EDCI Learning

Building My Personal Learning Network

Post author By karenmagureanu
Post date July 29, 2025
No Comments on Building My Personal Learning Network

What is a Personal Learning Network?

A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a tailored system of people, tools, and resources that a learner intentionally builds to support and enrich their ongoing learning journey.

This network may include friends, colleagues, educators, mentors, industry professionals, content creators, or anyone you connect with through digital platforms such as social media, blogs, podcasts, and online communities.
By using digital tools, members of a PLN share information, learn from each other, problem solve and collaborate.
A well developed PLN empowers learners to stay current in rapidly changing fields, engage in lifelong learning, and customize their educational experience to fit their unique goals and interests.

Source: *The State of L&D 2022,* TalentLMS and SHRM

How to Choose the Right Tools for Your PLN

Building a PLN means choosing the tools that work best for your learning goals. To stay updated, you can follow blogs, podcasts, websites and join email lists that share the latest information in your field. Social media platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest help you connect with experts, find collaborators, and join educational discussions.

Additionally, formal learning platforms like Khan Academy offer structured courses and tutorials to deepen your knowledge and skills. Other forums such as StackOverflow allow users to collaborate on problems, compare methods, and discuss results. By combining these resources, you can create a personalized network that supports continuous learning and professional growth.

Informal Learning	Formal Learning	Social Media
Blogs	Books printed by scholarly publishers	Facebook
Podcasts	Conference posters or papers	X (Twitter)
Letters/Email	Professional associations such as IEEE, NCTM, ISTE	Instagram
YouTube videos	Khan Academy	Snapchat

Comparing Formal and Informal Tools in a Personal Learning Network

How You Can Build Your PLN

Step 1: Identify your learning interests or goals. What do you want to learn more about or achieve?
Step 2: Find and follow people, pages, or groups related to those interests.
Step 3: Engage by asking questions, commenting, sharing useful information, or starting discussions.

For me, networking has been the most effective way to build my PLN. I have developed valuable connections with my professors and networked through attending PhD defenses, colloquiums, and conferences at my university. These in-person interactions are especially helpful because I received direct feedback, advice, and the chance to build genuine relationships. Additionally, after speaking with my colleagues, I learned that having a LinkedIn account can boost co-op and job opportunities.

Why PLNs Matter

Your PLN is a unique reflection of your chosen influences, guiding your growth and worldview. You can intentionally curate your network by choosing those that challenge and inspire you. Otherwise, algorithms may shape your network.

You can engage ethically in your PLN by crediting others, contributing respectfully, and ensuring everyone feels valued. Your interactions shape the culture of this network. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge diversity and inclusion, as it brings varied and amplified perspectives.

Each exchange has the potential to influence its direction and enrich your growth. To ensure your PLN remains a meaningful space, create it with intention, promoting connections that inspire, challenge, and support your learning journey.

Building my PLN has made learning more engaging and interactive. It provides a sense of support and empowerment, encouraging me to reach out whenever I need guidance or inspiration. Overall, my PLN has significantly enhanced my educational experience, especially since it can be tailored towards my personal goals and interests.

References

Parsi, N. (2022). Build a learning culture. Welcome to SHRM.
https://www.shrm.org/topics-tools/news/all-things-work/build-learning-culture

Online courses vectors & illustrations for free download. Freepik. https://www.freepik.com/vectors/online-courses

Slocum, M., & Uskokovich, S. Formal vs informal sources. Introduction to College Research. https://fscj.pressbooks.pub/collegeresearch/chapter/formal-vs-informal-sources/

Czerkawski, B. C. (2016) Blending formal and informal learning networks for online learning. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning. https://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/download/2344/3689?inline=1

Poth, R. D. (2023). Building your professional learning network. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/professional-learning-networks-teachers/

Personalized Learning

Examining Personalized Learning and Digital Identity

Post author By karenmagureanu
Post date July 22, 2025
No Comments on Examining Personalized Learning and Digital Identity

What is personalized learning, and how does it influence students?

Imagine a classroom where every student learns in a way that truly fits them, where lessons are tailored to their interests, learning pace, and individual needs. That is the heart of personalized learning. Instead of everyone following the exact same lesson plan, personalized learning adjusts the experience for each student.

During a spelling test, for example, a teacher might assign a student a few additional, challenging words to provide just the right level of encouragement needed to support their growth.

What Is Personalized Learning?

Personalized learning is a teaching approach that adjusts instruction to match each student’s unique strengths, needs, skills, and interests. It can take many forms, such as:

Adaptive technology – Apps or online resources that adjust difficulty levels based on how a student is performing
Flexible assignments – Letting students choose how to show their learning, whether through a video, essay, slideshow, or something else
Student voice and choice – Allowing students to help set goals or explore topics they are passionate about

The goal? Make learning more relevant and engaging so students stay motivated and grasp concepts deeply.

