Now you have a definition of PLN, the question you need to answer is ‘Does this offer anything new?’
In terms of innovation, can we say a PLN is truly innovative, or merely a rebadging of existing practice? As with many new terms in educational technology, some people find a PLN usefully captures a new development, while others say it is simply a new term for an old practice.
In considering this, take into account the scale and possibilities offered by new technologies, past networking practice and any of the references you found when constructing your definition.
Now do the following: Create a visual representation of the tools, resources and people in your PLN. Post this on your blog.
My definition of a personal learning network:
A Personal Learning Network is the people a learner connects and interacts with online and face-to-face to discover and explore new perspectives, ideas, questions, reflections and references for a specific learning intention.
This is probably incomplete regarding the tools/resources I
use for the various PLNs I’ve slowly grown over the years. For example I’ve not
included all the tools I use for my craft interests which also involve informal
learning and sharing.
I’ve highlighted the people as central ie the heart of to it all (hence the vaguely heart coloured background for People).
This visual representation has grown and grown as I’ve thought of more elements to add and reflected on how the adoption of a technology to facilitate the strengthening of a PLN has often resulted in me using the same technology tool, resource or practice for another PLN, depending upon my learning needs, interests and activities. So it is quite intersectional and more complex than captured in this representation. In other words, if I was to list out all the PLNs and the tools or resources I use to engage with each of them, there would be a lot of repeats and several overlaps!