In Chapter 2 of Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach and Lani Ritter Hall's book, The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a Digital Age, we are introduced to the concept of connected learning. The connected learning model emphasizes three main components. These components consist of professional learning communities (PLC), professional learning networks (PLN), and communities of practice (CoP). Each of these definitions holds a different meaning; however, all highlight the importance of collaboration and effective communication. In my potential career, healthcare, communication, and collaboration are key when it comes to ensuring the likelihood of a patient's outcome.
A professional learning community is primarily team-focused, where a group of professionals can collectively share a goal and can effectively assume responsibility. In healthcare, we use a term called interdisciplinary teamwork. I believe interdisciplinary teamwork and PLC are closely connected to one another. Interdisciplinary teamwork occurs when multiple professions within the hospital collaborate to achieve a common goal for a patient. This goal is ultimately to improve our patient care, which always comes first in any situation. A professional learning network is when individuals use a more self-directed approach by using various tools to expand their knowledge and advance their learning. A PLN in healthcare can be used by attending webinars or following a professional health organization. This allows healthcare providers to gain access to new research, treatments, and methods.
Communities of practice are made up of people with a common interest who collaborate to learn to do it better (Nussbaum-Beach & Hall pg.33). These people share a common concern and strive to deepen their knowledge by collectively coming together and sharing a similar goal. A great example that was used in chapter two in relation to CoPs and healthcare was "nurses seeking to reduce error in hospitals" (pg 33). We can also see the use of CoPs in infectious disease control centers (CDC) or a wound care organization. Each of these involves the use and knowledge of various professions that share a common goal. Chapter two highlights the importance of collaboration and what benefits come from doing so. Each component discussed carries its own unique definition, yet all support professional growth, improving practice and outcomes, collaboration, and formal learning.
Hi Olivia, I really like how you connected PLCs, PLNs, and CoPs to healthcare. Your examples, like interdisciplinary teamwork and nurses working to reduce errors, really show how collaboration can directly improve patient care. I also like how you pointed out the value of self directed learning through PLNs, attending webinars or following professional organizations is such a practical way to stay up-to-date in a field that’s always changing. It’s clear that connected learning isn’t just an idea, but something that has real, meaningful effects in healthcare. Your explanation really shows how building these networks can support both professional growth and better patient outcomes.
ReplyDeleteHi Olivia,
ReplyDeleteI really liked the way that you connected Chapter 2 to your future in healthcare and explained interdisciplinary teamwork. The way you tied PLCs to healthcare teams working together for a patient’s outcome made a lot of sense and helped me see how these concepts apply outside of teaching. I really also liked how you took the example from chapter 2, “nurses seeking to reduce error in hospitals,” because for me that was a really strong way to show how communities of practice can have a real impact, especially in your future job prospects. It also made me think about how, in my future career, I’ll also need to rely on different networks of people to improve my work and keep learning. I think you did a good job making the ideas from the chapter clear and meaningful in your field!
Hello Olivia,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job tying the chapter we read to healthcare. It makes the ideas way easier to understand! I like the way you compared interdisciplinary teamwork to a PLC. I also agree that PLNs are super useful since healthcare is always changing, and it’s a good way to keep up with new info! The CoPs example about reducing errors in hospitals was really solid too. It shows how team can really make a huge different for patients. Great job on your blog!
Hi Olivia!
ReplyDeleteYour summary and connections between your profession in healthcare and Chapter 2 are clear and concise. I really liked how specific you were in how you related aspects of the healthcare field, like the CDC and wound care organizations, to CoPs. Additionally, as a non-healthcare major, the ties between interdisciplinary teamwork and PLCs, and in other examples, helped give an insight into your major. Your blog shares how important these models are in the healthcare field and how they will help you throughout your career!
Hey Olivia! I really enjoyed how you connected your own experience and knowledge in healthcare/nursing to the way that workplaces use teamwork. I liked how you incorporated the terms you use in your field to further expand on what the chapter was all about. A question I have for you: which do you find to be the most effective/important method of connected learning for healthcare?
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