How Does It Impact Students?

Benefits	Challenges

Keeps students more engaged by matching lessons to their interests and learning styles

Requires extensive teacher training for successful implementation

Boosts motivation by giving students more control over their learning journey

Can be costly, needing computers and other resources

Allows students to master topics before moving forward

Some students may lack equal access to technology or support

Better meets diverse learning needs compared to traditional methods

Students might feel isolated due to more independent learning

Lets students learn at their own pace, reducing stress and pressure

The tracking progress can be difficult when each student follows a different path

Improves understanding and long-term retention of material

Schools need to adjust how they teach, assess, and plan lessons

Personalized Learning and Digital Identity

Personalized learning harnesses data to tailor education to individual needs, enhancing engagement and outcomes through technology. However, it demands robust digital identity management, including secure logins and transparent privacy policies, to protect student data and foster trust, ensuring technology enhances education without compromising security.

Explore More in Personalized Learning

Definition of Digital Identity

A digital identity is a set of data that represents the unique traits, attributes, and actions of a person, organization, application, or device. Combined with authorization technology, it confirms that the entity is both authorized to access specific resources and is the legitimate user of that access.

Understanding Visitor and Resident Modes in Digital Identity

When we talk about digital identity, it’s not just about what data exists, it’s also about how we interact online. Two key modes help explain this: visitor and resident.

Mode	How You Use the Internet	Digital Identity Impact
Visitor Mode	Use the web as a tool to complete tasks	Minimal digital footprint, and task-focused
Resident Mode	Engage, share, and build an online presence	Ongoing, personal, and visible identity

Why It Matters

Students may act as digital visitors, briefly researching for class, or as residents, engaging in online projects or discussions. Recognizing these roles clarifies how digital identities form and why protecting them matters. A digital identity map effectively visualizes our online presence and interactions

My Digital Identity Map:

Platforms I Use and How I Use Them

This map shows how I use different digital platforms as a student. Some are for quick tasks like submitting work or checking information, while others are where I am more active and visible online.

Welcome to my first Blog Post in EDCI Learning

Post author By karenmagureanu
Post date July 18, 2025
1 Comment on Welcome to my first Blog Post in EDCI Learning

Hello my name is Karen!

About me

I’m a physics major with a love for all things motion. When I’m not buried in equations, you’ll probably find me chasing down a disk in ultimate or hitting the tennis court. Lately, I’ve had Island in the Sun by Weezer on repeat. Give it a listen below and let me know what you think!

Island in the Sun – Weezer

I listen to music almost constantly. Some of my favorite bands include Metallica, My Chemical Romance, Nirvana, and of course, Weezer. My mom’s influence shaped a big part of my music taste, so I grew up enjoying ’80s and ’90s artists like ABBA, Modern Talking, Céline Dion, Backstreet Boys, and Selena. While she filled our home with music, my dad encouraged me to pursue my academic goals with confidence. As an electrical engineer, his belief in me sparked my love for science and a curiosity about the connections between us and the world.

But growing up, I didn’t always have the best study habits. This is something I now realize was closely tied to how I used social media. I often turned to it as both a resource and a distraction, spending time watching YouTube or endlessly scrolling through Instagram. These habits led to poor time management and negatively affected my mental health. However, I’ve learned from those experiences and am working to continue improving my habits, and hopefully help others do the same. That brings me to a question worth exploring: how can social media positively and negatively affect us and our learning?

How can social media leave an impact?

Social media serves as a valuable tool for connection, information sharing, and academic support, but it can also have detrimental effects when it leads to distraction, mental health challenges, or the spread of misinformation.

Positive Effects	Negative Effects
Academic Support	Distraction from Studies
Global Connection	Procrastination
Creative Expression	Mental Health Strain
Career and Networking Opportunities	Sleep Disruption
Mental Health Resources	Cyberbullying
Social Activism	Privacy Risks

The 6 main positive and negative effects of social media

How do the positive effects help?

Access to study groups, educational videos, and online forums that explain difficult topics
Builds communities across cultures and interests, allowing users to learn from diverse perspectives
Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube give users space to share art, music, writing, or projects
LinkedIn and Twitter can help students connect with professionals and discover internships or job leads
Many accounts share helpful advice, positive affirmations, and links to mental health support
Gives youth a voice in social issues, allowing them to engage with movements they care about

How do the negative effects hurt?

Constant notifications and scrolling can interrupt concentration and reduce productivity
It’s easy to spend hours on social media instead of focusing on homework or studying
Comparing yourself to others’ highlight reels or posts can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression
Late-night screen time can reduce sleep quality, affecting academic performance
Negative interactions online can harm confidence and emotional well-being
Oversharing or lack of awareness about digital footprints can lead to personal and academic consequences

Social media is a powerful tool. It can either support your growth or become a major distraction. The key is learning how to use it with intention and balance.