Social Media & Personal Learning Network: A French View

For this week's focus on the international perspective of Web 2.0, I thought reusing my blog's name was appropriate as part of my post's title as well.

As you read my lines on Canva or elsewhere, (or as some of you heard my funny accent on Voice Thread), I've approached this program with a non-US, thus international angle. In fact, I approached my whole transition into the field of instructional design the same way, as I learned about the field and developed my PLN by connecting with English natives (mostly US) and joining US Communities of Practices online.

One great benefit is that I am practicing the English language daily, which keeps being a paramount passport to integrating a field and connecting with other professionals online.

This week's theme made me reflect on my progression in ID and whether things would have been different if my PLN was more "French-made" and less influenced by US vibes.

Here is my opinion: I truly believe that I would not have followed the same path if I had relied on French sources to build my PLN. The main reason is that I had not heard about instructional design in France before Covid emerged, and I quickly realized that though the field is currently growing in my country, it's nothing compared to its popularity in the US. One explanation might be that in the US, a lot of newcomers in the field seem to be transitioning teachers, while you don't observe the same trend in France. Teachers are also quitting their job, but they focus on other transitioning pathways. As a result, I guess the wealth of resources and information was far richer on the US compared to the French side, which makes me who I am today.

Additionally, many learning and instructional theories I learned in the past 3 years with US and other English-native people are not even considered in France. As a consequence, I realized my professional profile does not match French standards, but it does not match US standards either.

So, is this hybrid, atypical profile a good thing for my future? Or rather, will it be an issue? Without any hesitation, I can say I feel great about my choice of developing an international PLN. Subconsciously, I suspect that, because I always wanted to experience the US culture from an educational perspective, I was more likely to select non-French resources and connect with English natives preferably. I think this would have been harder with a professional field that is well-developed in my country, thus it appeared to be a wonderful turn of events. With a US-oriented PLN, I opened myself to different perspectives, I also get used to a professional mindset and habits of work that definitely makes me stand out of the pack in my current environment (higher ed), for the better and worse (for better so far ;-) ).

What would the future would be for me? Probably expanding my PLN with this international mindset. But also making an effort to develop the French part of it a bit more. And also, starting a new chapter in my career by engaging myself in more corporate activities and seeing how my culturally diversified PLN will support me and where it will get me.