Over the past weeks I have developed a social media presence around teachers who write to establish a professional learning network (PLN). The virtual learning community focusing on education, and specifically English education, is vast but when it comes to an active network of teachers who identify as writers there isn’t the same fervour. The inspiration for this direction came from previous experience running face-to-face writing meet ups for teachers. The workshops were successful in that they provided a space for teachers to write and share their writing, but they didn’t become a network. Many teachers came along to what could be described as a ‘collect and go’ professional learning event and there was no real development of a teachers who write community which inadvertently may have had a positive impact on the classroom (Cremin & Oliver, 2016, p. 2: Baker-Doyle, 2015, p. 368). This is both fair, teachers need support with resource development, but disheartening, as the network could have provided ongoing support (Baker-Doyle, 2015, p. 371).
A range of social media platforms were employed in the creation of the PLN. Twitter was chosen for its ability to share resources and amplify conversations (Malik et al., 2019, p. 9). The search function and use of hashtags as well as the increased character limit to 280 made it an ideal microblogging tool (Malik et al., 2019, p. 9). I established ‘#teacherswhowrite’ as the hashtag to organise posts ensuring materials were easy to locate on both Instagram and Twitter (Hyndman, 2018, p. 1). Twitter has been recognised as a tool that provides an open platform, so it is effective in capturing a niche audience of teachers who write (Malik et al., 2019, p. 13). Many find Twitter to be information overload (Malik et al., 2019, p. 15) so I made the decision to make 1-2 tweets per day when establishing the content area on my blog. Notably, Twitter, Blogger, Pinterest, and Instagram ranked 52 or higher in the Top Tools for Learning 2019 (Hart, 2019) so it made sense to capitalise on their functionality and the enjoyment I have using the platforms for my own interest and professional development for the PLN.
The ‘teachers who write’ PLN would fit into Diverse Professional Allies network, in that, the open nature of the platforms I have decided to use may pique the interest of teachers from all backgrounds (Baker-Doyle, 2015, p. 360). I curated resources with a practical approach to writing that would be useful for individuals considering ways to embed a writing practice in their life and double as resources they could use to support their students, if they are in need of resources to support their pedagogy (Baker-Doyle, 2015, p. 371). On my blog, I wrote a ‘how to develop a writer’s notebook’ post which is very feasible way to leap into writing, as capturing ideas, thoughts, and inspiration from everyday life prevents facing a blank page come writing time. When this blog post was published and shared across social media platforms I had positive responses in the form of likes on Twitter from both acquaintances and strangers. To build on this momentum I created a visual via Canva that summarised the main ideas in the post. I added the infographic to another blog post, the sidebar of the blog, Instagram, and Twitter. It also features in the pin I created for Pinterest.
While the PLN has not reached the point of being a community, I feel the old adage, ‘build it and they will come,’ rings true. The response to the content I created was positive which is encouraging. I currently have 218 followers on Pinterest and 42 following the ‘Teachers Who Write (and also teach writing)’ board. My professional Instagram page has accrued 16 followers which is 12 more than it had when I reinvigorated it a few months ago. I have maintained a blog for some time but have never shared the URL as it was more an exercise in reflection so I have rectified this and shared the link in both my Twitter and Instagram profiles and have tweeted the URL with some information about the blog post. Currently the blog receives 20-25 views per week with the short post on zines and publishing being the most popular out of the four I created for this assignment.
To prevent any difficulties arising when accessing the content I was sharing I made the decision to centralise all aspects of the PLN within my blog. I have now embedded the HTML code to display a more succinct Twitter feed, the PLN specific Pinterest board, Instagram, and even GoodReads which highlights the books I am reading – one of which I recommended in a blog post (Rheingold & Weeks, 2012, p.112). The brilliance of contributing to a PLN in an area of my choosing is that I both like and enjoy the resources I have curated (Rheingold & Weeks, 2012, p.113). This is a time saver, but it is also a genuine effort to share what I deem to be quality resources. There was considerably low risk in undertaking the promotion of my particular interest area and as there have been many calls from libraries to record, document, respond to the restrictions of the pandemic and an offer of how to engage as a writer when working as a teacher in the very least may provide some teaching ideas (Jenkins, 2006, p. 5).
