Welcome to our professional learning series on building a PLN.

This self-paced free course guides you step-by-step through the process of setting up your own PLN.

We have an optional PDF workbook that will help to keep you on track and focused as you work through the 7 steps of this course. Scroll down and click on the ‘download’ button under the document to save it to your computer.

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The aim of this first step is to:

  1. Unpack the definition of a PLN and “connected educator”
  2. Help you understand why educators create their own PLNs and how they use them

What Is A PLN?

Back in 1998 when the internet was in its infancy, Daniel R. Tobin wrote an article about the term “Personal Learning Network” which was abbreviated to PLN. This term was used to describe a network of people and resources that support ongoing learning.

Whether or not Tobin actually coined the term PLN is up for debate. As Clint Lalonde has pointed out, others, such as Dori Digenti, also wrote about the term in the late 90s.

Digeni said,

The PLN consists of relationships between individuals where the goal is enhancement of mutual learning. The currency of the PLN is learning in the form of feedback, insights, documentation, new contacts, or new business opportunities. It is based on reciprocity and a level of trust that each party is actively seeking value-added information for the other.

The term has evolved and is now sometimes referred to as a Professional Learning Network — taking into account that fact that most “connected educators” use their PLN for professional growth and interaction.

As Tom Whitby has pointed out, there can even be a hybrid of the personal or professional learning network — the Personalized Learning Network.

…the shift in nuance maintains that participants are both personal and professional learners. A PLN is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create with connected colleagues anywhere at any time. Participating educators, worldwide, make requests and share resources.

Are PLNs Exclusive To Education?

PLNs don’t just exist in the education world. They are important in all aspects of the business world, various vocations, and hobbies.

We contacted Daniel R. Tobin to ask him about how he came up with the term Personal Learning Network. We wanted to find out if he coined the term in relation to a particular industry or field.

Daniel told us,

It came from my own experience.

As I was thinking about how I had learned to do the various jobs I had over the course of my career, I realized that I had built an extensive network of people who had helped me learn. These included managers and colleagues and people I had met while doing research for my books, speaking at conferences, attending workshops, etc.

As I started writing about corporate training and development, I realized that what I had learned from my PLN was greater and more important than what I had learned from my formal education.

Interestingly, many teachers who are active online have remarked that they’ve learned a great deal more from their PLN than from any professional development session they’ve attended.

Are PLNs Something New?

All teachers know successful teaching and learning does not occur in a vacuum. Teachers have always relied on others for guidance, ideas, inspiration, support, and new perspectives. Naturally, some teachers are more active in their interactions than others.

Traditionally, all this interaction might take place in one school community. Teachers might have rarely connected with educators from other locations — apart from an occasional conference or professional development opportunity.

Technology changed all this.

Like in many other industries, educators now have access to people from all corners of the globe 24/7. This may largely be through social media but other platforms as well, such as blogs, online communities, and news sites.

So many barriers have been removed — geography, culture, language, timezones, travel, costs, logistics.

Embracing new networks and building a PLN doesn’t mean throwing out your old connections. Of course, it will always be valuable to talk to the teachers next door and down the hall. But imagine the possibilities of building on that network in diverse ways!

Video: What is A PLN?

Want to learn more about what is a PLN? This is Marc-André Lalande’s take on the matter in less than two minutes.

Being A Connected Educator

A connected educator is someone who collaborates online and uses a range of tools to build their own PLN.

Watch the following five minute video to learn more about being a connected educator. It shows interviews with educators who explain the importance of being “connected” in order to be effective teachers and leaders.

Why Create A PLN?

There are many reasons why all teachers should develop a PLN.

