Using PLN is a great way to share their ideas and thoughts. With a strong PLN, it can take it even further. Sharing the message, reaching out to others, creating a relationship, changing the story. As Brad Baker said that using social media give people control of their story and their message. It brings a better understanding of what people want to share. PLN can start a change; sharing your story and starting a petition could get a few 100 or 1000 signatures in person, but online, you get hundreds of thousands of signatures. Another example would be that social media does not let people forget the past; it continues to share people’s wrong stories so their stories do not get lost. PLN can change individual lives; I have seen so many people start a small business that would not be successful without using social media, sharing their products and the reason why they started their story. By doing this, they can craft their message to reach their audience; they can also make videos of packing the product to show the amount of love they put into it.

Education occurs in so many environments beyond the classroom; how does social media help expand education and associated needed communications?

As said in the video, the winner writes the history books; we do not learn the true story that happens in class as it is taught from the books that were voiced of the ones who won. You do not get to see the other side, hear their stories, see their emotions of what happened. Similar, as Brad baker, explained the mainstream media tell us what THEY WANT US TO KNOW. They control the story being told, what details are told what is not to make the message they want us to hear. Social media stop this; it continues the story. It gives a platform for the voices that never had the opportunity to share their story. It gives people the ability to use their voice and speak out of their own story, allow others to learn from it, gain understanding, and make a change. Not only that social media makes it easy to learn, but it is also free and accessible to anyone, anywhere at any time. I have learnt more about stocks, baking, taxes (basic things we should know) through social media, not in a classroom. I have heard 100s of people’s stories of what they went through, their resilience, history, and lessons they learnt through social media, not through a textbook. Not saying the school isn’t a learning experience; I can educate myself on specific topics such as math and science through the classroom, which is necessary, but when I struggle, I go to social media for help, youtube video, and online lessons to explain the issue.

Community communications go beyond blogs and social media shares; how does a PLN help and hinder the development of thoughts and ideas in education discourse?

Our PLN is who is in our network. This can be online or in-person for students. A huge part of our PLN is in-person our teacher, professor, guest speakers, our parents and our peers that we are surrounded by. And there was a point Brand Baker said that I think spoke to this; there are three pathways that must work together to learn the truth of Canada history of the indigenous community, and the three paths are our educators, students and parents they all just want to learn and to seek more resources, learning opportunity, to be open-minded and listen to another perspective. With this type of education, an open environment where we are asking a question and continuously learning no matter the age, the education level or status will promote the students and children to want to the same starting from a young age with this mentality will encourage students to ask questions, to explore to share ideas etc. But if surrounded by people who are not open to that type of learning and growth, it would hinder them from growing and challenging ideas and asking questions. Afraid to ask a question, to be a part of the discussion stops ideas and thoughts from developing.

In terms of PLN online, the overwhelming different voices and opinions can hinder someone from participating as it can feel intimidating and scary. When you have never shared your thoughts or opinions online before, it can be scary; anything new is. Without the strong support of your PLN, it may scare someone from sharing. But having a strong PLN that backs you up makes you feel confident in your post. For example, when I make a post, I know my school peers and friends will support me by commenting, liking and sharing the post. This makes me feel confident as I know no matter what, I will have at least a few supporters.

What is the role of social media in education?

I think the role of social media in education is like a tutor and a spotlight. In a sense, Tutor is where students go for more information, for quick tips, for short explanations, for step by step breakdown. And spotlight because it gives a light space for people who hadn’t had the opportunity to share their voice anywhere. A light on their story when no one else wanted to hear. A light on the truth.

What are some problems with social media communications in education settings?

The problem with social media communication in an education setting is that wording is important. Dialogue is important. Listening to other voices is important. Showing respect is important. And that can be lost when someone is passionate and just want to get the information and the story out. Ensuring that you leave room for people to create a conversation and ask the question is hard on social media.

Reference

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 – BRAD BAKER.” YouTube, uploaded by MILLER, 04 Mar. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy63SmEpvCw.

Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, by George Veletsianos, AU Press, 2010, pp. 128–138.

Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, by George Veletsianos, AU Press, 2010, pp. 153–173.

