By Dr. Angela M. Gibson
Professor, School of Arts and Humanities and Core Learning at American Public University
Cross-Fit Training is a holistic approach to fitness that uses more than one type of exercise and more than one category of equipment to develop the individual. There is a community aspect, which acknowledges that here is more to success than just muscle development in one part of the body. Our career development, as college students and as professionals, must include a cross-fit training program.
There is more to academic study than just finishing an assignment, completing a course, and moving forward in a program. There is more to a career than getting to work on time, finishing the report, and meeting the quarterly deadlines. To have a true well-rounded academic and professional career, we must create, develop, and leverage professional learning networks.
A professional learning network (PLN) or professional learning community (PLC) is typically a place, virtual or in person, that offers collaboration, knowledge sharing, problem-solving, encouragement and support, and networking. Such groups, structured or informal, online or in a conference room, consist of individuals who have chosen to connect and partner on a common subject with common goals. Often seen in educational settings, PLNs have been successfully developed for various professions.
Just as with cross-fit training, or any exercise of the body and mind, you get out of a PLN what you put into it. If a student in higher education are you looking to learn more about your program of study? Maybe you would like to connect with and hear from those in the field to determine if your choice of major is right for you. Potentially, you are looking for mentors or those who might provide a pathway to future opportunities.
If a professional in a career, are you looking to find others to connect with in your field? Is the idea of knowledge sharing important to your own professional development? Will exploring the challenges of your profession be useful to you? Can connecting with others potentially open new doors?
If the answer to any of the questions posed is yes, a PLN is right for you. Before reinventing the virtual wheel, find out through your workplace or professional organizations if there are groups already established. Leverage social media and look for communities in platforms that you feel comfortable using.
[Related: Supplement Your Online Learning with Networking]
Prior to starting your own PLN/PLC, consider shadowing another group to get a feel for various incarnations of the format both online and in person.
A review of Twitter finds groups that meet virtually to discuss the topic of the week. Examples of Twitter based PLNs/PLCs include this list of educator chats and science chats from Edutopia, a Google Doc with Weekly Twitter Chat Times for Education Chats on Twitter, and state based chats via State Hashtag Information on Google Maps.
In addition to social media, consider other platforms and avenues for PLNs or even a hybrid part online part in-person approach. Various tools such as Diigo, Evernote, and Google Docs could be places where individuals share, collaborate, and comment on ideas and resources.
Just as with the amount of success in cross-fit is determined by the time put into the training and what equipment you choose, defining what you want out of the PLN will determine what media you will use and how you choose to be involved. Know yourself, have a plan, take small steps towards success.
Leveraging your efforts and involvement in PLNs can pay off in various ways. Connections to professionals in and through a PLN can lead to an introduction at on site or virtual career fairs. Establishing relationships with individuals may further develop into mentorships. Students and professionals can all benefit from formal or informal mentors to further guide and open doors to unrealized possibilities.
Communicating in virtual communities also strengthens your verbal and writing skills as well as your ability to express yourself professionally and succinctly. The practice of netiquette in online mediums also adds to your skill set as working in the 21st Century workplace, which may include a role as a remote employee.
How we present ourselves makes a difference as well. Putting ourselves out there in a PLN can help test our in-person and online presence as well as receive feedback from those in the community. Learning from those in our PLN is a quicker pathway to achievement than trial and error on our own.
Finding the right PLC is akin to finding the right exercise program. Dedication to strengthening and conditioning our core mission and goals will help test out a program of study while still at college and add more functionality and effectiveness to a professional career. Join in, start slowly, be flexible, develop a routine, and get while giving back.
About the Author: Dr. Angela Gibson is a professor for the School of Arts and Humanities at American Public University. She has previously worked at community colleges, private institutions of higher education, and state universities teaching face-to-face, blended, and fully online courses teaching first-year as well as master’s and doctoral students. Dr. Gibson serves as a facilitator and mentor for the Online Learning Consortium, publishes, and presents at national and international education conferences. She received a B.A. in International Relations from George Mason University, a Masters of Arts in Human Performance Systems, with a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design, from Marymount University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, with concentrations in adult education, higher education, and community college education, from Texas A & M University – Kingsville. Find her on Twitter at @AgilistaAG.
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