Standard 7: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community
7.4 Engage with professional teaching networks and broader communities
Within educational contexts, the theories of constructivism, behaviourism and cognitivism are prevalent, however within our new age of technology, the presence and importance of connectivism is growing (Siemens, 2005). Technology has change and facilitated the way that we communicate and live, and has also had a profound impact on the way that we learn (Kim & Nelson, 2000). As such, connectivism is the theory of being connected through technology, which can both assist and enhance both learning not only for students but also teachers and their own personal learning – it helps us build a personal learning network (PLN).
Dall’Alba & Sandberg (2006) discuss the journey that teachers take throughout their careers and have found that there are generally three stages of teaching; initial stage of survival and discovery, a second stage of experimentation and consolidation and a final stage of mastery and leadership. Throughout all of these stages of a teacher’s career. In alignment with AITSL’s (2011) teaching levels and professional standards, it is important for teachers to engage professionally with colleagues and the community as a means of both connecting and engaging in professional learning, and having a personal learning network comprising of personal contacts, online groups and governing bodies is helpful in doing this.
I have developed my PLN over the past two years and plan to nurture the connections I have made within it throughout my teaching career. Some of my professional relationships are ones which I can strengthen over time by continuing physical meetings and interactions, whilst others will be maintained online. The early additions to my PLN were my personal contacts whom I met in person on my practicums or sought out in school environments, and most of these people have provided emotional and personal support. These people have mentored me, provided guidance, feedback and support and have offered pedagogical advice in both face-to-face and online forums.
Within the broader professional community, I am involved personal learning by being a member of professional organisations and attending teacher-targeted professional development opportunities. Such events usually provide exciting and innovative insight into expert views of teaching and how I can apply new strategies, resources and pedagogical approaches in my own classroom teaching. My involvement in professional teaching networks and events also helps my peers because I share my new ideas and skills with them, and I gain the same benefits from them and their experiences. My students also benefit from my PLN development and expansion because through my learning, they will be exposed to best practice (as promoted by others) and new ways of teaching, including ICTs.
Online forums, websites, governing-body sites and social sharing and media are effective means of keeping informed with peer and larger organisational practices, policies and current affairs within the realm of teaching. There is a wealth of resources and experiences which are documented and shared online, and through my own creation of a website and blog, as well as my current activity on social sharing sites, I am able to both benefit from and contribute my own ideas and resources to the broader teaching community.
Overall, my PLN and the connections within it have significantly guided my practice and had a positive impact on my teaching. The input from the wider community - both locally and distant governing bodies - has provided me with ideas and views on resources, lesson implementation and content delivery, as well as curriculum and reporting guidance and professional standards to meet. I plan to nurture and consolidate my PLN throughout my career by making an active effort to engage in online and face-to-face teaching communities, discussions, professional development days and future colleagues in schools.
References
Dall'Alba, G., & Sandberg, J. (2006). Unveiling professional development. A critical review of stage models, 76(3), 383-412.
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL] (2011). National Professional Standards for Teachers. Melbourne: Educational Services Australia.
Nelson, R., & Kim, L. (2000). Technology, Learning and Innovation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 12(3), 1-8.
Below is a visual depiction of my PLN. I made this mind map using MindMaple Lite and then I app smashed it by bringing it into Thinglink. You can visit the links within my image and see the enlarged version of my PLN in Thinklink using the link below.