Blog Post #4 PLN Diversity
Having a diverse Personal Learning Network is key to boosting learning and personal/professional growth. Engaging with a wide range of voices and perspectives has helped deepen my understanding and allowed me to see challenges from different angles.
For example, I once joined an online discussion with people from various countries on Reddit to explore how different cultures approach social issues such as inequality and migration, as I am majoring in sociology. Their diverse perspectives and research methodologies showed me how cultural contexts influence sociological theories and practices. This experience expanded my understanding, helping me to hopefully integrate these varied approaches into my own studies, enabling me to view sociological questions with a more comprehensive and open-minded perspective.
To ensure that one’s PLN is inclusive, taking deliberate steps to incorporate various voices and perspectives is very important. First, I would actively seek out connections from different backgrounds, industries, and cultures. I would then follow educators and professionals from diverse fields on social media and engage with their content. Joining online communities and forums that focus on diversity and inclusion also helps you connect with people outside your usual circles. Additionally, I always make it a point to listen and learn from others, especially those with different life experiences than my own, to foster a more inclusive network.
Each social media platform has its own unique features which can significantly influence how one’s PLN is shaped. For instance, Twitter is great for quick updates and engaging in real-time conversations, so I use it to share ideas and participate in discussions. On Instagram, I follow certain accounts that provide unique visuals and artwork, which can help add a creative dimension to a PLN. These differences in platform dynamics can allow me to tailor my interactions and engage more effectively with diverse voices.
One of the main challenges in creating an inclusive PLN is overcoming environments where similar ideas and perspectives dominate. This limits diverse viewpoints and perspectives and can hinder one’s learning and growth. To overcome this, I actively seek out people with different opinions and experiences on various social media platforms. Another challenge is ensuring that discussions remain respectful and open-minded, especially with sensitive topics. To address this, I would set clear guidelines for engagement and actively moderate discussions to keep the environment supportive. By staying open to learning and adapting, I believe I can confidently build a PLN that is both inclusive and helpful for everyone.