How diverse is your existing PLN?

My PLN right now is very diverse in many ways: People of many different ages, races, and backgrounds are all contributing to the discussion, allowing for different points of view from many different cultures and ethnicities, but also perspectives that can only be brought from those with the experience that comes with age. I believe that this is in large part due to COVID, with so many people decided to change career paths, leading to an influx of new or returning university students that normally wouldn’t fit the demographic of the usual ‘university student’

 

In your PLN, are you learning from a variety of voices or are you the loudest in the room? Do you participate in a silo of information sharing (similar themes or wide range of interests)?

Within my PLN I take more of a passive approach, often preferring others with differing views to share their opinions. After being the loudest in the room throughout high school and being surrounded by people of the same race, background, and thought process, I realized that university is a perfect opportunity to broaden my horizons and see the world through someone else’s eyes. Information sharing in university is crucial, it is realistically the only way to be able to succeed and leave university with an enlightened perspective: without different viewpoints and sharing of these viewpoints, one is unable to understand multifaceted issues.

 

How can you use a diverse PLN to broaden your views of inclusion?

A diverse PLN is almost necessary to broaden the principles of inclusion, in the sense that inclusion cannot be successful without input from people of kinds. This is to say that it is nigh on impossible to really include everyone when not everyone is being represented fairly.

 

What is the learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?

The learning outcome of my PLN is to successfully harbour all opinions in the journey to make myself the most inclusive and insightful as I can be. I am ensuring this by allowing my opinions to be open and honest, while appreciating and researching differing opinions and utilizing feedback given to me.

 

How has your thinking about inclusion and PLN evolved after reviewing the videos and readings?

My thinking about inclusion hasn’t changed since reviewing the videos and readings: I have always considered myself to be an inclusive and welcoming person. My thoughts about my PLN have changed in a way though, as I am now much more interested in researching differing opinions and purposely surrounding myself with those that hold differing opinions.