I don’t like it when people use acronyms and they just assume that the person they are talking to understands the meaning of them. I just realized I have been guilty of doing this a lot recently and I apologize! I have written a couple of blog posts and sent out tweets where I have referenced my PLN. I have had more than a few people contact me recently asking me to define PLN for them.
I will answer that, but first a little background.
Last summer I wrote a post about how important my PLC had become to me. PLC stands for professional learning community. (People use the terms PLC and PLN interchangeably, but PLN seems to be the term that is more popular.) I slowly moved from using the acronym PLC to PLN which is short for personal (professional) learning network. Anyone who is actively engaged in learning online is part of a PLN. If you are reading this then I am part of your PLN. The people I follow on Twitter make up the vast majority of my PLN. These are the people that I learn from and interact with on a daily basis. A PLN is an incredibly powerful tool to have at your disposal. The flow of information is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. It has been said that the more time you invest in building and contributing to your PLN the more you will get back from it in return. This is so true! A PLN does not form on its own; you have guide it and direct its growth. You have to invest time in figuring out who you want to include in your network. Don’t feel like you have to include everyone! That defeats the purpose in customizing it to fit your needs.
Do not be afraid to get to know some of the people in your network beyond Twitter. There is only so much you can share in 140 characters or less. Consider using email, Skype, chats, or discussion forums in various Nings to continue conversations that begin on Twitter. You might find you enjoy “working” with some of the people in your PLN. Collaborating on projects with people that you choose to work with is fantastic! It is an exciting time to be in education.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:07 p
PLC also comes from DuFour (sp?) research. In our district, PLCs refer to grade level or content area meetings that usually include other staff members (counselors, media specialist, SPED teacher, etc.) where they discuss classroom practices, students and a variety of other topics. It’s exactly how you describe it, only in a face to face, controlled environment. Not as global as the PLN that you talk about.
June 9th, 2009 at 9:31 p
It is true that you get more of anything you invest your time into – and a PLN is a great example. Thanks for reminding us all to keep investing and reaping great returns, no matter what is going on in the stock market!
June 9th, 2009 at 2:11 p
I learned a great lesson today – I wiii always define my acronyms! Sometimes we get so caught up in what we are trying to share that we forget not everyone speaks the same language, especially the newbies (people new to online collaboration, tech integration etc.) that we are trying to mentor. Thanks for reminding us to spell out everything if we truly want to be understood.
September 5th, 2009 at 2:48 p
In Beth Still’s Nebraska Change Agent blog, she clearly anticipated my confusion. In a recent post called “What the Heck is a PLN?“ Still clarifies the difference.
February 26th, 2010 at 9:44 p
Thanks for this – it is a good clarification. In my district, we have been ‘doing’ PLCs for 5 years, and it is still a dirty word for many teachers. I have been participating in a self-selected PLN this year, and while I would probably never miss my PLC, I would be lost without my PLN!
February 27th, 2010 at 8:26 p
Since I wrote this post I have learned that there is an important distinction between PLC’s and PLN’s. Professional learning communities are much more formal and more than likely somewhat smaller. Also, they tend to be much more narrowly focused. (For more info: http://is.gd/9jJA1)
April 12th, 2010 at 2:04 p
Many institutions limit access to their online information. Making this information available will be an asset to all.