While its not something I’ve spent much time considering, I realized during the PLE module that I’ve somewhat relegated PLEs to being a thing of the past. I remember my parents traveling occasionally for conferences related to their work when I was young, but in every company I’ve worked for, there’s always been a sense of not having funds for that. I’ve only ever been offered DEI and various sensitivity trainings, which are great, but also seem to function on more of a liability level for the company than professional development for the likes of me.
Which is why two things really struck me during this model: that in the digital age, there are countless smaller and ongoing ways to pursue professional development, and that it won’t hurt to ask for more. I really adored the 23 things format and can see why its held such lasting success. Small chunks of relevant information is both immediately applicable to the workplace and not intimidating to undertake for the already busy professional.
According to The Strategic, Curious, & Skeptical Learner, I suppose I’d consider myself a Curious Ad-hoc Learner: passionate and excited to learn relevant information, but with the understanding that the doing of such is entirely up to me. I’d jump on any 23 things set that was pertinent to what I’m working on at any given time. I suppose I’ve assumed that Strategic Learners are also a thing of bygone eras, which is why I was so struck by this quote in the piece:
So I just started asking for stuff. I’d say: can I go to this, could I do this, I need to do a photography course because I’m the social media person. I need to go to this conference, . . . so yeah, so I just started asking and I actually got to do quite a lot of professional development in that space, because I asked for it.
I wasn’t aware that was something a person could do. It comes up later on in the Skeptical Learner section, quoting people who feel that people who go to conferences are part of some elite in-group where those opportunities still exist. There are a few staff members at the bookstore I work at that still go to conferences a few times a year. The process of attending has never been offered to me. Perhaps they simply asked. And perhaps I should, too.
Hey Zoe,
Thank you for sharing. I have also similarly felt that the school that I work at indicates that they do not have funds for individual PLEs. We have professional development days where a speaker may be brought in but rarely do we receive funding beyond that. I wonder what would happen if I asked for it?