The Integrated Approach of the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative

Most educators who have participated in grade level, subject matter teams, or Professional Learning Communities are comfortable with an internal approach. It’s what most of us know. The belief is that all that is necessary to increase student success is for the teams to focus inwards on their members, the issues, and their processes. We are comfortable working across the table with a small group of fellow educators. This internal focus has worked. But, the times are changing so rapidly.

Educators are going to have to align their work with the needs of the school and district. Technology and research are growing and being created at amazing rates. Educational issues are growing in complexity and number. Much knowledge, expertise, data, and information is available outside of the team boundaries. We must deal with social changes, legal changes, technological changes, demographic changes, etc.

What is now needed is both an internal focus and an external focus. This is the Integrated Approach. The integrated approach has two concurrent focuses, the internal and the external.

Concurrent Perspective: PLCs have typically been internally focused. They focus on developing strong norms, processes for communicating, problem solving, building consensus, etc. This is important, but PNLCs recognize that equally important is a clear understanding of how their work fits into the needs of those outside of the team. The clearly understand that their work must fit within the greater goals of the school and the district. They are externally focused and internally focused. They do not wait to create and establish internal norms or practices for every aspect of their work, but rather, get on with the work meeting the needs of students, the grade level, department, school, district, and the team together, while simultaneously developing internal processes. They also keep an eye out for trends in technology, new research, and new strategies, and new compliance issues developing outside of the group.

It is a little more difficult and messy, but that the reality is that the school day and school year are too short to spend valuable time solely focused on internal aspects and neglect the external needs as well.

Boundary Crossing: Professional Networked Learning Collaboratives understand that the answers to questions, necessary data, important information, or key knowledge my lay outside of the team members sitting at the table. PNLC understand that boundaries of grade level, school site, subject matter, job function, etc. that have previously isolated PLCs should not be allowed to prevent the necessary knowledge reaching PLC members. PNLC members, therefore understand, that anyone anywhere can be a source of valuable and or necessary resource to them.

Networked: The Professional Networked Collaborative understands the power of the network. Useful outsiders become part of the network that the PNLC taps into to increase student learning and achievement. The network of useful outsiders exists physically and virtually and changes over time.

Flexible and Scalable: PNLC are flexible in who is part of the group, how long that person will be part of the group, the way in which the group will work, who is leading the group, etc. The PNLC is scalable in size, growing to include new useful outsiders or including new networks. But the PNLC is also flexible as to whom, when, what, and how the group uses networks and outsiders.

It is the Professional Networked Learning Collaborative that is best designed to meets the needs of educators now and in the future through its integrated approach.