Information and digital literacy in education via the digital path

By now the term professional learning network (PLN) is used very often, but much of the time it refers to the virtual type, meaning our online colleagues and networks. Being a media specialist can be a lonely profession and it’s not uncommon to feel like we’re siloed. As I have moved from being a classroom teacher into teacher leader positions, I’ve noticed it can get lonely and I find myself looking for a face-to-face tribe. Although I find this at conferences, they are infrequent and expensive.

An organization’s ability to learn at the pace of change is its key to survival in today’s world of constant churn. We all know that the changes wrought by the five forces –forces of technology, globalization, demography and longevity, restructuring of society, and depleting energy resources– are rapidly rendering a world that is complex, interwoven, and deeply connected where the paradigms of how we navigate are undergoing irreversible changes.

Summer is fast approaching; this is the time of year when teachers are preparing students for exams and trying to keep their classes from descending into the Lord of the Flies. When it finally arrives, summer is an important time for busy educators and allows them to relax, recharge, and often work on honing their craft in both formal and informal professional development. With the more flexible work schedule of the summer, it is also a great time to build up your Professional Learning Network (PLN) — especially one that expands beyond the walls of the classroom.