Here are eight benefits of having a PLN:

  1. You are in charge of your own professional development. PD is no longer something that you have to “sit and get”.
  2. You can explore your own interests, needs, and passions (or your students’). You might have a student who is struggling with reading, or you might have heard of makerspaces and decide you want to learn more about that, maybe you have a student who wants to research global warming, or perhaps you want to find a better system for running a sports day at your school. You can turn to your PLN for advice and support with all these sorts of things.
  3. 24/7 learning offers the flexibility to learn and connect at a time that suits you. You don’t have to wait for a PD or conference. And 24/7 learning certainly doesn’t mean you have to be constantly online either — you decide how much time you want to invest and when.
  4. You can learn and connect in a way that you enjoy. This might be via videos, podcasts, text, social media, Skype, blogging … the list goes on.
  5. There can be light and shade to your PLN. You can engage in a general chat about education (or anything) to debrief, laugh, or unwind. Or, you can engage in deep discussion, debate, and reflection that can really challenge and transform your thinking and teaching. The choice is yours and there will probably be a time and place for both.
  6. You can stay current on research and best practice, regardless of whether this information is being discussed in your own school, district (or even country!).
  7. A PLN allows for broad brainstorming or fine tuning. You might know very little about a certain topic and ask your PLN for any/all entry points into exploring the concept. At the other end of the spectrum, you may have already done a lot of work on a topic and use your PLN to fine tune your ideas and resources.
  8. Globally connected students need globally connected teachers. Having your own PLN is a key way to also help your students connect with others and start developing their own networks. We know this is important to enrich student learning and help students thrive in the changing labor market.

Feel free to use the following graphic on your blog or share it with your colleagues.

Why teachers should build a PLN Summary Edublogs Teacher Challenge

Four Big Ideas Around The Connected Educator

Silvia Tolisana (aka Langwitches) has written about four big ideas that surface when thinking about connected educators.

4 Big Ideas Around The Connected Educator - model, isolation, crowdsource, perspective

I think about the isolation of a teacher within their classroom walls and how connectedness to a global network of experts and peers could expose and add multiple perspectives to their world view and professional practice.

I am amazed every time by the transformative nature of teaching and learning, when harnessing the power of a network to crowdsource authentic data, resources, connections and collaborators.

Last, but not least, the idea of being able to model for our students what connected learning in an interconnected world means is a moral imperative for educators who are charged to prepare our kids for their future.

You can unpack these concepts further by reading Silvia’s post. 

Building Your Own PLN

The great thing about a PLN is that it’s personal!

You make all the choices:

  1. What tools you use!
  2. Who you connect with!
  3. How you want to learn!
  4. When you want to learn!

The idea of this series is to guide you through the process of building your own PLN and give you a taste of the opportunities that are out there.

Remember, we each have our own preference of what online tools work best for us.

Throughout the seven part series, we’ve included popular tools for building a PLN to help get you started.

7 Steps To Building A PLN | Edublogs Teacher Challenge

Conclusion

A PLN is a network of people and resources that support ongoing learning.

We believe all teachers could benefit from having a PLN.

You might be in a fantastic school but in some ways, schools can become echo chambers for the same beliefs and viewpoints. It can be easy to go with the status quo and fail to really question things or bring in new ideas. A simple conversation with someone from a very different community can be so eye opening.

One does not need to be connected to be a good educator, but if one is a good educator, being connected can make him, or her a better, and a more relevant educator. Tom Whitby

Your Task

PLNs are all about sharing, collaborating, and learning from each other. So here’s your chance to ask a question, comment, and get involved!

We’d like you to add your voice and ideas to our ongoing conversation about PLNs by undertaking one or more of these challenges:

  1. PLN Definition: Watch the video What Is A PLN? Leave a comment on this post to explain what a PLN means to you. You might like to share your thoughts on “lurking”. What are the pros and cons of this approach? Or, you might like to explain what you think PLN stands for — personal, professional, personalized … or something else?
  2. PLN Benefits: Choose one or more of the eight benefits of having a PLN that’s listed above to explore in a comment. Tell us why this is a benefit that resonates with you.
  3. Connected Educators: Watch the Connected Educators video. Leave a comment on this post to explain why it’s important to be a connected educator and how a PLN can help you. You might like to give an example of one person in the education community that you’d like to follow and learn from or with. This could be a thought leader, or just someone you find interesting.
  4. Go Deeper: Write a blog post to explain what you have learned about PLNs. Perhaps your post could be a way to educate or persuade others on the benefits of PLNs. Or you might like to summarize some of the information from this study on PLNs for teachers. Leave a comment with a link to the post so we can have a look at how you went.

