, 2012). Whether professionally as a teacher or a student in the classroom, these tools need to be introduced promptly to allow for practice and proficiency with them. As a teacher, supporting students ‘dialoguing’ is critical to collaboration whether this looks like facilitating groups discussions and prompting direction and encouragement before groups engage. In the 21st century, active citizenship involves a level of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) literacy that advances past standards of skill. From this, contemporary students need this ICT skill to face societal challenges now and in the future - instant connectivity to global PLN’s, allows our students to be prepared to solve these challenges (Chiruguru, 2020).
The principles of connectivism stated by Siemens and Downes (2005), outlines that ‘learning may reside in non-human appliance’ (i.e. digital technologies) and that ‘nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate continual learning’. From both a teacher and student perspective, the ability to identify connections between fields, ideas and concepts is a core skill that acknowledges learning and knowledge rests in diversity of others opinions and expertise (Siemens & Downes, 2005). In my professional experience, PLN have supported this interconnectedness by being able to build my Technological, Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (TPACK) as well as update my connections with my learning process.
Since the beginning of my tertiary study, I have engaged with LinkedIn as networking site among education links from my professional practice teachers, to CQUniversity alumni to past colleagues and mentors. The accessibility and ease of this app allows me to constantly update my publications from my learning such as my digital technology blogs and seek professional learning opportunities from my connected experts in the same field. I have carefully considered my presence on this app as a way to showcase my skills to potential employers, gain professional development opportunities, engage with colleagues successes and gain insight on educational advances including ICT uses. My profile is a highlight reel of my professional achievements and my philosophy as a preservice teacher and teacher aide. This in itself provides an unique link to multiple networks across English, Home Economics, CQUniversity, my school and surrounding community, Education Queensland and so much more.
Additionally, in my current role as a teacher aide in a digital school, it is crucial that I stay connected within my department to seek timely advice, resources, strategies or troubleshooting for myself or the students I work with. There are two ways I engage with this – Microsoft Teams and specific Facebook messenger group chats. Whilst these may seem simple, I have gained incredible professional insight, feedback and advice through these two apps.
In relation to my learning experience of online networking and support within EDSE12024, my online participation and contribution have allowed me to engage with the creative ideas of others across multiple platforms and access curated collections of content and resources in a secondary context. Firstly, the creation, connection and sharing of my blogging experience proved to be an effective way of linking with my peers in this unit. Personally, I had a student initiate a learning circle with me via email and together we established a Microsoft Teams chat with two other fellow Home Economic students. From here, the four of us provided timely feedback to each other's Blogger posts and in return received feedback, we discussed the unit tasks and assessment as a way of tracking each other's progress and gauging our learning throughout. We found this to be comforting and supportive, even when completely an independent task as we would often check in on each other's wellbeing voluntarily. The teams chat also provided a space to share links and troubleshoot any technical issues we had. Compared to a large scale learning community through Moodle, this small PLN supported my learning as it provided a learning checkpoint and guide through the first assessment task especially.
My learning process also involved embedding my professional network links into each of my blogs and sites. By doing so, I was able to establish a link between all of my accounts and collate these all as learning experiences in my LinkedIn for others to view and gain insight as I mentioned before.
The purpose of collaborative and networked learning is the same as it is for me, a teacher as it would be for my students and this is supported by Gates (2018) in saying...
“Collaborative learning has been shown to not only develop higher-level thinking skills in students but boost their confidence and self-esteem as well. Group projects can maximize the educational experience by demonstrating the material while improving social and interpersonal skills. Students learn how to work with various types of learners and develop their leadership skills.”
I especially recognised this as I engaged with commenting on my peer's curation insights on Scoop.it! I visited the distance wiki contacts in Moodle to connect with as many fellow students as I could, regardless of their teaching area. Ultimately, I aimed to interact and comment on a range of curations within my own teaching areas of Home Economics and English, as well as polar opposite teaching areas such as Maths to then apply their curations into my own context and other subject areas that were also practical classrooms such as Science and Industrial Technology. Upon responding to others, I considered whether the content or resource was already at the transformative end of the SAMR model or whether it could be modified and transformed to redefine a task.
English
English
English
English
Food Tech
Food Tech
Textile Tech
Textile Tech
Maths
Maths
Science
Science
My claims of professional practice, engagement and participation do not stand alone as they align with the graduate and proficient level of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST) – specifically Standards 6.2 and 7.4 as they state...
Standard 6.2 - Engage in Professional Learning and Improve Practice
> Understand the relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers.
> Participate in learning to update knowledge and practice, targeted to professional needs and school and/or system priorities.
Standard 7.4 - Engage with Professional Teaching Networks and Broader Communities
> Understand the role of external professionals and community representatives in broadening teachers’ professional knowledge and practice.
> Participate in professional and community networks and forums to broaden knowledge and improve practice.
(AITSL, 2017)
Through my demonstration of engagement in the course activities, I have presented a range of PLN’s from Microsoft Teams, to interactions through Blogger, email, Scoop.it! and the Moodle discussion boards as well as linking my professional sites for others to access. From this, I was able to explore and engage with relevant and appropriate sources of professional learning for teachers as well as participate in learning to update and build my own knowledge and practice, targeted to my professional needs as a preservice teacher and teacher aide aligned with my school’s priorities (AITSL, 2017).
Ultimately, my ability to identify my learning needs throughout this unit and in my professional role has allowed me to understand the role of external professionals and the community in developing my professional practice and knowledge as a teacher. Through my participation in professional and community networks and forums, I have demonstrated respect and professionalism in all interactions and show that I deeply value learning opportunities beyond the classroom to enrich and improve my professional practice as a student working towards a graduate and proficient teacher (AITSL, 2017).
References
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL) (2017). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/docs/default-source/national-policy-framework/australian-professional-standards-for-teachers.pdf
Chiruguru, S. (2020). The Essential Skills of 21st Century Classroom (4Cs). ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340066140_The_Essential_Skills_of_21st_Century_Classroom_4Cs
Gates, S. (2018). Benefits of Collaboration. National Education Association (NEA). https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/student-engagement/tools-tips/benefits-collaboration
Morrison, D. (2012). Online Groups – Collaborative or Cooperative? Wordpress: Online Learning Insights [blog]. https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2012/04/27/online-groups-cooperative-or-collaborative/
Siemens, G. & Downes, S. (2005). Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning. http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm
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