It seems that every class I take these days asks me to examine my Personal Learning Network (PLN) or Personal Learning Environment (PLE). Far from being annoying, this exercise gives me an opportunity to reflect on my own growth as leader of my own learning, and as a contributor to the larger educational community. Each time I review my PLN, I revisit the categories I group my learning experiences into, and think again about which need further growth and development.
One exciting thing I'm beginning to realize is how much overlap there is, particularly between my personal and professional connections and my online communities. Recently I've found that people I typically connect with in one particular setting are also involved in online communities that I am involved in. It wasn't until I went from being a lurker to a participant that I found out their involvement. Since these are people I like and respect, it makes it all the more fortuitous to connect with them in different communities and online spaces.
As I look at diagrams created by others, I realize that I separate my "real-world" personal and professional connections from my online personal and professional connections. I'm not sure why that's the case - it might be my age, and a holdover from seeing online as not quite the same. This might be something I revisit the next time I update my PLN diagram, as those lines are becoming increasingly blurred. For example, I realize that I don't quite know if my Boise State cohort falls under online networks or professional connections, a clear sign that the two categories should be merged! One classmate's diagram struck me because it categorized PLN connections by the way she interacts with them, either as a consumer, an occasional contributor, or a leader. While it's a very different schema for organizing, it might be a more relevant way to do things given the overlaps in my categories. It might also be a better way to gauge my growth and learning, as I become more of a contributor in more networks. Another option to ponder the next time I do an update!
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