HASS

Week 8, 1.2 Professional Networks

I have been struck around the ‘universality’ of having a Personal Learning Network, although the majority of the detail and content is within a North American context, interestingly in their own reflections in the content provided there is reference to Australia; least of all the alignment of the 4 C’s to the Australian Curriculum.

On enrolment to the Graduate Diploma of Teaching and Learning, after confirming my Subject Areas, I earnestly began ‘googling’ these areas within a South Australian context to see what is existed. Needless to say I was beyond disheartened to find the extend of established professional networks, being the ‘annual HASS’ conference and the annual conference for Legal Studies teachers network. It’s within this context that being exposed to the concept of a PLP has ignited my interest and the relevance to support my current learning, but importantly enhancing my teaching as I proceed. Further, by viewing a PLP as ‘corridor conversation’ that now becomes global, instant and therefore rather than learning and collaborating by happenstance, this can now be facilitated through targeted platforms, is particularly meaningful to me and re-enforces the importance of a PLP to the life of a teacher. It was surprising, but not shocking, to hear both Wendy and Kirschty that 80%+ of their professional development is through on-line content, re: blogs etc.

Equally, beyond obtaining learning/collaboration etc through a PLP globally, particularly in relation to pedagogy etc; I think the nationalised approach of an Australian Curriculum also means that I am able to potentially enhance and deepen my own content and subject area knowledge – whether through a Teacher in Northern Queensland, Metropolitan Sydney or regional Tasmania. By engaging with peers delivering across the same subject areas through a national curriculum excites me, even if the learning is delivered within a localised context, I believe nevertheless will enhance my own content knowledge and learning throughout my professional life, including my own pedagogy in the future.

In a similar vein, considering the requirement to embed 21^st Century skills, whether viewed as the 4 Cs or the general priorities in the Australian curriculum, when considering the benefits of a PLN to a professional teacher (and in fact across industry and sectors) similar benefits can be found for students. For example, if we consider Steven Johnson’s (Steven Johnson) concept of how ideas are formed, utilising a PLN for students to enhance not only their content learning and deep thinking within their subjects for instance, but also by way of growing their ‘capabilities’ that will become their passport in the contemporary workforce; and practically this will also model a mode of learning that they can take with them in post school life, whether in further learning pathways or employment.

References

Riverhead books, video file. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU