In my EDCI 338 course, I learned that a Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a group of people you connect with often online to share resources, tools, and ideas so you can keep learning over time (Green, 2020; Oddone, 2019)

Some example that I use as my PLN are:

  • #TeachersofTiKtok on Tiktok or instagram.
  • Subreddits, where I like to use for unfilled raw answers or support.
  • Blogs/ websites
  • Facebook groups
  • Podcasts

I really value the bite-sized format, like posts, short reels, and TikToks, because they are fast and easy to fit into my day. This aligns with research on microlearning and short-form social media videos that highlight how brief, focused content can support engagement and ongoing learning (Alsaid, 2025). Even though let’s be honest, those TikToks and reels are addictive, these small pieces of content often appear during my elementary education program at UVIC or my practicum placements. For example, I’ve used ideas from these for PE lesson plan inspiration in my PE Uvic course. I enjoy being part of a community with like-minded individuals. 

Challenges of PLN

At the same time, there are challenges: algorithms can create echo chambers that reinforce biased opinions, and comment sections can include harmful or misleading content, so I need to be critical and intentional about what I consume and share on these platforms (Greenhow et al., 2022; Williams, 2024).

References

Alsaid, B., Al-Bitar, A., Mousa, L., Al-Mardini, H., Almaradni, M. M., Alhomsi, H., Al-Masalma, D., & Izzat, M. B. (2025). Short Social Media Videos as a Supplementary Educational Resource in Neuroanatomy: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open, 8(9), e2533971. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.33971

Asino, T., Bayeck, R., Brown, W., Francis, R. W., Kolski, T., Essmiller, K., Green, C. L., Lewis, S. L., McCabe, C., Shikongo, J., Wise, T., & Fulgencio, J. (2020). Learning in the Digital Age (T. Asino, Ed.). Oklahoma State University.