The PLN I have initiated is not at the point of being a ‘community,’ like the Connected Learning Environment I mapped for the first task, it is merely a ‘node’ within my larger network of educators though, with further commitment, it has the capacity to develop into a niche PLN (Kop & Hill, 2008, p.2: Siemens, 2004, p. 5). Through developing the PLN I have realised that sharing frankly and honestly as well as being vulnerable brought forth the most responses. I was able to forge connections with a teaching acquaintance who I have recently found out has recently come to the world of writing so being open with a part of my writing practise has brought forth a positive connection. One thing that I have been more aware of through this process is the unique social and literacy skills demanded to engage with a PLN and these skills will continue to evolve and develop alongside the everchanging offerings of the world wide web and app based technology (Jenkins, 2006, p. 5).
There are many reasons someone enters the field of teaching and many aspects of a teaching area that are draw cards into the profession – English teaching for example, attracts film aficionados, those who love classic literature, some who prefer to engage in popular texts, others who focus on student voice, Shakespeare lovers, and some who like to write (Cremin & Oliver, 2016, p. 14). Through their daily work, teachers write, but not many would identify themselves as a writer and I have realised I can support others by sharing opportunities for them to hone their craft. When I was researching materials to share with my PLN I discovered research papers about teachers who write and was heartened to find that overall, while many teachers don’t identify themselves as being writers, those who do are more likely to pass on positive writing experiences to their students (Cremin & Oliver, 2016, p. 16). Throughout the development of my PLN I have found a renewed passion for fitting writing into my life and have sought out Podcasts about writing and started a writer’s notebook (used as an example in one of the blog posts I created). I have a lot more that I would like to share in this area. While completing the reflection I was able to add another blog post about publishing and I would like to continue to share my writing process as I enjoy contributing to a wider field of knowledge (Hyndman, 2018, p. 3).
When reflecting on Ito’s framework it was possible to see the distinct differences between the Connected Learning Environment illustrated in the first map and the PLN I have initiated in the second map. The development of my PLN relied, in some ways, on my existing peer supported network of colleagues which is captured in the first map – those I know only online, others I have had the chance to see present at conferences, and people I have worked with throughout my career (Ito et al., 2013, p. 62; Tseng & Kuo, 2014, p. 40; Dron & Anderson, 2014, p. 77). The conversations I have had regarding writing offer an opportunity for intellectual engagement and community building and there is a sense of validation through communicating with those who have similar interests and workplaces (Ito et al., 2013, p. 62; Tseng & Kuo, 2014, p. 38; Dron & Anderson, 2014, p. 39).
The PLN I set out to create aims to provide a writers’ group for those specifically engaged in the teaching of writing. Using open platforms such as Twitter and Instagram allows anyone interested to connect with the material as it pops up on their timeline, or at least, to bookmark for later reading (Ito et al., 2013, pp. 61-62; Tseng & Kuo, 2014, p. 37). When using social media knowing where to look to find what you need amongst the fray can be completely overwhelming so a consistent hashtag provides some anchoring in this instance (Malik et al., 2019, p. 15). I hope, in time, that the PLN develops its own momentum with conversations about writing, fitting a writing practice amongst all of life’s commitments, useful articles, and advice to ensure the knowledge ‘flows’ (Siemens, 2005, p. 6; Wenger et al., 2011, p. 11).
Learning may take place through the PLN via engaging with the materials, posts, and contributing to a broader conversation about teachers who write eventually establishing a community with shared experiences (Cremin & Oliver, 2016, p. 6: Tseng & Kuo, 2014, p. 39; Wenger et all., 2011, p. 10). Throughout the creation of the PLN I wanted to tap into the practice of aligning the learning closely to what people engage with in their leisure time (Tour, 2017, p. 180).
I also made the choice to refrain from posting on Facebook to avoid any gatekeeping and to share my curated items and contributions without the pretence of selling a product (Jenkins, 2006; Dron & Anderson, 2014, p. 37).
Like navigating a workplace, accessing a social media platform may be made easier if one holds the human and cultural capital that allows them in (Baker-Doyle, 2015, p. 374). Through the development of a professional learning network I have learned how to embed Pinterest code into my blog, how to upload images from my computer to my Instagram account, how to embed Instagram code on my blog, how to pin a post, add a creative commons licence, and create a layout that is more reader friendly. I experimented with Canva to create an infographic and have found some excellent templates for journaling and creative writing that will be a fabulous addition to my blog. The maintenance of the PLN will link into the social media ‘brand’ I have created using pictures of characters from the 1980s cartoon Rainbow Brite. The character Rainbow Brite is used for my personal social media avatar and Tickled Pink for my education related social media accounts helping to create cohesion (Web20Classroom Blog, n.d., p. 11). It would be ideal to consolidate the names used on each platform but given that I have been on various social media platforms coming up to a decade this isn’t possible. Instead, the blog acts a focal point and captures the related Pinterest board, Instagram, and Twitter account (Kuehn, 2012, p. 68).
For the last few years I operated in the Twitter realm as a curator of articles and resources I find interesting and useful and for this reason I believe I fit into the category of ‘constant explorer’ (Oddone, 2019, p. 159). I take online hoarding to the extreme with saved posts and links in Facebook, bookmarked tweets, and many Pinterest pages and Twitter is where I share what I have found helpful. Most of the experiences I provided in the PLN so far are a ‘stretching’ learning experience as they offer materials that may be of interest, or resources that could encourage staff to write (Oddone, 2019, pp. 253-254).
It is very unlikely that I could build a PLN interacting only with the colleagues I engage with through my workplace. The experiences I have gained through the initial stages of establishing this PLN have pushed me to find relevant resources and create opportunities that did not exist before (Tour, 2017, p. 181). Learning has occurred outside the place of work for those who have engaged (Tour, 2017, p. 181). The plan for the network is to maintain an active focus on collating content, engaging in discussions with other educators who are actively involved in the practice of writing who would like to network with others (Rheingold & Weeks, 2012, p. 196: Miller, 2017). I hope to continue engaging in my own writing practise in order to share genuine content with the PLN I have started – those who may be on the periphery and who may need a little reminding that they can and should be confident to engage in a practise they expect of their students.
HYPERLINKS!
Blog post series:
Instagram:
@misskbryant
Twitter:
@tirisays
Map 1. The Connected Learning Environment of tirisays
Map 2. A PLN for Teachers Who Write (and also teaching writing) #teacherswhowrite
References
Dron, J. & Anderson, T. (2014). Teaching Crowds Learning and Social Media. AU Press.
Wenger, E., Traynor, B., & de Laat, M. (2011). Promoting and assessing value creation in communities and networks: a conceptual framework. Ruud de Moor Centrum.
Ito, M., Gutiérrez, K., Livingstone, S., Penuel, B., Rhodes, J., Salen, K., Schor, J., Sefton-Green, J., & Watkins, S. C. (2013). Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design. Digital Media and Learning Research Hub.
Kuehn, L. (2012). Manage Your Digital Footprint.
Malik, A., Heyman-Schrum, C., & Johri, A. (2019). Use of Twitter across educational settings: a review of the literature. International Journal of Educational Technology in High Education, 16(36), 1-22.
Oddone, K. M. (2019). Teachers’ Experience of Professional Learning Through Personal Learning Networks [PhD thesis, Queensland University of Technology]. QUT ePrints. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/127928/
Tour, E. (2017). Teachers’ self-initiated professional learning through Personal Learning Networks. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 26(2), 179-192.