There are many benefits to engaging with a public audience through social media. The main ones that became obvious with Jody Vance’s interview are that it builds trust, reliability, and openness. You are more than your brand and creates connections that can turn into an opportunity.  When connecting through social media on a more personal level, you can build trust between people. Further, when you post trustworthy and accurate content, it creates reliability where people can go to your page to find the truth. This all creates a strong connection with other users, which can turn into a career opportunity; as jody Vance explained when she was laid off, someone she was connected with via social media DM her regarding a position at this company.

The risk of engaging with the public via social media is that you cant look into someone’s eyes, you can’t have the raw connection, you are unable to relate on a personal and real level with someone (Vance, jody). The connection you can make in a classroom, or work or in a group that in person is very different than the connection through social media where there is no face you are engaging with. It is less impactful, in my opinion. Furthermore, you have to be careful; as Jody explained, ” social media complicated things and at the same time exposes your strengths,” social media puts you in the spotlight, especially when you have thousands of followers in your content, comments, post, pictures are all analyzed. You need to ensure you are portraying yourself the way you see yourself. And this goes into knowing where the line is and ensuring you do not go past it. There is no going back on social media as we know about the digital footprint; whatever we post is on the internet forever. It is never truly gone, even when you delete it. Ensuring you are calm and composed when responding to people who are causing hate and negativity and knowing when to fight or let it go.

What are the risks for a public figure or person in a position of trust (educator, lawyer, government official)?

People in a position of trust as educators, lawyers, and government officials are now public people. What you say or do affects others. I personally do not think it is fair, but it is the reality of the world. People in this position have the power of change, and this change affects people’s lives, so what they do online, what is posted, commented on, liked is accessible to the public where they can decide if it is appropriate. The biggest risk of this is losing the public’s trust; not having their trust can have a huge impact on that person’s personal and work life.  The loss of trust can follow of loss of connection in their network; it can affect their power in their role.  People of influence and power need to ensure that they do not cross the line on social media, ensure that their content is reliable and ensure that the wording and information are appropriate.

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

As Jody Vance said, “prepare yourself for a degree of pushback” not everyone is going to agree with you or like you. And you need to prepare yourself for that type of negativity.  You need to be true to yourself, know your values, who you are, what you stand for and be confident in who you are. As a line from one of my favourite movies (Princess diaries), “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.” and this is true with anything. No one’s comments or posts or hatred can affect you without your consent. Furthermore, I think addressing a negative reply or critique is dependent on the content. If the reply is commenting on body shaming, racism, sexism, homophobia, there is no room for that on any platform. The easiest way to address it is by deleting the comment and blocking the user. However, I have seen people who address it differently on TikTok and Instagram by creating a post in response to that comment, saying that this comment does not affect me, or define me or make me feel bad. I follow many fitness and wellness pages, and a person commented on one of the fitness accounts “you have gotten fat” the person the comment was for replied to it in another post where she has the comment on the post, she is working out doing various activities and saying “Yes I have fat, that doesn’t mean I am fat or that I am not worthy or I am not beautiful, or I am not healthy” And think this was a strategic, impactful and respectful way to respond. The best way to address a negative comment is dependent on what the comment is and who the person is that is getting the comment.

How do notable individuals use social media? What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?

Notable users use social media to promote their brand and connect with others. They reach out to other notable individuals to collab to reach out to a greater user base. This is how they grow their plateform, idea and connect with others. But many of these users take the opportunity to share and spread awarness. Many influences shared how they have been staying home because of COVID-19 to promote their follower base to do the same. One very impactful example is when Rihanna posted on Twitter about the farmer protest “why are we not talking about this?” that comment alone created a spark other influential users retweeted and created their own tweets, which was retweeted by their followers so large of a movement that the new took coverage of this. Notable individuals use their platform to share what they are passionate about and spread awareness to change. By posting trustworthy and factual content, they can educate other people.

Building community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting; what are the perceived
restrictions and benefits?

