Digital and Face-to-Face PLNs: The Direct and The Scenic Routes

Technology has allowed us to break our limitation of geography. This greatly influences how we learn and who we turn to when we need information. I used to work in a lab where I needed to use relatively new software to visualize and process some instrument data. However, no one in my immediate environment knew much about it. This could have been a problem if not for technology. The documentation and information I needed was readily available online on various websites and discussion forums.

My digital PLNs gave me exactly what I searched for. And this was also the problem. Digital PLNs are limited by their algorithms which influence what information we come across. If we repeatedly engage with a particular topic, the platforms continue to use that for recommending similar content. For instance, if we watch a video that demonstrates one method of solving a math problem, the platform may continue recommending that method, even when alternate methods exist which might be more effective.

So while digital PLNs afford us global connectivity and rapid information access, it gets limited by the repetition of information. This is where face-to_face PLNs offer something different. In my experience, organic interactions can introduce unexpected perspectives and ideas which we don’t actively seek out. Unlike a digital platform like youtube, there are no personalized algorithm on conversation in a face-to-face interaction.  Going back to my lab experience, it turned out that the software I used had too many bugs and was not really suited for the type of work I was doing. But there was no one on the internet to tell me this. It was only through a conversation with my lab supervisor that I was able to see that a better visualization software existed which made my life way easier. So to conclude, digital PLNs afford us the luxury to find specific answers when we need them, however face-to-face interactions can help expose us to perspectives and solutions we never considered.