Also feel free to leave a comment to ask any questions or share your tips.

How to leave a comment: Scroll down to find the comment box. Write your comment, then enter your name and email address (email addresses are not published). Enter the anti-spam word. Press submit and we will moderate your comment ASAP.


The following information on PLNs was adapted from an original Teacher Challenge post by Australian teacher, Michael Graffin. You can check out Michael’s original post — What The heck Is A PLN.

This resource was updated by Kathleen Morris in 2018. 

1,387 thoughts on “Step 1: What Is A PLN?

  1. personally I resonate with the benefit “You can explore your own interests, needs, and passions (or your students’)”. this resonated with me because I feel it is crucial to be adding in personal interests into the classroom to be able to make connections. I feel that making a learning network that involves ways to explore personal and student passions allows the students and teachers to be more connected to the content.

  2. A PLN is a group of people you connect with to learn from and engage with when you choose to. I think there’s a great benefit to lurking because you choose when and if you want to share. You can follow and gain information without feeling obligated to share.

  3. One of the benefits of a PLN that resonates with me is that you are in charge of your own professional development. It is hard to stay focused during a professional development session if the information does not relate to you or is not something you are interested in. However, I am much more focused if it is something that I want to learn more about. I like the idea of having this control. Being able to pick and choose the topics that can help me grow and learn as a teacher seems like a major benefit. This idea goes along with the second benefit on the list of being able to explore what you want to. I am a person that will diver deep into something if I am interested in it. I am also someone who likes to find solutions to problems in creative ways. PLN can allow you to do these things as a teacher.

  4. A PLN is a professional learning network that allows educators to be in the driver’s seat of their own learning. Whether you are “lurking” or contributing, the benefits of PLN’s are endless. The most impactful part in my opinion is the ability to choose when, what, and how you are learning. Teachers no longer have to wait for professional development days to share their ideas, their experiences, or ask questions. PLN’s are accessible and available any time of the day, with the click of a button. I am eager to begin creating my own!

  5. Two benefits resonate with me:

    1. You are in charge of your own professional development. PD is no longer something that you have to “sit and get”.
    2. You can explore your own interests, needs, and passions (or your students’). You might have a student who is struggling with reading, or you might have heard of makerspaces and decide you want to learn more about that, maybe you have a student who wants to research global warming, or perhaps you want to find a better system for running a sports day at your school. You can turn to your PLN for advice and support with all these sorts of things.

    Number one resonates with me, because if more educators (like myself) were in charge of their own professional development, getting to choose the topic they are passionate about learning more about, we would have much happier educators. So often we have to “sit and get” during almost an entire day of our time. I would love to be able to choose what I want to learn, and with like-minded people who are also passionate about that topic.

    Number two resonates with me because I believe this is the most important aspect of a PLN – being able to connect with others, especially in a time of need. I am always questioning myself when I am teaching, so I would love to be able to reach out to my PLN for answers.

  6. To me a PLN is a professional Learning Community like the video talked about. I like how you can use different platforms other than Twitter such as Youtube. I like how it is people from all walks of life and with different perspectives who come together to ask questions, reflect, and provide ideas and resources. That seems the most beneficial to me. The purpose is to share how and when a person wants to. Lurking is someone who sees the comments, but decides for themself to not engage in the comment and just read it. I benefit would be gaining perspective different from your own. A negative outcome could be not engaging with others does not help you learn new information. It perhaps does not help others if a person decides not to share their own knowledge and experiences.

