I have been developing my personal learning network since I began my current job. There are several technologies that we discussed in this class that I use as well as some others.
- Facebook - A majority of my Facebook friends are librarians. I do this as a way to keep track of people across the country, but as librarians they are always posting stories and articles that I find interesting. I also follow several library pages such as Banned Books Week, Association of College & Research Libraries, Librarian Bat Signal, etc. These are ways to get quick updates on events in my field.
- Blogs - I follow several professional blogs with my Google Reader. These are related to library issues as well as issues within higher education as a whole. It is great to see what is going on in the world.
- Wikis - I am a member of a wiki of instruction librarians throughout South Dakota who use it as a place to share information related to Information Literacy.
- Educational network - As a member of the Blended Librarian learning community from Learning Times, I have access to free webinars on a variety of topics related to librarianship. It is a great way to keep updated on trends and programs in libraries.
- Webinars - I also attend webinars held by several associations. These professional and ad hoc associations are one of my primary learning networks as they offer content that is 'very' useful as I do my work as a librarian.
Webinars are a great way to stay updated on current practices. A lot of webinars are free or low cost which is nice since so many district budgets cut professional development money.
ReplyDeleteI didn't even think of including webinars in my list of PLNs. I too attend these when available. They are a great way to receive training and interact with other professions without the cost and hassle of traveling.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you have a great social network within your job, I'm sure that it is very beneficial at times.
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