In this blog, I want to discuss how social media helps me establish messaging and themes that are inclusive and diverse. This will cover the following questions.

  • How diverse is your PLN (Personal Learning Network)?
  • Are you learning from a variety of diverse voices and are you expanding your understanding of the views of others?
  • What is the learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?
  • How likely individuals are going to continue with their created content and their network?
  • Are the skills that they developed applicable in professional practices?
Week Five – Your Personal Learning Networks and Inclusion

As shown by my Visitor & Resident Map in the previous post, my PLN covers a variety of platforms, where I can receive massive amounts of information. On these platforms, there are people with different beliefs, from many countries or various industries, communicate with each other. I think this is what is called Inclusion. Everyone, regardless of their different considerations and beliefs, can participate in discussions on the same event, participate in the same project, or play the same game on the same platforms, etc. In these environments, we should try our best to respect the views of others.

I have learned from a variety of diverse voices and expanded my knowledge from the others. Once, while playing a game that involved some indigenous cultures, I realized through discussions in the indigenous community that this rather comical game was a desecration of indigenous culture. With reading more reports and getting more knowledge about indigenous culture from the learning network, I understood more about indigenous cultures and the importance of protecting the art creatings.

From PLN, I have learned a lot of knowledge, and many problems I encounter in life can be solved through PLN. I can solve small issues encountered in project quickly through searching on the internet. By collaborating with others, some skills have also been rapidly improved. I have also received some job opportunities through interesting communications and activities in different communities. Overall, PLN can help me expand my knowledge, improve my learning efficiency, and gain spiritual support and new job opportunities. I try to increase my exposure to diversity and inclusion through the following ways.

  • Respect the uniqueness of every person, group, and idea.
  • Learn multiple languages and cultures, and use various learning resources.
  • Participate in organizations or associations dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusiveness.

Generally speaking, if a person feels valuable and fulfilled about their own PLN, and is able to establish good relationships with others, they are more likely to continue creating content and maintaining the network. So, we can judge a person’s likelihood of maintaining PLN based on how much positive or negative feedback or gains they have received from PLN.

There are lots of skills can be learned from PLN, such as communication ability, collaboration ability, innovation ability, critical thinking, cultural literacy, etc. These skills are very important and useful in professional practice, as they can help a person adapt to the constantly changing work environment, improve work efficiency, and collaborate with different people. Therefore, through PLN, an individual can not only improve their knowledge level, but also improve essential skills in their career development.