The restriction of using an online tool provided by your employer is limited to communication and conversation. People will use the tool to ask a question, share information they found, but it will not be a true dialogue (Hirst). People who want to engage with others want to create a conversation, a safe space to discuss new ideas or challenge old ones. But by having an online tool that may be watched over by the employer can limit that conversation, limit the growth of trust and creative thinking. Furthermore, a person who is apart of the company no longer have their own identity what they say and do affect the look of that company they work for, so this can be seen when using an online tool provided by the employer, ensure that what you say and what information you share will affect the employer and the company you worked for. The benefit of using the tool is that you have a specific platform for work, where you are discussing work matters and are connected with all the people you need to be. You will not have to look for a person at work or ask to be connected to them. This would make completing tasks or asking for resources much easier.

Delivering information in a connected society requires verifiable resources; how to build a PLN to rely on?

It is important that when sharing information that you ensure, there is data to back it up. Providing where the information is from making people who see your content more trusting of your other post. Providing quotes, stats, or a link to get more information regarding your post will make your feed reliable, and people will come to it for answers and information. I know someone who is creating a PLN about women empowerment; this person is sharing stories of successful business owners. These women are given a chance to share their platform and information about it; providing information in this way versus reposting allows your followers to know that you are connecting and reaching out to the people and information you are posting about, making it a verifiable resource to use.

How do those, who are veteran storytellers, minimize the risk of sharing misinformation?

A storyteller is someone telling a story, and a story can be embellished and made up in some parts. It could be historical fiction where the main idea is true, but the character and the actions are not based on a real person. I think to minimize the risk of sharing misinformation is to give background information saying this is a true story, a fictional story; this story is based on this part of history, but the characters are not real. You are letting the audience know where the information is coming from, where there is a true part, what part of the story is fiction or non-fiction. Being open and honest is the best way to ensure that no misinformation is shared.

References: 

Hirst, Martin. Navigating Social Journalism. 1st ed., Routledge, 2018, pp. 142-143.

Miller, J. EDCI 338 – Judy Vance. Youtube, 2021.

Using PLN to connect to various people will ensure that you enhance your knowledge as you gain from others who don’t view the world the same way as you. It is better to work with another person to solve a problem than work on your own as the saying goes, two minds are better than one. And if this is true, then isn’t having hundred of different minds discussing a topic, thinking of solution or ideas a better strategy in life than going at it alone?

Before, I discussed how social media is used to create a difference, share information and connect people worldwide. I wanted to talk about the importance of diversity and inclusion. Ethnicity allows people to have a sense of belonging, understanding of who they are and how their unique features make them special; however, their differences can sometimes divide people into discrimination, hatred, and prejudice. In today’s society, most people experience micro racism, and I can account for this. I am an Indian girl born and raised in Canada, BC. and a few statements are what my sisters and I have heard from our peers (teachers, friends, strangers etc.): “Where are you from? Like really from?” “You are not like other Indian girls,” “You are pretty for a brown girl.”, “Aren’t all Indians good at math?” These questions/statements hold some prejudices, discrimination, and racism behind them even if they believe that they are not racist and do not treat others differently. But I think these thoughts and questions come from people not growing up or being surrounded by different ethnicities. And what shaped your mind of how people are different from you is based on your surroundings, TV shows, and movies that may not accurately portray groups of people. Once people understand and value other people, that value can turn into respect (Simpson, Markiel). Learning to respect and love difference start with children, as my coworkers and I have talked about; children see no difference, have no hate, and are taught to.

It is also important to surround yourself with various people and understand your privileged (Simpson, Markiel). for example, a caucasian male won’t understand the discrimination a caucasian woman faces. And a caucasian woman will never understand the same discrimination an African Canadian woman faces, even though these two women might face the same discrimination that women face. To be aware of your privilege takes self-reflection and personal understanding. And another way is to start a conversation, listen to other people’s perspectives of the world, struggles they face. You may not understand right away what someone else experiences or their view on the world, but listening and showing respect is the first step, which will turn into understanding,

Connect with various people also ensure that you will learn about a different issue and celebrations worldwide. By only connecting with people who are the same ethnicity, religion, sex, sexuality as yourself, you will never learn about new things; you will have a “narrow” view on life. As I am connected with various religions, I have learned about so many celebrations and holidays that we do not learn in class or are not nationally celebrated in our country. I have learned the different values their culture holds. And I have learnt the various struggles and problems other places and people face. For example, in the black lives matter movement in 2020 through social media, people worldwide could show their support, stand with them, and protest, which was one of the US’s largest movements. And even more significant to show the power of social media was Geroge Floyd’s police brutality video, which sparked people worldwide’s anger. It was shared and viewed, which created the largest movement. Another movement that showed how important social media is the farmer’s protest in India. One way to stop the protest was to shut down electricity so the farmers could not share what was going on and spread the word.

The use of social media is rugged; it ignites a flame in people, brings people together, makes people remember there are things worth fighting to change. This is done with every like, share, re-post, re-tweet, comment and post. As Markiel Simpson talked about the power of re-tweeting when he spoke about it, I realized the importance of re-tweet, to know that others want to share your idea and to learn more about what you are discussing. And that you can make a change, you can share an Idea and that others are wanting the same. In other words, social media is a platform for change. Social media can spread information about a cause, tell people what the reason is, the importance of how you can be apart of it. It allows people to become united, create relationships among those who support the cause—a dialogue between other PLN users who have a large follower base to reach more people. Social media is much more than a place to go to for fun or a place to learn; but it is a place to create change, create unity, share an idea. Connecting with people can be as easy as making a strong bio; this can prompt people’s thoughts and invoke an action (Simpson, Markiel).

Bianca Woods explained that “A PLN is simply an informal group of people who you learn things from regularly. And if you’re doing it right, they learn things from you too.” Because it is an informal setting it is easier to start a conversation on a topic you are passionate about. For example, I have used my Instagram platform to spread awareness of protest that is happening around the world like the black lives matter movement, and the farmer protests in India. I used my platform to share information about the movement/protest, like why it is happening, the facts and stats not my opinion to help educate people on the topic. Bianca woods also explained “These conversations are important because they’re another way to trigger insights from others”  I feel that I have triggered conversation through my social media with my PLN by sharing a post that I have come across that can be helpful or useful for others explain sharing other people profile that are posting about interesting facts or inspirational stories. For example, I have shared posts about equality and diversity, sharing other strong role models’ stories that are not known celebrities. For the future goals for my PLN, I can become more engaged within my profile by asking questions rather than just sharing posts and information.

Woods, Bianca. “Building your own PLN: seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network.” T+D, vol. 67, no. 11, Nov. 2013, p. 70+. Gale OneFile: Business, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A348998538/ITBC?u=uvictoria&sid=ITBC&xid=1010abdf. Accessed 18 Feb. 2021.

I have never taken the time to look at my PLN connections to see if it was diverse. To me, diversity is such a large container of people; it includes all ages, ethnicities, religions, genders, sexual orientation, disabilities, socioeconomic background, education levels, personal experiences, opinions, and so much more. And when looking at each of these types of diversity, my PLN has so much more growth to do. I have connections with different ages; however, most people are 20 – 40 years old. I am missing out on so many people who are accomplishing things, sharing their stories and creating ideas and inventions. 

My PLN is diverse in ethnicities, religion, gender and sexual orientation; this diversity can be seen in my social group since I am the type of person to talk to anyone and everyone. I have met people of various ethnicities and religions that have taught me so much about their faiths and beliefs, which I love learning about. I am friends, peers and co-workers with people of all genders and sexual orientations. It is interesting to listen to each of their personal experiences, things I have never experienced and never will and something that I can understand because of my own life experiences. 

My group member for the class EDCI 338 has brought attention to those who have a disability, and I took a moment to think about my PLN connected to those with a disability, and it again has room to grow. But I am connected to many public speakers who have disabilities who share their life experiences and what they studied and learned. I also like comedians who have disabilities I follow and engage with.

Looking at my PLN, it is diverse. Still, there are so many people I am not connected with and so much learning that I am missing, even though my feed is frequently updated with different people’s views, opinions, research, and personal experiences. I don’t want to say, “Yes, my PLN is diverse. It includes everyone,” because it doesn’t. But my future experiences will connect with more people that will grow the diversity of my PLN.

In your PLN, are you learning from various voices, or are you the loudest in the room?

My PLN is filled with various voices from uploading new posts about their research, experiences and sharing content. I like to engage with people and hear what they have to say and respond to the person with my own experience helps show I understand the topic or ask questions for clarity. I prefer to take the opportunity to hear others’ opinions and thoughts and be allowed to exchange views. I always leave room for others to share their ideas, or I reach out and create a discussion with others.

This is seen in my group discussion on mattermost. My group is doing a great job at being respectful and reading each other’s comments and thoughts, and writing a reply. We share ideas and ask each other questions to create a more engaging and depth conversation. However, I find it easier to share my opinions in a group discussion where we interact with each other versus when I will comment on someone’s that I don’t know work online. I tend to hesitate and stop myself from creating a discussion. Instead, I make comments like ” I like this point..” ” this was strong..” instead of helpful feedback. As I find when commenting on a post, there is no body language or tone of voice so people can interpret what you are saying in any way, and I would never want to hurt or offended someone. It is easier to give feedback to someone you know or have worked with before because they know that you mean only to help. 

However, I have found that it is easier to give constructive feedback in a private conversation instead of commenting on their post. In this class (EDCI 338), I directly message people when I think I have helpful feedback instead of commenting on their post where anyone else could read and could make someone feel bad or embarrassed.

So I do not think I am the loudest voice in the room, but I am a voice in the conversation.

Do you participate in a silo of information sharing (similar themes or a wide range of interests)?

Sils of information sharing is when the exchange of information does not leave the team, department, group etc. I know first hand the problem that can arise with silo information; in my degree, we learn a lot about health information systems. There are different systems created for various needs of the patient. However, these systems do not communicate. It causes a person’s information to be split up into different systems. This is not helpful. Having a connected system and exchanging information between each other is much more beneficial for everyone as there is a less likely chance of losing or duplicating data.  

Being taught the importance of sharing information, I have implemented that in my personal and educational life. For example, working in groups, I take the experience good and bad from other groups to share it not to make the same mistakes again or share a successful strategy. When making a point, I have drawn on personal experience to show the depth of my understanding. I take what someone taught me and use it in so many different places. Sharing your knowledge is power.

However, there was a time I participated in silo information. It is hard to get the confidence and courage to speak with people you don’t know or speak in front of a large group. I did not always feel comfortable sharing my thoughts and ideas or asking questions because I wasn’t familiar with the person I was working with. I remember a group project I was working on, and team members would shut my ideas down or interrupt me, inhibiting me from sharing my opinions or thoughts. And I pulled back until one other team member noticed that and would say, “Hey Asha, what were you saying?” and gave me the floor to talk. Or in class, I am too nervous about raising my hand even though I have a great point to share. Sometimes it is hard to take part and share and be part of the discussion. 

After talking to people, I realize I am not the only one nervous or scared, and no one will judge me for raising my hand and speaking that took a while for me to learn. But now I raise my hand in class, share my ideas, participate in debates, and I also help give my friends and team members the floor to talk by doing what that person did for me, saying, ” Hey [name] do you have and idea or what were you trying to say?”. Sometimes we need a little help to break out of the silo form of information.

How can you use a diverse PLN to broaden your views of inclusion?

Diversity to me means “everyone” of all ages, genders, sexualities, education, etc (Moore, 2016). By connecting with all different people, I am learning about different life experiences, topics, opinions etc. By engaging with a diverse set of people, I am changing and maturing my world view. A quote by Muhammad Ali perfectly fits what I am trying to say ” A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at 20 has wasted thirty years of his life”. And if you are not engaging with anyone new or with people who have different views and experiences, you will never be able to learn and grow as an individual. And having a diverse PLN will ensure that I am engaging in continuous learning. 

It will teach me about the needs and wants of other people. For example, I saw a post on my Instagram feed of Nike coming out with a pair of hand free shoes for people with disabilities; I would have never thought of the need of hand free shoes because I don’t need that type of help. Hence, it never came to my mind that there is a need for these types of shoes. And that was due to not having met people who need that, which showed that my view on inclusion was smaller than I realized. My PLN helps see the world in others’ eyes, which grows the understanding of what needs to be included in society to be inclusive.

In your professional setting of choice, do you think inclusion is actively embraced?

Yes, I want to become a doctor. My professional setting of choice would be in a clinic or hospital helping people. This career has become more inclusive over the years as it now opens the opportunity to study medicine to different degrees. They don’t just look for students studying science but students who studied music, art, engineers, etc. We see doctors of all colours, ethnicities, religions, genders and sexualities. Some doctors have disabilities, such as dyslexia, doctors who are deaf. 

And because of inclusion, we are working with and learning from people who have a different way of thinking and solving problems(Moore, 2016). We are learning about new ways that can improve patients outcomes. For example, we have known that colour and music can positively affect someone’s health, which we wouldn’t have figured out without including people with different passions and perspectives of the world.

What is the learning outcome of your PLN, and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?

I have no specific learning outcome of my PLN besides growing my knowledge and learning new things. I want to be exposed to as many different people as possible, watch as many various ted talks and video that helps me grow my understanding of other people and different topics. I want my PLN to be like a classroom. I am always be engaged in a new topic.

How has your thinking about inclusion and PLN evolved after reviewing the videos and readings?

After watching the video and reading,(Moore, 2016; Moore, 2017; Moore, 2018 and Moore et al 2021) I have learnt that my idea of inclusion was tied with integration. After the video, I did not have a good understanding or idea of what inclusion entirely looks like. That it is beyond sitting in the same room as different people, it is by creating an environment where everyone’s voices are heard, where everyone is engaging and interacting.

 I have also practiced inclusion without knowing it, and an example of this I shared in my mattermost group was that when I worked at Starbucks, an adult down syndrome group came in. I was at the cash register taking all their orders, and I did not treat them any differently than any other customer. I ask about their day, what drink they wanted, and when one of their cards wasn’t working, I put their coffee on the house. After the group all got their drinks, they left and about 3 hours later, my manager got a call telling them to say thank you to me because they have not seen someone treat them with so much kindness and respect like that, as people talk would talk to them like they were children or dumb. And I was somewhat shocked about this because I never saw this group of people any different than myself. I have always treated everyone in the best manner, no matter who. And I would say this is part of what inclusion is. 

References 

Moore, S., Miller,J. (2021, February 07). EDCI 338 A01 Week 5 A Conversation with Shelley Moore. February 09, 2021, YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGx0ejnMLVc&feature=youtu.be

Moore, Shelley. One Without the Other : Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, Portage & Main Press, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/lib/uvic/detail.action? docID=4832579.

Moore, S. (2018, November 05). Don’t Should on Me: It’s not easy being NOT green. February 9, 2021, YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeRNhz0nGts&feature=youtu.be

Moore, S. (2016, April 04). Transforming Inclusive Education . February 09, 2021. YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYtUlU8MjlY.

Ali, Muhammad. “A Quote by Muhammad Ali.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/41404-the-man-who-views-the-world-at-50-the-same.

Above is my personal V&R map. Here you can see that I use youtube more as an Insititunal resource; I visit to better understand a topic. I also have Instagram, messenger and phone calls in personal and institutional because I have my own personal Instagram accountant, and I also run a school club account. While messengers and phone calls are both personal and institutional as my co-workers at my current co-op, and past jobs and volunteer have also reached me through those apps. I also utilize canvas to make posts for both these Instagram accounts.

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

Students have taken advantage of the use of social media to develop and expand their professional networks. Students can engage on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, blogs, and online forums. I personally do not have Twitter or use Facebook only Facebook messenger to connect with my peers. As the majority of my peers and my co-workers connect through Instagram, Facebook messenger and Linkedin.

Linkedin is my opinion, is the best platform for students to develop their PLN. It is set up so people can share and connect with other professionals. Here we can connect with our peers the faculty members, obtain information on job vacancies and even prep ourselves for interviews but look at the LinkedIn account. Furthermore, LinkedIn gives students the platform to showcase their talent, interests, their skills, and employers could contact you directly if you have the skills and experience they are looking for.

Instagram is very popular and is mostly used for personal reasons; however, many people have taken advantage of this platform and used it to grow their PLN. Creating a business/professional account where people advertise their company, small business, create an account to spread awareness, and so much more. Also, a unique aspect of Instagram is “influentials” when people have many followers, and they are sponsored to advertise for a company. When growing your platform, people can follow each other and even message each other growing their network and creating partnerships with people. A personal example is I was connected by this company to post pictures of their watch to expand their demographic. Another example is that I have my own personal Instagram account. I also run the school club I am a part of the account. This includes creating Instagram stories to engage the students and creating online events.

What can you (as a student) consider to expand your professional learning network?

I have given a lot about ways to expand my professional learning network. I want to be more active on LinkedIn because all my information is updated, and I continue to update it when needed, but I barely post, like or comment. And doing that is inhibiting me from growing my network; that is something I would want to work on. I was also thinking of growing my PLN network by creating a professional Instagram to share content, but as of right now, I am still exploring ideas of what I want to share. But by doing this, I would be able to expand my PLN network in a completely new way and share this on my LinkedIn and connect with users who want to learn about that content.

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

Your digital identity and reputation is everything you share online; post, sharing comments, likes, etc. In my Network, I can create my digital identity by doing all that I can comment and liking on people’s posts; I can also reshare their posts on my feed by doing this, I can create an identity of what I care about and what I want to spread awareness of. Furthermore, I can connect and message people, which I have done a few times on Linkedin; this has allowed me to share thoughts and create a dynamic conversation. But what needs to be considered is being respectful and making sure that you are wording your comment appropriately. As you do not want to write a comment and be offended or hurt by it because they do not understand what you meant, that changes the way people see you online. As everything you do online will reflect on who you are. The way I use LinkedIn, and my personal Instagram account is LinkedIn is a public account. Anyone can find me and look at what I wrote about my skills and experiences. At the same time, my Instagram is private only friends and family can see what I posted, which is usually just family pictures and highlights from my life.

Consider what a local employer would do if you applied for a job with them – can they search the content, is it of benefit to the career path, does it hinder the opportunity for employment

I know many employers take the time to look for potential employees online, via a google search engine or social media platforms. I know I am always ensuring what I am sharing on any platform is appropriate, respectful and kind. As I am active on social media platforms and have a digital footprint, potential employers can find information about me. When someone searches online for information about me, they will find my LinkedIn account, and the first thing is that I am a research assistant for Fraser health. They would find this blog, a few projects from high school, my published post for a club at uvic, and finally about my field-hockey team in highschool. This would benefit my career path because they would find more information about my educational, professional, and extracurricular activities when searching for me. And I have been contacting LinkedIn by local employers to join their company, as they liked what they have seen about me on my online platforms.

References

Wikipedia contributors. “Digital Visitor and Resident.” Wikipedia, 31 Dec. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visitor_and_Resident

Digital identity is essentially everything that you do online (Stoller, 2016). It is how you engage with other users online, what you write about, what you share, what platforms you use and anything else that is digital(Stoller, 2016).

The information gathered from your digital footprint can be digital attributes or digital activities (Loryll, 2019). Digital attributes are your date of birth, medical history, ID number, government issue ID, etc. Your digital activities are your likes, comments, photos on Facebook and Instagram, forum discussion and much more(Loryll, 2019). Many digital attributes are needed to participate in online platforms such as Facebook; when opening an account, you need to provide first and last name, birthday, the school you attended and others. This has a direct effect on the amount of personal information that is shared online. For example, during my online classes, many classmates that I have never met in person were able to find my Facebook and Instagram accounts just by knowing my name. This shows how accessible people are online, that if you have an account, created an email you have a digital identity where anyone will be able to come in contact with you.

Furthermore, our digital identity is not found in one location on the internet; Facebook owns part of your digital identity as it is where photos are posted, dates of birth are shared, and much more, your online shopping experience “owns our shopping patterns” (Christoffer, 2019). