Personal Learning Network - Part 1

Today will be my first posting in my blog in a while. I have a readings course at the University of Northern Iowa. For this course I had the opportunity to select a topic and find as much media on it as possible to learn more about it. Therefore, this posting and several other postings in this series will be related to the topic of Personal Learning Networks (PLN). The goal of my postings is to discuss PLN and its relation to the PK-12 environments.

The article I read for this posting is Grow Your Personal Learning Network by David Warlick.

Since this is my first posting about PLN it does not make much since to talk about it without first what a PLN is. Warlick (2009) says that PLN is not anything new. In fact the only thing that is new with it is the name that is coined to it. The key to it all is how can one use what is around them to help in the support their learning or knowledge. Originally, as Warlick states, “learning comes from, friends, families, colleagues, reference books, textbooks, television, radio, professional and personal periodicals, and many web-based applications like Twitter, Skype, and Second Life.” (Warlick, 2009, p.13). The reason as to why PLN stands out because no longer is the learner hindered in their learning because of the unavailability of resources, the resources are all around them.

Warlick also describes 3 types of PLN. (2009)
• Personally maintained synchronous connections
• Personally and socially maintained semisynchronous connections
• Dynamically maintained asynchronous connections

Personally maintained synchronous connections encompass the majority of the digital immigrant population (typically those born before 1980. They tend to use the PLN that they are comfortable using like colleagues and friends. Other uses of PLN for this type would incorporate technology including Skype and Second Life.

Personally and socially maintained semisynchronous connections begin to encompass digital native population. Learners in this type are those ones that can multitask while learning. Also includes the use of social networking sites, a viable opportunity to consult subject matter experts on questions that you may have. I see my professors doing this a lot of time using Twitter. If they have a question about something related to technology or education they have a group of friends that they direct their questions to.

Dynamically maintained asynchronous connections is a bit different from the first two discussed. Instead of being connected to people you are instead connected to sources. (Warlick, 2009) Warlick (2009) explained it best with the use of a RSS aggregator or social bookmarking websites. These allow you to subscribe to certain websites for information they you deem important or want to be updated on.

In the end of the article Warlick discusses the component that the PLN is centered around. The component is actually you, the learner. He refers to the fact that as the learner is using someone in their PLN someone is actually using you as well in their PLN.

My take is PLN is a vital term used in this dynamic world of learning, technology, and resources. Not only does it take in to account the world around your but your responsibility as a learner because someone probably references you in his or her PLN as well.

Warlick, D. (2009). Grow your personal learning network. Learning & Leading with Technology, 36(6), 12-17.