My PLN

A PLN or Professional Learning Network is the group of people that you go to in order to further your knowledge in the areas that you need for a chosen profession. Most often when discussed within the parameters of technology it refers to your online colleges that you can communicate with either directly, i.e. commenting on their blogs, or indirectly, i.e. listening to their podcasts.

To be honest I haven't listen or paid to much attention beyond what has been required of me by this class. It isn't that what they are saying isn't interesting, it is quite the opposite, but for me personally I cannot keep my interest. The reason for this is that although I am getting more and more familiar with the language used by the education profession, this is my first class directly related to it. With more time, experience, and knowledge of the subject my interest in it increases because I have more to relate what I am hearing or reading to.

Having a strong PLN is incredibly important for numerous reasons. Teachers can sometimes feel alone in a classroom, often have to rely on their creativity to reach to their students, understand new technology, have new ideas but needs to flesh them out, and other problems they cannot find the answer to locally. For all of these issues there is an online community that not only can solve or assist them but is eager too. You can determine your own level of involvement with a PLN, and just as much as a PLN helps you, a you can help others within your PLN. I plan on being active in a PLN, regardless of whither or not I end up in the teaching profession.