Explore the video provided and reflect on the themes of a PLN in a professional capacity

Brad Baker brought to light many ways in which a PLN can be used appropriately and effectively in a professional capacity. He mentioned how a PLN is a support system for yourself to further your own well-being as well as establish a healthy community. He explains how PLN is a place where many stories from many perspectives can be brought together. He adds on to this, by saying that PLN allows stories to be told directly from the source, as stories can lose their importance if they come from second and third sources. Another important theme he brought up was that a PLN doesn’t have to be a place where people must agree on every matter discussed. It should be a place where people can support and challenge each other, whilst still fostering healthy and respectful dialogue. This is an important aspect of a PLN, as people are not necessarily going to agree on every topic introduced, especially when PLN creates an environment which brings together people from different backgrounds and unique experiences.

What social media platforms are beneficial in education?

As stated by Alec Couros in the book Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, blogging, video and photo sharing, social bookmarking, and microblogging are some of the most important social media tools in education (Couros, p. 125). Video sharing is an important platform to utilize for education purposes, as many people are visual learners and videos provide an effective way to convey information that may be difficult to teach remotely. Here, you can access online lectures, relevant interviews, and quiz and homework solutions that will certainly create a better understanding of the topic of interest. In addition, blogging is an effective platform for creating a safe and interactive learning environment, as you can post individual perspectives on topics as well as interact with other people’s posts and opinions. This promotes a more connected educational community, which has unfortunately been largely absent in many educational environments since the onset of Covid-19.

Consider the equality that exists when all have the same platform to engage in community dialogues

When everyone belongs to the same platform, it means that everyone has equal opportunity to participate in discussions. They have the ability to contribute to community dialogue at their own pace at a level that they are comfortable with. Having access to the same platforms also means equal access to information, resources, and opportunities. In addition, online platforms allow students to feel more comfortable to express their individual opinions as there tends to be more pressure associated with in-person discussions. This therefore promotes more authentic and inclusive discussion.

References:

Couros, A. (2010). Deveoping personal learning networks for open and social learning. In Velestianos, G., (Eds.). Emerging technologies in distance education. (pp. 109-128). AU Press.

Miller. (2021, June 10). Brad Baker EDCI 338. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z8iHxW2n4&ab_channel=MILLER