This week I chose the third article “Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them” by Rajagopal, et al. 2012. This article caught my interest as it refers to one’s professional development and growth through networking. This includes learning strategies built from refections and social interactions and experiences.
By reading this article I gained a new perspective on networking in a professional setting. This includes the three-layered approach proposed by Grabher and Ibert (2008). Which explains the communality layer/strong ties, sociality layer/weak ties, and connectivity layer/very weak ties. All of which play an important role in developing professional networking skills. Not only is networking a skill that can be further developed, but it is also an attitude towards learning.
My wonder regarding this article is that I would like to know more about building, maintaining, and activating connections, learn more in-depth about the factors of contacts qualities, as well as the impacts of attitude on one’s professional network building experiences.
The reason why I chose this article as my WoW topic was that I have recently started my first Co-op in the Health Information Sciences program. I am currently in a new workplace and have the opportunity to network professionally. This includes gaining further perspectives which will ultimately aid me in networking in both my current and future jobs and any other endeavors I may take.
Hyperlink: https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131
Rajagopal, K., Brinke, D. J.-ten, Bruggen, J. V., & Sloep, P. B. (n.d.). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday. Retrieved January 22, 2022, from https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559
Comments
Hello Jeet,
I enjoyed reading your post. I can connect with your post as I am also completing a co-op this semester and taking this class is helping me learn a lot of new things about networking as well as how important networking is. I agree that as co-op students we should learn more about initiating and maintaining connections in a workplace. And I also agree that these connections will help us grow in our careers in the future. It also makes me wonder if covid-19 has changed these professionally networking methods forever? As I have noticed and you might agree with me as well, it is difficult to network in your workplace when most of the staff is working from home.
Regards,
Riya