  7. One benefit of PLNs that resonates with me is the ability to “explore your own interests, needs, and passions”. Although my school has exceptional leadership, teacher coaching, and coworkers that I trust, I find it isolating to be the only full-time math teacher. I am always looking for ways to keep my classroom engaging as I aim to reach my goal of making math approachable for all students. A personalized learning network can help me reach out to other math teachers to learn about methods and instructional strategies used in other math classrooms. After crafting a network of other connected educators, I’d love to ask specific questions regarding issues I am facing to receive math-specific suggestions that others have had success with. I’d also like to connect with math educators in my own state to have conversations with people who are familiar with my state’s math standards. I’d love to compare how other schools measure and communicate math growth with my own current practices.

  8. One of the aspects about PLNs that I found most exciting is being able to stay current on tools and resources in the field. This is not something I would have initially considered or would have been concerned about. Being a newer teacher, I had not considered that eventually, my skillset and tools could become outdated and not as efficient as it could be. However, having that PLN would help me to stay up-to-date.

    1. Maddie I totally agree with your post. PLNs was not something i even knew about. I look forward to using it!
      -Katinah

  9. Before any consideration, I think the PLN is a response tool to the need to connect with others. And, as a tool to respond to the need for connection, it solves the problem of isolation by creating opportunities for learning, sharing, and unlimited collaboration.
    As a learning opportunity factor, the PLN allows the teacher to continue learning at their own pace, according to their interests and specific needs. To this end, to parody (Daniel Tobin. 2017), learning doesn’t take place just in training programs but should be part of every employee’s everyday activities. You learn every time you read a book or article, every time you observe how someone else is doing work similar to your own, and every time you ask a question. An important part of learning is to build your own personal learning network.
    Moreover, not only does his Learning take place through the unlimited resources to which he has access, but he also has the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others, which are shared in specific and general cases.
    In addition to its learning opportunity, the PLN allows the sharing of experiences and critical reflection on various subjects. Indeed, in this opportunity to share the teacher can exchange on subjects that concern him and his students; also, he can react to ongoing discussions on online platforms by asserting his personal point of view while basing himself on his experiences and skills.
    Regarding the opportunity for collaboration, the PLN, in my opinion, makes it possible to undertake initiatives aimed at collaborating with actors from all sides on the development of joint projects in the short and medium term.
    Referring to the above-mentioned eight benefits of using PLN, I would say that they are all important on different levels. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the fact of being able to explore your own interests, needs, and passions (or your students’) seems very interesting to me since it facilitates the differentiation and personalization of the knowledge acquisition process through the PLN.
    In addition to all this, we can also consider access, availability of information, and collaboration as major elements that are essentially beneficial for a connected educator.
    In terms of access, the connected educator can access all the human and material resources using the PLN to be able to meet his teaching and learning needs in real-time. In terms of collaboration, the teacher is no longer isolated in a small world believing he can act alone or being blocked in his reflection on a given subject, since he now has the possibility of developing useful collaborative relationships. In other words: ”you are not alone, no more.” The other interesting element is the availability of information in real-time.

    About being a connected educator and his importance, for (Kate Jones, 2017) a connected educator is someone who is passionate about education and learning from others. Due to the global nature that comes with being a connected educator, essentially all connected educators are international because their networks transcend geographical boundaries (although time zones can be a pain sometimes!). Connected educators are able to keep up to date with educational issues and debates, beyond the walls of their staffroom and the whole school. Connected educators are dedicated to their own professional development and recognize that as well as learning and gaining so much from others they can also share, collaborate and inspire other educators in some shape or form.
    Having said that, being simply connected is not the most important, the question is how being a connected educator can impact your school, your environment, and your world. How it can contribute to increasing collaboration online and uses a range of tools to enhance the teaching and learning process and the performance of yourself and the students.

  10. The idea of a PLN is awesome for its customized learning aspects. We are not cookie cutter teachers even in the same fields, we all have our strengths and weaknesses, and that’s where a PLN and differing perspectives comes in. Added to that we are life long learners and a PLN helps with continuous learning. The networking a PLN in our building, state, country and worldwide is invaluable. We often feel like we are isolated, but being able to bounce idea off others, or get support and ideas in a welcome tool. Along with that idea being able to give snd receive inspiration and motivation is what will help keep teachers in the classrooms and not quit the field of education.

