“Based on Utecht’s 5 stages of PLN adoption, identify which stage you currently see yourself experiencing and how this impacts on your personal and working lives. Also identify any ‘gaps’ in your existing PLN (ie. areas which you feel you would like to develop further/in the future). Write around 400 words.”
Source: Utecht, 2008
Of the five stages in Utecht’s Personal Learning Network (PLN), I feel I’ve encountered the whole spectrum!
- Immersion,
- Evaluation,
- Know-it-all,
- Perspective and
- Balance.
In 2019, I decided to change careers and do what I had always wanted: work in a library! There was one problem – Tasmania is quite small and opportunities, especially in a regional town, were limited. To give myself the best chance to secure one of these sought-after jobs, I immersed myself in the Library and Information Sector (LIS). I wanted to know everything. I wanted to gain as much knowledge as possible, to prove I was a worthy candidate despite the lack of prior experience.
Once I secured a permanent role, the urgency to learn continued. I completed an online Diploma of Library and Information Services and then enrolled in this Bachelor of Information. However, combining full-time work with part-time study took its toll, and I had to evaluate my PLN activities and achieve some balance. To minimise the time spent outside work hours completing coursework, I decided to forgo any internal professional development (PD) opportunities and focus on my studies (with permission from my manager).
This manager encouraged me to apply for a grant (which I did receive) from the State Library and Archives Trust to attend the NSWPLA SWITCH Conference in Sydney to increase my PLN opportunities. As mentioned by Utecht in his article, I believe that focusing on opportunities that directly assist with career goals or subjects I am interested in will be more sustainable in the long run over obsessively trying to know everything in the LIS. Attending a public library conference outside of Tasmania with industry speakers, trade talks, and networking opportunities, I found the most beneficial use of my time. I will prioritise conference attendance in the future.
As well as conference attendance and finishing my degree, I wish to focus my PLN opportunities on school or museum libraries, both areas of interest. To gain more knowledge in these areas I have three ideas for my PLN:
- Become part of the ALIA mentoring scheme,
- Subscribe to librarian blogs that have a focus on school libraries and children’s literature,
- In my Libraries Tasmania PD plan, request work experience in a school or museum library in Tasmania.
To conclude, I have created the infographic below that I can update as needed, track my PLN opportunities and, most importantly, keep my work/life balance!
(408 words).
Cat Douglas – PLN
References
ALIA. (2024). ALIA mentoring scheme. https://www.alia.org.au/Web/Web/Careers/ALIA-Mentoring-Scheme.aspx
Nielson, L. (2008, October 12). 5 things you can do to begin developing your personal learning network. https://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/04/5-things-you-can-do-to-begin-developing.html
Utecht, J. (2008, April 3). Stages of PLN adoption. https://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption/
I like the infographic for tracking your PLN. Allowing you to visually see your progress. This can be a powerful tool for staying motivated.