How diverse is your PLN?

Diversity is the range of human differences, with a wide range of interests, backgrounds, experiences, and opinions, including but not limited to the differences of language, gender, race, social status and so on. “Everyone is diverse” (Moore & Schnellert, 2016). In my Personal Learning Network (PLN), I was connected to individuals have different people with diverse interests, backgrounds, life experience, and viewpoints. We share our diverse learning materials, experience, ideas, and creations with each other. Besides, for various reasons and purposes, we are connected to different digital platforms and communities.

Are you learning from a variety of diverse voices and are you expanding your understanding of the views of others?

I am learning from a various voice and learning to expand my understanding of the opinions of others. Take this course as an example, we discuss on Mattermost with our peers about diverse topics and then reflect on everyone’s viewpoints into our blogs every week. In education, the diversity and inclusiveness of teaching are often mentioned together. Teaching to diversity and inclusion is where we value the characteristics that are diverse (Moore, 2016). This learning activity has greatly taught us how to listen to other people’s voices and learn to understand different people’s viewpoints. This is the embodiment of inclusion. And it also helps us build a diverse PLN.

What is the learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?

In this week’s reading and learning activities, I learned that diversity is not only tolerance and integration. According to Moore (2016), inclusive education depends on the diversity of its ecosystem, which not only promote coexistence and tolerance, but also flourishes with the learning and interaction of everyone in the community. Fortunately, we are studying in an inclusive education system. We are exposed to a diverse and inclusive educational ecosystem. Moore (2016) argued that inclusion is not just about students with special needs, it is about all students. Therefore, every student can be guaranteed to be exposed to inclusiveness and diversity. There are inclusive and diverse educators around us, and we should learn to accept inclusion and diversity, so as to better integrate into the brand-new education system and ensure understanding of true inclusion.

How likely individuals are going to continue with their created content and their network?

We are not sure what possibility it is that every student will continue to use the content and network they created. Personally, I like my current Personal Learning Network. We are free to make learning schedules and choose learning activities, we can flexibly complete our study tasks every week. Discussing and sharing ideas with diverse study members is the source of happiness for studying every week. And eventually establish and expand our own personal learning network gradually in the weekly learning activities.

Are the skills that they developed applicable in professional practices?

In the process of establishing personal learning network, some people may set up it without purpose, while others may plan their own professional learning network purposefully. Maybe some skills are not necessarily practical in later professional practice, but developing professional skills is not the ultimate goal. The skills learned in the establishment of professional learning network may come in handy at some time. We have no idea what will happen in the future. As Qualmann (2012) said, it is difficult to build a network when you are in urgent need of help. Before you need a network, you must first build a network. We are not sure whether the professional skills developed now can be applied in practice in the future. We cannot cultivate skills before we need them in the future. We must first develop these specialized skills.

In conclusion, social platforms play a significant role in helping us establish messaging and themes that are inclusive and diverse. First, social platforms will not refuse us to participate in social activities or learning activities because of our diverse backgrounds, experience, interests, opinions or different skin colors, nationalities, languages, genders and sexual orientation. Second, social platforms will not be inclusive because special people have special needs, but treat everyone equally. Therefore, in such a personal learning network or professional learning network, everyone should be inclusive. The network accepts everyone’s diversity. Exposing such a diverse and inclusive education ecosystem, social medias make a big difference on establishing diverse and inclusive messages and themes.

Reference

Moore, S. (2016), One Without the Other: Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, Portage & Main Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=4832579.

Qualman, E. (2012). Digital leader: 5 simple keys to success and influence (1st edition). McGraw-Hill.