1.1+SLN_PLN_example

 **My Social Learning Network** by Jane

 As I view it, a SLN is the collection, at any given moment in time, of people, groups and information sources to which I have access for the purposes of learning. I define learning as any intentional (and unintentional) development including, skill development, new understanding, insight, inspiration etc.

//Figure # 1 The network metaphor of shifting nodes serves my notion well. As I connect to the nodes in my network I can imagine them lighting up. Sustained contact leads to the shifting of nodes so that they are more central within “my” network.//

My SLN is made up of specific people, as well as groups/organizations/associations of people. It consists of people I know well and people I only know //of// , groups of which I am an active member and groups with which I connect only for a specific (learning) purpose. My SLN is dynamic – its constituent parts -or nodes- shift, being present or not, and more or less central over time. I think of my SLN has having a core set of nodes. Those on whom I count over time and across inquiry or content. My husband and close friends tend to be consistent members of my SLN. While some people define their SLN based on a specific function (my personal learning, my professional development, my yoga community) I think of my SLN in broad terms and think of different nodes being activated at different times for different purposes. It is pan geographical, cross disciplinary and spans digital and face-to-face relationships. In accordance with one of the principles of connectivism - that knowledge rests in non-human appliances – I hold that my SLN includes data sources that are not human such as data-bases like Wikipedia and physical and digital libraries. I do not include particular books in my vision of my SLN. While books certainly help my learning and are valuable resources which I tap, I distinguish books from non-human devices that //change//  or reconfigure information according to a request. Today the nodes present in my SLN include a long list of colleagues and friends (including of course my husband and my co-authors), my FBFriends, my twitter followed/ers (though this node does not shine very brightly), my UAlbany research team, everyone in my UAlbany department, everyone who is currently enrolled in the MAT program and all of the faculty at Marlboro Grad Center, everyone who is enrolled as a member of ISTE/SL, the ISTE/SL Tour Group, the SLED (Second Life educators) and SLRL (Second Life researchers) list serves, a wide range of experts whom I feel I can contact, bloggers whose changing ideas I can engage with, my customers, Wikipedia, TED, funnyordie.com, Lynda.com, the UAlbany on-line library catalog, amazon.com (not because of the books but because of the commentary about books and the if-you-like-this-you-might feature) … While this seems like an extremely large and loosely connected collection – the key factor in their inclusion is that these nodes are all valued by me //and//  accessible to me. With a few keystrokes I can query the nodes of this network. I included all the faculty of the Marlboro Graduate School but not the whole of the Marlboro College, because I have 1) social capital with the former and not the latter and 2) I have the email list of the former and not the latter. I include the SLED and SLRL lists and ISTE groups for the same reasons. [should I explain social capital here and if so how?] An SLN requires diversity. While a large SLN is not necessarily an effective SLN, a small SLN will be limiting. One of the distinguishing characteristics of an SLN from a Community of Practice is the diversity of point of view that can be brought to bear on an inquiry. A small committed discipline specific community of practice serves a different purpose than a diverse shifting SLN //Figure # 2 A Venn diagram depicting the distinguishing and overlapping characteristics of a CoP and an SLN//  An SLN requires active development and nurturing. I have developed my PLN by building my FBFriends, joining and becoming active in groups that have expertise, knowledge, skill, and represent a diversity of perspective, diversity of culture, diversity of geography….. I gain social capital within these groups and to these people by contributing, having a role, being visible.

minor edits on 3-22