  11. The benefit if PLNs that really resonated with me is “You are in charge of your own professional development.” I currently teach at a small private school with very little resources in regard to professional development. We have a few a year but there is no selection in what professional development we receive. That is what makes building my own professional learning network appealing to me. I can increase the skills and learn the information that I want. I can also learn it on my own time, not when someone else decides that professional development will be taking place. That flexibility is attractive to me.

  12. I enjoyed watching the video about PLN’s. I must admit I am a big fan of “lurking”. It is how I already use most of my social media, I like to see what people are doing or saying but do not really like to share what is going on with me. I tend to think that I have a high bar for what I deem worthy of sharing. I approach PLN’s with the same mindset. I plan to follow and connect with high level people and to learn lots from them, but I have a hard time thinking that I will be doing much posting or sharing. But time will tell.

  13. A PLN is a way for me to learn from others and share my knowledge and insights with others. Ideas, questions, reflections, and references can all be the basis for meaningful interactions that can make all of us better at our craft. P stands for personal, but it also means professional (good teachers are responsible for their own continuing education). L stands for learning, and in my case stands for my commitment to go past lurking and delve into letting others know about the tips and tricks I have picked up along the way N stands for network; I would also add N stands for Nest – a place of safety where I can grow and be Nurtured by mentors. Networks are Nice as they compound the resources available with collaboration tools and an ever expanding web of knowledge and expertise.

  14. A PLN is a way to connect with like-minded professional educators locally, nationwide, and globally to interact and share thoughts, feelings, ideas, and best practices. It expands our learning beyond our classrooms and school buildings into a collaborative space where we can grow as educators. After stepping away from education for 25 years and just returning last year, I have found that “lurking” has been most comfortable and helpful up to this point. It’s allowed me to watch and learn from those who have been in the trenches and given me invaluable tools to build my new classroom and create a positive learning environment for my students. I value the opportunity to be able to sit back in a PLN and soak in new information and outstanding teaching practices, with the hopes that I will soon feel comfortable making my own contributions.

  15. One of the benefits of PLNs that stands out to me is being able to look into your own interests. I feel like some of the things I want to learn more about my first year of teaching are going to be different from the things that I want to learn 5 years from now. A PLN also gives me the opportunity to connect with other young teachers, since most of the teachers in my building are quite a bit older than me. Being able to connect with other young teachers who make mistakes and find ways to become better teachers will help me feel less alone in going through my first year of teaching. A PLN will provide me with those opportunities.

  16. I recently left a school where I felt isolated and when I interviewed the principal asked me what I wanted to teacher. I told her the content didn’t matter but that I work with good people that are willing to work as a team. If I had a PLN, where I could “brainstorm or fine tune my ideas” and “learn and connect in a way you enjoy, ” I might not have felt to burnt out or isolated. I felt like I just wanted someone to help me with my lesson plans and build better ideas, but no one was available at my campus or rather did not want to be available.

  17. To me, a PLN is all the “p’s”. It is personal because it is specifically for me and my interests. It is professional because I am collaborating with professionals in education. It is personalized because I can make it for my classroom needs and content area.

    I am a very big lurker when it comes to being online. I am not one to comment or participate in online discussions, but I enjoy sitting back and reading through what other people say. I’m sure if I did comment on more blog posts and partake in more discussions I might get “more” out of the blog.

  18. A PLN is a way for me to communicate, collaborate and learn about topics that I am interested in with people around the globe. It can help me find materials and tools that will help me in my classroom from educators near and far. I like that it essentially enables me to make my own PD on what I find to be valuable. I also like that I can actively participate or lurk.

  19. The benefit that stood out to me the most was the ability to hone into your own interests. I have been what some would call a “lone wolf” throughout much of my career. At the schools I have taught at (focus programs) I have been the only or one of the only teachers in my endorsement that is in the building. It would be great to have some sort of network outside of my building to be able to give me recommendations or resources to find new ideas. I am constantly changing the way I do things in my classroom, often times week to week. Having a PLN would really help me do this.

