Dynamism is an important characteristic of an enriched PLN. According the Merriam Webster dictionary (2017) something is dynamic when it is “marked by usually continuous and productive activity or change.” For a PLN to be dynamic, it should change and adapt with you professionally. You aren’t the same educator today that you were a year ago, so your PLN should reflect that.
As educators, we all have individual professional goals for improving our practice and as we progress, those goals change, and the resources needed to accomplish them change too. Because of this, your PLN should change regularly to help you achieve your goals as they adapt over time.
Here are some examples of dynamic PLNs as described by the teachers they belong to:
- “The most important thing I learned [from my PLN] is that there is a community of enthusiastic amazing educators that are lifelong learners, always evolving their practice and learning from each other and from me. That was the kind of teacher I wanted to be but I didn’t have the best role models of this around me. Once I found these communities online, especially on Twitter, I started being that force in person as well. I encourage my colleagues to share with me and I share with them. Together we are better.” (Trust, Krutka, & Carpenter, 2016, p.15)
- “Around 2009, I discovered Twitter, I can’t remember when I started chatting by hashtag, but I believe it was probably right away with #edchat. I also immediately connected with some amazing history teachers like @kyteacher @gregkulowiec @Ron_peck @dontworry-teach and religiously followed all of the websites Angela Hamblen/@kyteacher tweeted out links to. In the summer of 2010 I participated in #sschat… in 2011 I attended my first Edcamp Boston.” (Krutka, Carpenter, & Trust, 2016, p.153)
Learning Activity: How Dynamic is Your PLN?
Activity Objective: Evaluate your PLN for dynamism.
Activity Instructions:
- Reflect upon the dynamism of your own PLN (e.g., What does it mean to have a dynamic PLN? How has yours changed with you over time?)
- Summarize your thoughts in a visual format. You can create a meme, an infographic, or a video.
- Post your visual summary on 4399edn tute team.
