Building a Professional Learning Community through Linkedin

Over the past school year, distance learning has become the primary means for teaching and learning,  thus the value of virtual professional development and online learning. It has been rewarding for us, the Fordham PDRC Team, to be able to connect with many of the teachers, school, district, and organizational leaders who have shared with us their needs and priorities. In response, the Fordham PDRC Team is delivering webinars that are specifically designed to respond to those needs and interests. We have also learned that for a significant number of educators, social media provides another opportunity to connect with colleagues, share interests and grow professionally. As opportunities to connect in-person with colleagues have diminished during this school year, the importance of learning how to adapt has increased. As a result, we created an online learning ecosystem and learned how to utilize technology to connect, learn and thrive as a community. 

During our sessions, PDRC webinar participants have often requested a special type of forum where the connections, networking, and conversations could continue. Through our research, we discovered that most of the NYC PDRC-participating Independent and Religious schools utilized social media to share information with each other and their school community stakeholders. In particular, LinkedIn was identified as a great platform for this type of professional connection and development is LinkedIn. 

In January 2021, the PDRC Team launched its new PDRC Resource Group on LinkedIn. This social media group will serve as an extension of the center’s resources. As many of our educators and administrators work from home, we want to deepen their connections to the PDRC support network. From our “Chat and Network” series to engaging in thought-provoking relevant conversations with colleagues, our LinkedIn group will be a place to continue the learning after our webinars.

What can you expect?

• Engaging conversations and the opportunity to learn from the PDRC team and other school colleagues
• LinkedIn Live sessions that will feature in-demand guest speakers, educational roundtable discussions, etc.
• Creating a networking space for colleagues

Sign up to start receiving resources through LinkedIn and connect with colleagues. We look forward to seeing you there.