  20. A PLN is a learning network that you choose to be a part of. It is a way to connect like-minded educators where the goal is to enhance mutual learning. The teacher is becoming a student by learning and collaborating with other professionals. The PLN allows you to choose who you learn with, when you learn, and how you learn. PLNs are always on but you don’t always have to be on it. PLN is both personal and professional. It is personal because you are the one participating and choosing how to participate. It is professional as the purpose is to seek to learn and collaborate with other educators through insight and feedback.

  21. The benefit on PLN that stood out to me was being able to explore my interests. I really liked the example of having a student who is struggling with reading. I am a special education teacher and have many students who have reading goals. I like how you can turn to your PLN for advice and support with all these sorts of things. Not only can I explore students who have academic goals, but I can even reach out to learn more about the environment of my classroom and resources that I can use. It is nice that I can be in charge of my professional development and it can stay current. Excited to learn more about PLN!

  22. A Personal Learning Network is the group of people or organizations you use to learn from in order to grow your knowledge in your field. This system using other people’s experiences, questions, and knowledge in order for you to grow your own understanding of your field, and it is a place where you can also share your experiences and knowledge in order to help others in the same situation. A PLN helps a person to have more resources and support in order to be the best educator, in this instance, that they can be.

  23. A PLN, to me, is the way in which you connect with others to grow your understanding of certain topics related to your profession or interests. You use technology or other platforms to expand your network of access to information and connections. You can lurk on people’s pages and review others’ opinions and information or you can choose to share your own thoughts. While lurking is useful for gaining access to information you may otherwise not have had, sharing is how you form and build on the connections you make using a PLN. I think the “P” in PLN can stand for a number of things, but I identify most with the “personalized” option because that inferences you choosing how you want to use the PLN.

  24. A Personal Learning Network is a web of persons and resources collectively available to an individual that are used to support and enhance learning in real time. This system is built on interaction and active participation of it’s users and uses feedback, insights, documentation, contacts, and reciprocity to pin point and produce novel uses of information to hone developmental strategies aimed at enriching learning. The acronym PLN can be interpreted differently by diverse demographics and for distinctive uses, including ‘Professional, ‘Personal’, etc. It seems as though the ‘P’ is an afterthought, that is, the networks, the webs and matrices of resources that are available, are the meat of system. Having the opportunity to pull from not only different sources of information but also to interact in real time with peers is an effective way to implement and critique new strategies. It would follow that simply ‘lurking’ on these platforms can improve your educational and pedagogical goals but is not necessarily the most effective course of action to take. Frequent and regular interaction with the like-minded community of professionals and peers can do more for one’s own personal development of efficacious systems than simply occupying a seat as a spectator. The best way to get something done is to dig in and get your hands dirty, and this requires active participation.

  25. A PLN is a customizable network resource where people can connect with others with like goals and objectives to share resources and ideas. A PLN is a focused pathways to social discoveries under a professional banner. It allows educators to learn and stay current with recent developments in education. It is a resource that you can use as much or little as you need and interact with as much as you want.

  26. When it comes to the benefits that one could experience by developing their PLN, I deeply appreciate the fact that globally connected students need globally connected teachers. I understand that this was written in direct association with networking as a consistent skill, I think that this is absolutely applicable to teachers’ varying practices. Teachers all over the globe are educating students in different spaces that include a multitude of cultural, social, political, economic (etc.) contexts. In short, I believe teachers deserve to have opportunities to expand the limits of their perspectives; this is not only valuable to teachers, but to their students as well.

  27. A PLN stands for Personal Learning Network, which is a concept where educators connect with individuals who share an interest in education. Through PLN’s, educators are able to find inspiration, exchange ideas, share resources, and collaborate with each other. Overall, PLN’s are a great resource for educators to grow and develop new teaching practices.

  28. The aspect of the PLN that resonates most with me is the opportunity to engage in “both the light and the shade” because I already currently do this. I intentionally engage with professional development opportunities as often as possible. While there are times when I am interested to dive deep into an academic discussion or study, there are other times when I enjoy listening to the “Teachers Off Duty” podcast or having a one on one conversation with a teacher friend to debrief about the week. There is certainly a time and a place for both.

  29. One of the benefits that resonates with me is #4 “You can learn and connect in a way that you enjoy.” I have always loved to do some of my own research or just read articles or watch videos that interest me. It would be cool to have a PLN and be able to learn and gain information from others on things I am interested in so that I can further my education/knowledge.

  30. A PLN is a great resource for educators looking to expand their network of like-minded individuals. If you’re looking for someone with specific content knowledge, access to certain programs (like if you wanted to compare different reading programs, for example), or different approaches to subject matter, having a solid PLN will enable you to reach out to those individuals without having to first establish contact, since they’ll already be aware of you and vice-versa.

  31. One benefit that resonated with me is the ability to stay current on research and best practices. As an educator, I believe it is important to constantly reflect on your own teaching practices and think about what you can do to improve in the future. I am constantly trying to add new tips and tricks to my teaching repertoire to become the most effective educator possible. Therefore, being able to stay current with the latest research will enable me to continue to develop my teaching abilities. Additionally, my district does not always have the most engaging, dynamic professional learning developments on current practices. I usually garner more from research shared on social media. Therefore, being able to interact with current research and best practices through having a PLN will surely be beneficial.

  32. In my opinion, a PLN is an online platform that allows for knowledge to be gained by sharing in a collective experience. I believe that lurking is generally a net good. Lurking allows for educators to access information without being constrained by the time constraints of formulating a response to a discussion. In this way, lurking is a form of finding resources in the same way that a scholar might use a library. A potential con of this approach, however, is that it does not allow for expansion on certain topics. This would mean that learning is static, especially if it is not openly challenged. I think PLN is probably more personalized than it is anything else. PLNs allow an individual complete control on their expansion of knowledge.

  33. PLN Benefits: Choose one or more of the eight benefits of having a PLN that’s.listed above to explore in a comment. Tell us why this is a benefit that resonates with you.
    A benefit that resonates with me is “24/7 learning offers the flexibility to learn and connect at a time that suits you. You don’t have to wait for a PD or conference. And 24/7 learning certainly doesn’t mean you have to be constantly online either — you decide how much time you want to invest and when.” I like having a flexible schedule for work-related things; it makes it easier to organize my time with my family. There are times when I simply need a break from screens, and being able to choose the times when I engage with professional development makes that easier

  34. PLN stands for personal learning network. It’s a network created by the educator to help find resources and media to contribute to the classroom. This can provide media or content that we can poach for our own lesson plan. But it can also provide a space where we can reach out to peers who understand the common struggles and provide advice.

  35. PLN stands for Personal Learning Network. PLN is a group of people or organizations that share ideas and relate their points of view to make questions, reflections, and references out of ideas. My thoughts on the term “lurking” are that when someone wants to get information about something, they know that it’s not necessary to engage with people online to get the information they need. I’d say the pros are having to figure things out on your own without any outside opinions and using online sources to try to get some information that might be useful for them. As for cons, if a person would want to receive information about something they want to know, they wouldn’t listen to people’s thoughts about what they know or that information need to have. Online people can have suggestions or may know so they can help the person get the information they need.

  36. A PLN’ is a community and tool that educators use to connect with other professionals in order to access resources and create support systems. PLN’s can be useful in order to advance a teachers competency and efficiency as they connect, learn, and grow with other educators. Additionally, PLN’s have expanded and advanced alongside technology so educators, more now than ever, have the ability to connect with other professionals to continue and advance professional development.

