How a PLN Empowered My Education Career

• Tweet
• Sharebar

• Tweet

For the past few months, I have experimented with the role of social media and the field of education.  I have long embraced the power of technology, knowing that it can interconnect anybody and everybody.  Social media technology transforms a very large world, into one that can feel much smaller and more collaborative.  In my social media pursuit, I established a Twitter account, setup a Facebook page, created a blog, and even created various YouTube videos.  Unfortunately, I never felt as though my efforts were being amplified and detected, by anybody.  But this all changed when I learned about Personal Learning Networks (PLN)!

I can openly, and honestly, admit that I have never felt this motivated, energized, and passionate about the field of education until jumping head-on into a PLN!

My initial exposure to PLNs were through the Connected Principals organization, which digitally connects principals and school administrators from around the world.  Connected Principals predominately communicates via Twitter, using the hastag #cpchat.  If you’re a blogger, you may be able to have your blog post featured on the main Connected Principals website as well.  The main website also allows for commenting and additional professional discourse on various topics.

I have also participated in an online education symposium for the very time.  Oh my goodness!  Why I hadn’t joined one prior to this, I will never understand.  Each year, Reform Symposium hosts a weekend-long digital conference of educators from across the world.  The topics are highly-relevant, passionate, engaging, and collaborative.  I missed the opening day’s presentations, but I have learned that they will all be available on their iTunes channel.  I strongly recommend you check out a few of their presentations and become a participant next year!

Between the blogging, Tweeting, video uploads, online Twitter chats, digital symposiums, Q&A forums, and old-fashioned email conversations…I have never felt so empowered as an educator.  For the first time ever, I feel as though I am “backed” by educators, equally-passionate as I, from around the world.  I don’t fear putting my name out there and contributing to the field, because of my interactions with others in my PLN.

Amazingly, the experience gained from collaborating and working with other educators in various PLNs across the world, has yielded additional confidence when working with educational leaders in my own district.  I used to feel relatively reserved, believing that I have not yet “earned the credentials” to engage in educational discourse with veteran administrators and/or “higher-ranking” administrators.  But now, because of my participation in various PLNs, I feel truly empowered.  Because other “veteran” and “higher-ranking” administrators across the world have collaborated WITH me, not AT me, I feel as though I do have contributions to our field.  After having my digital opinions and digital footprints reaffirmed, commented, retweeted, forwarded, linked etc. by school district superintendents, state department officials, federal bureaucrats, leading scholars and researchers, and parents…I have the confidence to work side-by-side those that I once shied-away from.

Some may find this newly-found confidence silly, since it derives from digital discourse.  But I challenge you to participate and experience a PLN for yourself and see how it helps you grow.  I’d love to hear your experiences…

Tags: #cpchat, Connected Principals, digital symposium, education collaboration, featured, online conference, PLN, professinal networking, professional learning networks, Reform Symposium, twitter

Category: Personal Learning Network