Got your attention, did I? 

Well, I do like “learning in networks”, but I do dislike the theory of Personal Learning Networks.  

Reading about PLN in year 2021 seems like a theorization of something that is understood naturally by digital residents. One wonders who benefits of this theorization? 

Is the theory perhaps useful for the digital visitor if not useful for the digital resident?  

One person in our group (who do not usually consider themselves as a digital resident) did not really grasp the concept of PLN. It seems like this theory did not relate to her experiences regarding how she learns. My interpretation is that the theory was an unnecessary abstraction. I am sure she has colleagues and friends online, so she must have a PLN, but the PLN theory was still not something she could relate to. So from my point of view, the theory seems of little help neither for the digital resident nor the digital visitor. 

I would argue that PLN’s strongest point is, that every human is part of a PLN, whether they have built it on purpose or not. And the concept of PLN encourages people to be more aware of their network, and this encourages people to build their network with greater intention. 

But I’m not sure the vague theory of PLN can offer any practical advice in how to build one’s PLN. E.g. in comparison, the theory of Community of Practice offers more concrete advice in how to build a functioning professional community. 

Since the internet is full of people who have utilized it to a high degree for business and learning, why not look for advice on the open internet, rather than the academic research?

As an example, Jimmy Donaldson (age 23) who runs the hugely successful Youtube channel MrBeast, offers this advice regarding learning in groups.  

“Imagine a world where it’s just you working solo /…/ you grind, you make mistakes, you learn from it and you do that for a year. Imagine a different world where you have four friends, who are also equally grinding in something similar, friend no 1 makes a mistake on Friday, he teaches the other four people. Friend no 2 makes a mistake the next week, he teaches everyone. You all are learning from other people’s mistakes. You all are constantly studying 24/7 and downloading each other. After a year, you are two years ahead of the guy who is just solo. It really does make a difference.” 

This quote can easily be translated into academic terms. By working in groups and teams, you accelerate your learning. Your group of peers acts as a fine-tuned information filter. Because the group has a shared understanding and know-how, only relevant new information is shared among the group members. And because everybody is working towards similar goals, new discoveries usually help everyone in the group.

No, Mr. Beast is not my go-to guy for advice. But it’s an example of advice that is perhaps more meaningful and tangible, than what the PLN theory and its surrounding research is able to offer the common man.  

Internet moves fast, if you need practical advice in how to use it, search for practical advice on the open internet. If you want to read the same advice 10 years later, read the academic literature.