  37. The second benefit listed says “you can explore your own interests, needs, and passions (or your students’).” This benefit is something that really interests me for many reasons. First, this gives me the opportunity to learn things outside of my current field of knowledge. Second, if there’s something I’m having trouble teaching or my students are having trouble grasping, a PLN gives me the opportunity to reach out and learn more about that from others. A PLN offers so many things, even outside of education, and is definitely something worth looking into!

  38. Personal Learning Network (PLN) refers to the network of individuals, resources, and communities that a person uses to support their learning and professional development. It is a personalized network that is created by an individual, based on their specific needs, interests, and goals.
    A PLN can include a variety of resources and people, such as online communities, social media platforms, professional associations, conferences, mentors, colleagues, and friends. The purpose of a PLN is to provide access to a diverse range of perspectives, expertise, and knowledge, which can help an individual to expand their understanding and skills in a particular area. In addition, PLNs can be especially useful for people in fields that are constantly evolving, such as technology or education. By staying connected with others in their field, and by accessing a wide range of resources, individuals can stay up-to-date with new developments and best practices, and continually improve their knowledge and skills.

  39. A PLN is a personal learning network that is used to describe a network of people and resources that support ongoing learning. The goal is enhancement of mutual learning. A PLN also uses social media and technology to connect, communicate and collaborate with anyone, anywhere in the world, at any time.

  40. “There can be light and shade,” is the benefit of a PLN that resonated with me the most. As exciting as it is to learn from colleagues, I also find the opportunity to engage in deep discussions incredibly valuable and rewarding. It is important that we not only stay current on the research and trends, but that we also continue to evolve in our teaching right along with the continual transformation in education.

  41. PLN is a network of teachers and educators who share ideas, things they have used in the past, and new content they have learned. It is like a virtual staff lounge.

  42. PLN was a new term for me. After some reading, to me it means a collaboration between a group of people who want to share and expand their learning in an informal setting. You get to share ideas, learn new ways of doing things, and so much more!

    1. Hi Amber, reading this post refreshed my definition of what PLN is all about. PLN provides people from all walks of life, backgrounds join a network of common interest and share ideas. Most important it’s a platform to stay connected with what’s happening and apply it to our daily practices if we find it fit. As an educator, this is essential to build connections and network for the well being and interest of our students. Finding new and innovative ways in making learning fun and interactive.

  43. A PLN is essentially just a means of educators sharing ideas, resources, and information relevant to their profession. With new technology advances, PLN’s have evolved to become more modern, in the sense that PLN’s can connect educators from around the world anytime and anywhere. Social media is one of the most valuable tools to building these networks, but resources like friends, family, and other connections can be equally important to a teacher’s PLN.

  44. A PLN looks like a great way to learn new ideas from other educators teaching the same content that I teach. I am so happy to be able to share my thoughts and ideas with other educators, as well as hear success stories from other classrooms.

  45. PLN is a support network for teachers to gain new ideas and share yours so that we can grow as educators. It is always available for use, and teachers can log on when is convienient for them.

  46. PLN is a wonderful way to interact more with teachers in the community and receive feedback and great opportunities in education. It provides more support for teachers to put themselves out there as well as meet many teachers from the same perspective as you. It is a growing and accepting community with lots of resources and modes of instruction to use in the classrooms.

  47. PLN is a tool to help educators continue to learn and grow. One of the most notable differences about PLN is that is based on community feedback and responses. This allows for people to grow from different perspectives. It allows an environment where the teachers can be students and can work off of one another.

  48. PLN sounds like a great concept for educators to stay up to date with research as well as stay in touch with others in their profession. Networking is huge in any field and a PLN will help you engage with those online that you likely would have never met in person.

  49. PLN is a great way to connect with everyone around you. It is a tool that gives some sort of feedback, insights, documentation, new contacts, or new business opportunities.  You can learn from other educators and use the information in your future classrooms. 

  50. PLN is a network geared toward teachers and the continuation and advancement of learning. What is different with PLN is that the forum is based on community feedback and participation meaning people help each other and give their own perspective for different modes of education. It is a place educators can go to be supported and grow with other like minded individuals.

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