Community Contribution #3- Diversity and PLN’s
Diversity and inclusion affect personal learning networks (PLN’s) in many ways. By gaining new ideas and new connections we can strengthen our PLN’s and thus the information gained by them. Before learning more about PLN’s I thought that they were just a way to connect with likeminded people heading in similar directions as myself but this is far from the truth. The best way to engage with a PLN is by hearing and engaging with different perspectives. This gets you the most information which helps you get further. Likeminded people share very similar ideas while having a diverse view of ideas can really help you see the world differently leading to better ideas.
The concept of two-eyed seeing (Bartlett et al., 2012) is something that really resonated with me in the readings from this week. Two-eyed seeing is the concept of looking at the world through two different lenses. One of those lenses being an indigenous worldview and the other being a western worldview. This is very beneficial as it brings together both ideas so you can use the best ideas from each view. This concept is exactly why keeping your PLN diverse and inclusive is so important. Instead of looking through the world with one lens you can see it through as many as possible. This then leads you to be able pick and choose the best ideas for yourself to move forward with. I believe the concept of two-eyes seeing is one of the best concepts you should bring into your PLN’s and even just your life as a whole. I’ve taken a couple courses in the Indigenous studies department and it has really changed my worldview and I find myself using the concept of two-eye seeing a lot in my life and specifically my academics. I think this has made me a more well informed person in both these places and it’s something I hope more people start thinking about.
Bartlett, C., Marshall, M. & Marshall, A. Two-Eyed Seeing and other lessons learned within a co-learning journey of bringing together indigenous and mainstream knowledges and ways of knowing. J Environ Stud Sci 2, 331–340 (2012). https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.1007/s13412-012-0086-8