Category: EDCI 338 (Page 1 of 2)

Group Participants and Contributions

Final Project Outline

Introduction 

According to Whitby (2013), a personal learning network (PLN) “is a tool that uses social media and technology to collect, communicate, collaborate and create” with people all around the world. In our EDCI338 course, we learned that with the help of public communication on social media platforms, such as Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and more, individuals are able to build knowledge on various topics and strengthen personal or professional relationships by participating in shared discussions. Public communication and networking on social media platforms are instantaneous and infinite and provide a sense of feeling connected with others. We will discuss our learnings of PLN platforms, practices, concerns, and education from our EDCI338 course below. 

PLN and Social Media

By creating a strong personal learning network (PLN) through social media, it equips individuals with the right tools to make meaningful connections through shared online discussions. According to Shirley Tang (2018), personal learning networks (PLN) and social media platforms “are the collaboration process of a shared interest” as social media platforms promote personal and professional connections through discussions surrounding shared resources. Social media offers a unique experience which allows individuals to connect with others on a global scale, without distance or time, and “enables individuals to actively reflect on the resources” viewed (Tang 2018). Some widely used social media platforms include Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Twitter, with over 100 million users, “increased student’s engagement” to the viewed content through shared discussions, emphasizing the idea of active reflection (Evans, 2014). 

According to Przybylski & Weinstein (2012), social media platforms are valuable to a PLN as it efficiently promotes personal and professional relationships and quickly increases exposure to new concepts or ideas that would not normally be covered in a traditional classroom. For background context, Twitter and Instagram are social media platforms that allow users to post images or videos with text, and these posts can be commented on, shared, or liked by others. Individuals such as Sophie Lui separates her personal and professional PLN by using Instagram to document her personal life and Twitter to engage in discussions with her professional connections (Miller, 2022). While Twitter and Instagram can be used for personal and professional connections or both, LinkedIn is more geared towards professional uses. LinkedIn offers individuals the platform to build professional relationships, find jobs and required skill sets. Despite the wide range of values these social media platforms add to PLN, there are some disadvantages such as privacy risks and fake news. However, individuals can carefully curate their digital identity and PLN to prevent risks related to privacy and fake news.

By Kate Ueda

Key Characteristics of PLN

Personal Learning Networks is the sum of all “formal and informal networks of individuals with similar goals and interests who interact using digital tools to share information, learn from each other, problem solve and collaborate” (Ferguson, 2010; Nelson, 2012; Perez, 2012; Trust, 2012) while continuously building a stronger network that share similarities in interests, short term goals, and long term learning of similar topics. As opposed to learning by yourself and searching through libraries or search engines to gain better knowledge at a certain topic of interest, PLNs bring everyone that share similar interests in certain topics together by algorithms used like in Instagram feeds, Facebook feeds, Twitter feeds, and forum hashtags like Reddit. This exponentially increases the amount of useful information shared by filtering out the best posts automatically by the amount of traffic brought onto the post. Of course it is easy to be distracted by useless content that the platforms also have to offer if a PLN is not managed or used properly. For example, Facebook and instagram have many posts and shared content that are useless and try to draw traffic to them to users even if it only poses as a slight similarity to the topic users are interested in.

A PLN should be created with the intent of doing what it is supposed to do. If it was for recreation or social media it is okay to just create one at random and to use it for one’s own joy. However, if a user wanted to create a PLN to learn about how stock trading worked they would create a completely new account on all platforms of interest and filter only content related to stock trading. Why the need to create new accounts? This is in order to connect with others who are also interested in the topic because a “successful PLN is also characterized by participants who are highly self-motivated and curious” (Green, 2020). Having to successfully build a PLN around stock trading a user would first:

• Create accounts on all platforms of interest like Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin, Finviz, Weibull, and Reddit
• Follow those who share stock trading content
• Reshare and comment on only the content related to stock trading
• View and watch videos, posts, and stories that are related to stock trading or content that helps grow knowledge in the field
• Create a network with other people by following, adding, communicating and commenting on topics that both of you are interested in
• Slowly increase the number of users you know that all share the same curiosity and motivation in learning the content.
• ONLY use the accounts for content related to stock trading, IF you need to use them for other videos and content use your leisure account to not affect the algorithm of the sites that selects what is shown on your feed.

It is important to “[engage] in different communities with different areas of focus will provide a rich environment for learning” (Green, 2020) by incorporating informal learning, formal learning, and social networking all together to achieve a better understanding of your set goal. This means

By Becky Zeng

Digital Identity and Reputation

The amount of human activities that depend on digital technology has increased at an alarming rate.  Computer downsizing, falling technological prices, and the ease of human-computer interface have made digital devices accessible to everybody. Furthermore, mobile Internet connectivity has become commonplace in many nations throughout the world (Literacy 6: Digital Identity, Safety and well-being: Digital Skills: Project “digital literacies”, n.d). This enabled us to communicate and connect with one another since social media and technology, in particular, have erased physical boundaries that formerly existed.

 A person’s digital identity is described as their online presence; it includes anything they publish and share on social media or the web, such as tweets, blogs, images, conversations, videos, and more. The way a person acts and how others perceive them in both personal and professional contexts shapes their online identity (What is digital identity?, 2021). 

Individuals embrace technology in a variety of ways to improve/develop their digital identity/reputation. Technology enables us to communicate with and exchange resources with others who are engaged in distance learning and establishing a diverse PLN. Technology also allows us to readily access, generate, publish, and share information, as well as find any information we need by using social media or google. Finally, technology is critical in order to develop a diverse and inclusive PLN that allows individuals to learn and progress while also receiving trustworthy information and resources. For example, I have a digital persona in various Reddit groups that I use to engage with people and learn from them. My objective is to work in the data science field, hence “Data Science” is one of the groups I joined and utilize in Reddit. I made friends from different countries that shared their journey to becoming data scientists. When I have a question or need guidance with something, I just submit a question and receive immediate replies or suggestions. I would not have been able to interact with them and learn from their experiences if it had not been for technology.

As we develop and improve our PLN, some of the social factors that we should consider in our PLN include our network’s heterogeneity and openness as this helps us to obtain an awareness of the many thoughts and perspectives of different people. In addition, because our online reputation is based on the people and sites we follow, the content we post, like, or share, and the comments we make, it is critical to be cautious and respectful in all of these areas. Furthermore, It is critical to consider providing one’s own information and expertise since a PLN would rapidly stagnate if no one contributed, and hence no one wants to hang around on a Facebook page where the last post was months ago (Green, 2020).

One of the traits that distinguishes a person as a leader or notable person in a PLN is the use of the PLN to develop significant value and potential, as well as to provide comprehensive and high-quality information since this attracts a huge number of individuals who want to learn more. He creates educational videos on YouTube on evidence-based methods and tools that may help individuals be more productive and create the life they want. He also provides classes on the skillshare website, teaching people about different things such as productivity maximization, video editing, how to be happier and more. Because people liked his educational videos on YouTube, he became extremely successful, with over 3.5 million subscribers (Abdaal, n.d). Furthermore, he creates free Weekly Productivity Insights where he shares actionable productivity tips, practical life advice, and high-quality insights. Some of the insights include how to read 200 books a year, break the Procrastination Cycle and more (Abdaal, n.d). I am so grateful to have been following him for a while now as I have learnt a lot from him.

Individuals employ a variety of strategies to develop a positive reputation/presence on a social media platform. First is choosing a suitable platform to build the PLN and to communicate and interact with others. Second, being staying active and consistent contributors in their PLN as this is very essential in maintaining a healthy digital reputation. Third is to provide comprehensive and high-quality information as this attracts a huge number of individuals who want to learn more and expand their PLN (Baldwin, 2022).

By Abdullahi Bashir

Privacy & Data Security

Digital identity grants us safety on the internet by making everyone transparent online. It also makes public services much easier. Nowadays, we can do a lot of things such as pay bills, order on Amazon, and study online. These are all possible because of digital identity. The downside to this is that everything is so transparent that identity theft starts to become a problem. This is why people are now working on identity protection so we can protect our information. However, do keep in mind that transparency and privacy are two opposite ends. This means that if we want to maximize online efficiency by making all our information accessible, we will also drastically decrease our data privacy.

Besides the balance between convenience and privacy, there are also other ways to protect our data such as using strong protection softwares to decrease the risk of identity theft. This method is greatly limited by our technology, better softwares are developed as time passes by. However, we have to remember that technology is always a double-edged sword, meaning that bad people such as hackers can also utilize advanced softwares to steal our data. By looking at the current trend of technology, there is no clear evidence that our internet security is much better than before, hackers are motivated and they will always come up with new tools to access other people’s privacy. This is precisely why many people still keep valuable information on paper instead of uploading them electronically.

Lastly, in the current Big Data Era where everything is online, there are only a certain amount of things we can do as individuals. Keep in mind that big companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft, are always watching you to a certain extent. Therefore it is impossible to achieve 100% privacy as long as you appear online. If the government wants to find you, they can do that in a split second. However, the good news is that they will not target us personally as long as we live by their laws. Extreme methods are only taken in action if we break the rules. 

By Adam Li

Connections to Course Themes

Comparing and contrasting connections to course themes:

Leveraging social media to build PLN is a great way for us to expand on and keep building our PLN, in the article provided by first Monday: “Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them.” It teaches you how to build a good PLN, it has been provided that we should build PLN thru people we feel comfortable with building for better communications and learning processes, this concept is known as benevolence. “Another factor that plays a crucial role is benevolence or the general “good contact” between an individual and a new contact (Rusman, et al., 2010). People connect with others whom they like or trust, or with whom they feel a particular connection. (Rajagopal, et al., 2012) To find benevolence, social media is a really good platform for it since you already have your circles within it and you know who you bond well and are comfortable with within your network of people, therefore it would provide a head start into helping you select who to bond with to opt for benevolence while building your PLN.

How will you know that your PLN is a success?

PLN needs to be influential in a good way which is that people follow you and take in the things you shared as valuable, and also at the same time, PLN needs to be inclusive, make sure you use that influence of your PLN to spread out the inclusivity that you are building. In the video shared by Brad Baker, he has stressed about the importance of promoting learning through an inclusive PLN, in which he had mentioned that in building a healthy community, to bring understanding to how to contribute positively to the community to bring harmony to the community within people of different backgrounds.

Have an interactive PLN follower, Shelly Moore has also shared her thoughts in the interview video when she realized her followers were not only followers, but effective learning partners she could share her life and learning thoughts with and build effective long-term learning relationships thru sessions with.

What features & characteristics of existing media technologies make them effective for personal learning?

The connectivity it brings, in the video “The Benefits of Growing your Network & PLN!”, Amy storer and Dyann Wilson Have talked about how they met so many people thru platforms and build their communities of learning where they have deeply emerged with the people that they met on the social media, and they also felt familiar with people they met online at conferences and bonded very well with them. Amy Storer discussed how her first learning meetup is thru Twitter, where she connected to someone she’s never met before thru a common learning topic on social media, a lot of these topics remain open on social media for anyone who wants to join and connect around the topic. Therefore, I would say existing social media technologies have connectivity and openness for people to reach out and form learning communities.

By Bruce Song

Conclusion

In conclusion, this EDCI338 course has taught our group that we can effectively leverage social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, to create a successful PLN that promotes knowledgeable discussion and insights. Our group has also learned that using social media platforms for our PLN can come with disadvantages such as data and privacy concerns. However, by carefully curating our digital identity, such as by separating our personal and professional social media platforms, we can further control what information we can share with our PLN. This EDCI338 course has taught us that the more diverse personal and professional connections we make, the more we can learn from the world. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic shutting down the physical world, the digital world thrived, strengthening the advantages of PLNs and social media platforms to connect globally.

References

Whitby, T. (2013, November 18). How do I get a PLN? Edutopia. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-do-i-get-a-pln-tom-whitby 

Evans, C. (2014). Twitter for teaching: Can social media be used to enhance the process of learning? British Journal of Educational Technology, 45(5), 902-915.

Thang, S. (2018, July 9). Using Twitter as a Personal Learning Network. Technology and the Curriculum Summer 2018. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.pub/techandcurriculum/chapter/personal-learning-networks/ 

Przybylski, A. K., & Weinstein, N. (2012). Can you connect with me now? How the presence of mobile communication technology influences face-to-face conversation quality. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(3), 237-246.

MILLER. (2022 June 6). Sophie Lui – EDCI 338 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfcXgKLzOVM

Rajagopal, K., & Sloep, P. B. (2012). View of understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them: First Monday. View of Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them | First Monday. Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131

YouTube. (2021). Brad Baker Edci 338. YouTube. Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z8iHxW2n4.

YouTube. (2021). Edci 338 – 20 Minutes Moore. YouTube. Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeSV0rUl1bA.·       YouTube. (2022). The Benefits of Growing your Network & Pln!YouTube. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEa8JgAE_qM.

Literacy 6: Digital Identity, Safety and well-being: Digital Skills: Project “digital literacies” (n.d) Literacy 6: Digital identity, safety and well-being | Digital Skills | Project “Digital Literacies”. Available at: https://digitalskills.unibas.ch/en/literacy-framework/literacy-6-digital-identity-safety-and-well-being/.

UoGLibrary (2021) What is digital identity?, YouTube. UoGLibrary. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGV5OBa938I&ab_channel=UofGLibrary .

L. Green, C. (2020) Personal learning networks: Defining and building a PLN, Learning in the Digital Age. Oklahoma State University Libraries. Available at: https://open.library.okstate.edu/learninginthedigitalage/chapter/personal-learning-networks_defining-and-building-a-pln/.

Abdaal. A (n.d), YouTube. aliabdaal. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/@aliabdaal/videos 

Abdaal, A. (n.d) Ali Abdaal. Available at: https://aliabdaal.com/.

Baldwin, C. (2022) Improve your digital reputation with social media and content, WSI. WSI World. Available at: https://www.wsiworld.com/blog/improve-your-digital-reputation-with-social-media-and-content.

Jessica Orchard Research Fellow, & Ben Freedman Director External Affairs and Group Leader Heart Rhythm & Stroke Group. (2022, November 14). Should you really use your smartwatch or fitness wearable to monitor your heart? The Conversation. Retrieve from https://theconversation.com/should-you-really-use-your-smartwatch-or-fitness-wearable-to-monitor-your-heart-194060 

Hale, R., Bywater, J. A. and A., D’Avanzo, M., Krems, K., Corporate Compliance Insights, Silverman, M., Balser, D., Simmons, R., Reports, S. and W., Costa, J., Millar, B., Hann, T., & Stirland, J. (2022, October 12). Instead of crying over spilled data, shore up your governance practices. Corporate Compliance Insights. Retrieved from https://www.corporatecomplianceinsights.com/category/data-privacy/ 

What is data privacy? SNIA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.snia.org/education/what-is-data-privacy 

Trust, T. (2012). Professional Learning Networks Designed for Teacher Learning. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 28(4), 133–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/21532974.2012.10784693

Ferguson, H. (2010). Join the flock! Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(8), 12–15. Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading/issues/june-july-2010/join-the-flock! Nelson, C. J. (2012). 64 Knowledge Quest | Personal Learning Networks, 70–74.

Perez, L. (2012). Innovative professional development. Knowledge Quest, 40(3), 20–22. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.georgetowncollege.edu:2048/login?URL=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=82563981

” Can your PLN be used to help professional development post-course?”

Because I learnt a lot throughout the course, I believe I can use my PLN to further my professional development after the course. I have learned that employing diversity and inclusivity in my PLN enables me to expose myself with many perspectives and different views from various resources and people with different background and culture.

” Can your PLN be relied on to open professional opportunities?”

Yes, I believe I can rely on my PLN to open professional opportunities because I have already received some offers of professional opportunities through my PLN and connections I made on social media. As a health informatics student, I always try to expand my PLN and network as having many connections/networks in professional level facilitates us in opening different gates.

“What is media literacy?”

Media Literacy is a framework for accessing, analyzing, evaluating, creating, and participating in communications in many media ranging from print to video to the Internet. Media literacy fosters a grasp of the function of media in society as well as the critical inquiry and self-expression abilities required of democratic individuals. It is people’s capacity to detect and utilize media correctly, which is their ability to comprehend, interpret, and assess media and media messages. [1].

” Why is it important?”

People need media literacy to grasp the messages that are being transmitted to them. With so many sources of information available today, media literacy may assist consumers in identifying trustworthy sources and filtering through the noise to find the truth. People who are media literate can identify biases in the media and how they may influence their impression of an event or topic.

” Open dialogues about media literacy and factual information can create conflict; why does this happen?”

Open dialogues about media literacy and factual information can create conflict because most individuals do not consider media literacy to be a consideration while using social media and do not want to exert additional effort to check the information they get as long as it corresponds to their beliefs and desires. This creates conflicts because people will ignore factual information if that does not align with their beliefs, desires or agendas. Nowadays, media employ tags, advertising, and caches to target audiences that are likely to agree with their news and information, even if it is not true, and the media will do this just for profit.

“What is the benefit of having a PLN that values media literacy?”

Having a PLN that values media literacy has a lot of benefits including:

• It enables us to absorb factual information or news from our PLN because they respect media literacy and are trustworthy, as opposed to the general media, which seeks to profit from their information.
• Lets individuals have access to a wealth of knowledge that may help them learn more and improve.
• Allows us to have constructive dialogues that will lead to individuals meeting halfway and making necessary modifications.
• People may use their PLNs to double-check information or news and confirm the trustworthiness of the information they receive.

To avoid fake news and disinformation that travels swiftly in this internet age when everything gets everywhere quickly without being fact-checked at all, it’s critical to have a PLN that values media literacy.

References:

[1] https://www.medialit.org/media-literacy-definition-and-more

” How do notable individuals use social media?”

I believe that notable individuals use social media for the same reasons that ordinary folks do: to connect with others and to obtain information or news. Notable people such as celebrities utilize social media as a sort of marketing, attention seeking, and a means to boost their fame. In addition, notable people such as politicians use social media as a means of disseminating ideas, expressing their views on contentious issues or promoting and advocating for specific ideals.

Sophie Louis noted in the video that she expresses herself differently on Twitter and Instagram. She is more likely to tweet about her opinions and events. While she usually posts about her daily life on Instagram, such as her diet and friends[1]. Like Sophie, I generally express myself differently on social media. For example, I maintain separate social media accounts for business and personal reasons. I use Instagram to interact with close friends and share my daily life, but I use Twitter and Linkedin to network with professionals and gain information.

” What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?”

Being in the public eye and having PLN enables many benefits for individuals. An individual can readily convey a message, picture, and brand that can easily reach a bigger audience, allowing them to be perceived as inspiring and influential figure. Other benefits may include the ability to obtain public support, as being in the public eye implies having a large number of followers and fans.

“ Identify the risks and benefits of engaging with a public audience in a media space – what are the risks for a public figure or person in a position of trust (educator, lawyer, government official)?”

Engaging with a public audience in a media space as a public figure or a person in a position of trust has many benefits. For example, the media space enables them to communicate and interact with the audience on anything, such as difficulties and problems that exist and that the audience is experiencing. They can also utilize the media area to share any new information they have that is relevant to the audience. Furthermore, they may use social media to prevent the propagation of falsehoods about them, which causes mistrust in the hearts of their audience. Using media space as a public figure can also pose a lot of risks. For example, because their identity is hidden and they have nothing to fear, the audience can judge, attack, and abuse prominent figures online. Other risks include privacy invasion, identity theft and misinformation spread.

“How to best address negative replies and critiques reflective of your personal values and employer’s social media policy?”

I believe that acknowledging unfavourable responses and critiques, reflecting on them, and making adjustments for the better is one approach to dealing with them. If the negative replies and critiques still happen after making some changes, it is maybe better to ignore them as it is impossible to please everyone.

References:

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfcXgKLzOVM&feature=youtu.be

” How does social media engage communications?“

Social media is a potent form of communication that has a significant impact on both populated areas and rural regions. Not only has the globe become more accessible and affected businesses, but it has also altered how we communicate. Online communication has made information accessible to groups of people and audiences that were previously inaccessible. People are now more aware of what is going on in other areas of the world thanks to it. People can now easily communicate and connect through social media by just using their phones.

” How does social media challenge communications?”

Some of the challenges brought by social media communication might include the issue of ambiguity that frequently plagues internet communication. This typically happens as a result of information overload or the internet distribution of an excessive amount of irrelevant content. Users will struggle to understand which information is necessary and which is unnecessary in this situation, making it harder for them to respond to important messages[1]. Our communication etiquette is also challenged by social media. The effects of digital discourse don’t matter as much to us as efficiency. Too frequently, people speak without considering the recipient’s ability to understand the tone and purpose of what they are saying. There is a person on the opposite side of the screen, but we don’t notice them. In the end, it has increased misinterpretation and misunderstanding, which endangers our relationships[2].

” What are the benefits of a diverse and inclusive PLN in social media sharing that understands where you are coming from with messaging that impacts the community?”

inclusive and diverse PLNs may offer a variety of advantages. One of them is that more individuals may locate and get in touch with others who share their interests. Different viewpoints and ideas may be incorporated thanks to inclusion and diversity. Diverse and inclusive PLN in social media sharing can also provide the advantage of reducing false information spread about different things such as the news that can impact the community.

References:

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/challenges-moving-online-communication-collaboration-emma-parry/

[2] https://thriveglobal.com/stories/how-social-media-affects-our-ability-to-communicate/#:~:text=Ultimately%2C%20it%20has%20created%20more,the%20expense%20of%20quality%20communication.

” How would you create a PLN prior to engaging in a social media campaign on a topic of your choice?”

Before starting a social media campaign on a subject of my choosing, I would connect and collaborate with peers and professionals who have various backgrounds and expertise to develop a PLN. When adding people to my PLN, I will be attentive and selective and make sure they are worthwhile and helpful. I’ll also implement Woods’ most important techniques for building a robust PLN, such as(Woods, 2013):

• Know that all PLNS are different: I will make sure that my PLN accurately represents me since what works for someone else might not work for me.
• Ask and Listen: In order to learn from those around me, I will actively inquire about and listen to their experiences and passions.
• Leverage Technology: I’ll utilise social media to expand my personal network and meet new individuals from a variety of backgrounds.
• Look outside of L&D: I’ll make an attempt to seek outside of my PLN because there are plenty of individuals in related and dissimilar fields that I can learn from.

” The themes of a PLN in a professional capacity.”

Through PLNs, people can more easily access a wide variety of educational resources, professionals and points of view related to the subjects they are interested in. They can network with experts, share ideas, get knowledge from them, and improve thanks to it. People can communicate with a supportive community through PLNs in order to advance their careers.

“Consider which social media platforms are beneficial in education.“

Social media has enhanced our ability to exchange knowledge in both personal and professional contexts as well as how we learn. There are several social media platforms that may enhance educational teaching, and they each provide various helpful capabilities. Some of the most beneficial ones include the following:

• Youtube. I would say this is the most important one as this platform provides free educational recourses that assist a lot of students. I always use Youtube to learn more and understand school materials. Instructors also provide youtube links for students so to watch and learn more.
• Free online learning sites like Coursera, edX, and Khan Academy enable students to take a variety of courses without paying a penny. These platforms are used by many students to increase their knowledge.
• Twitter and Wordress. these two platforms are also very important as they can be used to share ideas and posts to discuss with others.

“When working with the vulnerable sector, how does social media fit into professionalism and regulations? “

Social media offers several benefits that make it necessary to use it even though it can present risks like hacking and scamming. It lets educators to provide important resources and support to students while following regulations.To ensure that social media is a safe space for everyone to express their thoughts, students should act professionally and with respect in all of their interactions there.

” How diverse is your PLN?“

My PLN is diverse because it includes academic, professional, and personal relationships made through formal learning, informal learning, and social networking. By studying in many countries and interacting with diverse individuals, I have been able to develop and expand my personal learning network (PLN). When I discover something new, I’m typically inquisitive, so I do some research, connect with individuals who are more knowledgeable than me, and learn from them—whether it’s on social media platforms like Reddit, Discord, or Quora, or through friends. By doing this, I often meet more people or establish acquaintances that I can learn from.

“Are you learning from a variety of diverse voices and are you expanding your understanding of the views of others?”

As I indicated above, growing my personal learning network (PLN) enabled me to learn from a range of various voices and improve my understanding of other people’s points of view. Even though I have strong beliefs about some things, including religion, I don’t dispute or try to persuade people to agree with me. I frequently pay attention to and respect the opinions of others, and in order to fully understand them, I further explore their perspectives and views. I try to avoid posting anything on social media that would make someone uncomfortable or offended.

“What is a learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?”

My PLN has allowed me better access to a diverse range of educational resources and views relevant to the themes I was interested in. My PLN enabled me to learn more, engage more and improve.

I am ensuring my exposure to diversity and inclusion:

• By expanding my PLN and establishing connections with diverse individuals from various backgrounds and fields of expertise.
• Through having dialogues and chats with my networks in order to grow, learn more and expose to different viewpoints.
• Through having an open mind and respecting other people’s opinions.
• Through participating in events, forums and conferences on the topics I am interested in.

” What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?”

Students utilize a variety of social media sites to expand their professional networks and develop relationships. The most popular platform and one with the largest user base is LinkedIn (740 million members)[1]. Students also use applications like Facebook, Twitter, and Discord frequently, which enable them to join groups and receive any support they need. My program urged students to use and take advantage of LinkedIn’s perks, that is why started using it.

” What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?“

There are number of ways that students could consider doing to expend their professional learning network:

1- Make cooperation the motivating principle. Working collaboratively is the foundation of PLNs. As a result of involvement and the sharing of pertinent knowledge and information, a person’s PLN inevitably grows. Through collaboration, student can come together and share their interests. A strong, trustworthy network is created through sincere interest. Think about how your suggestions could impact a lot of people. The ideal driving force behind creating a PLN is social responsibility.

2- Participate actively. A PLN’s primary asset is its brainpower. Take the time to choose a certain topic and express it on your profile. Grow your PLN by sharing what you know about a certain topic. Keep relevant in your field. Remain informed. Try to post once a week at the very least.

3- Webinars and Networking events. Attend webinars, online conferences, and presentations led by professionals in various fields. This platform offers a great chance to pick up new skills. Additionally, you’ll make connections with those that fundamentally share your goals.

” How do data privacy and security limit and/or promote a PLN?“

Data privacy and security is absolutily necasary for everyone. Without it, students run the danger of their personal information being accessed by online criminals, who might use it to conduct fraud, pretend to be the victim, blackmail the victim and their family, among other things. The majority of individuals would be reluctant to network and post their information online if there was no data privacy and security.

” In your network how can you create a digital identity/ reputation?“

I can create a digital identity and protect its reputation inside my network by selecting the online persona I wish to use to represent myself. As my online reputation depends on the people and sites I follow, the information I publish, like, or share, and the comments I leave, I’ll exercise caution and respect in all of these areas. As I disclose private information in my personal digital identities, I will keep my personal and professional personas separate while being careful and responsible for my actions. my online identity and reputation are shaped in much the same way as my real-life identity. However, when I’m online, I don’t always have the opportunity to clarify my tone or what I mean, so I’ll stop to think before I publish anything. Being responsible can help me avoid leaving an unpleasant digital trail of my identity.

An employer would discover that I am responsible, professional, and kind if they looked at my social media presence through the lens of my online persona. I stay away from controversial topics and don’t publish anything unethical.

References:

[1] https://krisp.ai/blog/best-networking-apps/

Digital identity is defined as a person’s presence online, it is everything that the person posts and shares on social media or the web which includes tweets, blogs, photos, interactions, videos and more. Our online identities are shaped by how we conduct ourselves and how others see us in both personal and professional contexts.

Personal and professional approaches to digital identity, in my opinion, have different effects on how people use social media.

• Personal: Social media is a way to engage with family and friends, regardless of their current location. It keeps the person connected with people they may have lost contact with otherwise. It makes sense to keep one’s personal social media accounts separate and private given that they are used to sharing content about one’s daily life, beliefs, religion and more, but it’s also important to understand the responsibilities that come with utilizing social media.
• Professional: Social media is the person’s multi-media resume with endorsements. It gives the person a platform to connect with industry professionals, recruiters, and find job opportunities. When using social media professionally, users often behave very professionally and refrain from posting or discussing everything they want to.

Digital identities converge in networked publics differently. Personal identities may act inappropriately and utilize online communities to harass, disseminate misinformation, and troll individuals, whereas professional identities are often motivated by a fear of losing jobs if they act inappropriately. both usages have their own positive and negative impacts.