Learning and working methods have been changing all the time. Instead of sitting at the classroom, we can choose efficient open learning materials and methods online: videos from YouTube, open courses from university, etc. Information, service, human beings, digital devices are connected all over the world through the internet. Individuals are connected because they study and work through the digital devices on the Internet. They can share their ideas and learning materials through the Internet and social network. This is Personal Learning Network (PLN). We can choose when, where and what to learn at any time through PLN. During the period of Covid-19, teaching methods have become increasingly diverse, online teaching is more and more significant. Therefore, it is necessary to develop PLN skills.
Some people are connected through social platforms, they also establish and maintain their own personal learning networks through social platforms. Other professionals set up their own social networks through seminars or other communication meetings, then establish their own personal learning networks according to their communality, organization features, and working environment, etc. Then keep in touch with their contacts through various social media. Therefore, social media plays an important role in the personal learning network system.
Lots of factors motivate us to participate in the networked publics. Networking skills are of great significance in an individualās career, which is helpful to personal growth and learning. In the purpose of working flexibly in the ever-changing environment, professionals need to improve their lifelong learning skills, and obtain learning and support through establishing contacts with other professionals and professional networks (Rajagopal et al., 2011).
Professional networking provides various benefits for the professionalās career and growth. No matter from the organizational point of view, personal point of view or social point of view, the establishment of a network of relationships can help individuals learn better, obtain various of knowledge, cooperate creatively, and spread information and new ideas fast and easily. People can consciously establish, create, and maintain their network of relationships, making it an effective Personal Learning Network (Rajagopal et al., 2011).
Although personal learning network brings many benefits to everyone, it also has various risks. Since everyone establishes and maintains their own personal learning network through the Internet, risks and benefits will accompany the whole process. The privacy, which people often talk about, has become networked with the data networking of our personal relationship networked. What we share about ourselves tells us a lot about other people. Individualās privacy often be discussed in other personās networking and without knowing that. The Internet builds personal portraits based on personal privacy and predicts others’ interests according to their habits (Boyd, 2012).
For example, once I searched inner pot online, I would receive tons of junk emails about the promotion of rice cookers, kitchen utensils, wigs, fake flowers, etc. every day. Big Data automatically sends various of promotion information to me.
If the network can access one’s personal social network, the prediction will become stronger. Any privacy mode that focuses on information control will fail. In the internet age, the disclosure of one data will mean that other data will be widely spread. It will be a great challenge for human beings to think about how to protect network privacy (Boyd, 2012).
In conclusion, establishing and maintaining personal learning network is the demand of the times. Personal learning network brings a lot of benefits to humans, but it also has potential risks. In the purpose of improving individuals freely through the personal learning network, we also need to find some effective ways to protect PLN environment.
Reference
Boyd, d. 2012. Networked Privacy. Surveillance & Society 10(3/4): 348-350.http://www.surveillance-and-society.org
Rajagopal, K., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., Van Bruggen, J., & Sloep, P. B. (2011). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559