Professional Learning Networks, commonly referred to as PLN are such an exciting way for teachers to connect with other teachers from around the world and extend their own teaching pedagogies. PLN can take place through a number of forums including Facebook, Scoop It and Instagram but it is assured that the most active and beneficial PLN space is through Twitter. Engaging with PLN for only a short time through commenting and receiving comments on blog posts has already lit a wildfire of thoughts and ideas. It is crazy the help that people are willing to give by ensuring you are on the right track and giving some insight into new ideas and expanding on the ideas you have already put forward.
Professional Development is something that all teachers need to engage in to attempt to keep their teaching current and in trend. Professional Development (PD) days usually take place at a wider context four times a year, however, creating and engaging with a PLN is a way that teachers can engage with PD at any time with the touch of their phones. Due to ever growing technologies which means every changing teaching methods, teachers cannot only take but can give and share their own ideas and experiences. This is so valuable as it helps everyone in the education game. Since starting this unit, I have been calling up my sister who is a primary school teacher and letting her know all these wonderful new digital pedagogies I have been learning and experimenting with. I have got her brain strings started to think about how she can adapt some of these awesome tools within her own classroom. She also shares some of her own ideas and how she has implemented them with her students. Yesterday I started up a Twitter account and was taken back with just how much I found to be available and how willing teachers from around the world to share and provide guidance. For when I get stuck and feel as though my ideas are drying up I know where I can go for a boost as well as somewhere that I can go and share my own experiences good and bad, for now that is why I value PLN. As I keep exploring, learning and experimenting I cannot wait to connect to PLN on a deeper level, I guess my uniqueness to this whole aspect of learning would be bringing it back to my very original pedagogy, to foster a love of learning.
Professional Development is something that all teachers need to engage in to attempt to keep their teaching current and in trend. Professional Development (PD) days usually take place at a wider context four times a year, however, creating and engaging with a PLN is a way that teachers can engage with PD at any time with the touch of their phones. Due to ever growing technologies which means every changing teaching methods, teachers cannot only take but can give and share their own ideas and experiences. This is so valuable as it helps everyone in the education game. Since starting this unit, I have been calling up my sister who is a primary school teacher and letting her know all these wonderful new digital pedagogies I have been learning and experimenting with. I have got her brain strings started to think about how she can adapt some of these awesome tools within her own classroom. She also shares some of her own ideas and how she has implemented them with her students. Yesterday I started up a Twitter account and was taken back with just how much I found to be available and how willing teachers from around the world to share and provide guidance. For when I get stuck and feel as though my ideas are drying up I know where I can go for a boost as well as somewhere that I can go and share my own experiences good and bad, for now that is why I value PLN. As I keep exploring, learning and experimenting I cannot wait to connect to PLN on a deeper level, I guess my uniqueness to this whole aspect of learning would be bringing it back to my very original pedagogy, to foster a love of learning.
Comments
Post a Comment