Social Learning Plan
A robust personal learning network (PLNs) can make or break your career if you do not have a strong one. With any career, being responsible for your education beyond the classroom and office is essential to have a successful career. Knowing and understanding how to use social networks provides the groundwork to follow best practices and new ideas and build connections in your field of practice (Kennedy, 2018). This document aims to focus on the career of Instructional designers, analyzing my network and its benefits (Download Figure 1) and building a future network (Download Figure 2).
Having a rationale for a network is essential; for example, there are better practices than using Wikipedia. Web products have spent thirty years developing and sometimes can provide dangerous or false information. Initially not viewed as an online tool for learning, the World Wide Web has slowly become a place, with research, to build social capital and connections that result in developing and facilitating a personal learning environment (Kennedy, 2018). Social platforms like Facebook have become equipped with tools to give an audience a learning experience beyond checking in on old classmates. The Hangout and Accelerator groups are hosted within Facebook's mainframe as part of Instructional Design Companies' online communities as stand-alone groups. The private group Accelerator enhances experiences beyond linking, posting, commenting, and determining knowledge through simple everyday interaction (Oddone, & et al., 2019).
The Facebook platform provides completing gauges on watching videos or webinars, calendar settings, a guide section similar to modules, and other online benefits of hosting a stand-alone group, like the Accelerators. Another benefit of using Facebook, in general, is a badge system based on activity. That policy of awarding participants is felt to support a positive public representation to help validate those learning or engaging (Oddone, & et al., 2019). For both online groups, the activity interactions by the employees of the Instructional Design Company, therefore, afforded more opportunities for the audience to feel heard and supported and to reflect in their PLN network (Adams & Jeter, 2021).
As instructional designers, we aim to create unique online learning experiences for our learners; we cannot just pull facts and experiences out of the air. Our personal learning networks should be selected under the same care we show our learners. In terms of learning theories, situated learning recognizes that cognition is situated, social, and distributed, where learners contribute their knowledge and experiences (Adams & Jeter, 2021). In order to enhance our knowledge, we need to use our self-direction and motivation. Finally, it is always a good idea to be mindful of knowing when to disconnect; having a time frame and limits can avoid burnout.
References
Adams, A. & Jeter, G. (2021). Creating community in EdD programs during COVID-19: Challenges, strategies, and opportunities. Impacting Education, 6(2), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.5195/ie.2021.161
Association for Talent Development (Ed.). (n.d.). About Us. Www.td.org. Retrieved January 26, 2024, from https://www.td.org/about
Kennedy, J. (2018). Towards a model of connectedness in personal learning networks. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 16(1), 21–40.
LinkedIn. (2023). What is linkedin and how can I use it? LinkedIn Help. https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/a548441
Oddone, K., Hughes, H., & Lupton, M. (2019). Teachers as connected professionals: A model to support professional learning through personal learning networks. International Review
of Research in Open & Distance Learning, 20(3), 102–120. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i4.4082
Skjoldager, S. (2018). Facebook. Www.facebook.com; Instructional Design Company. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2303180783234851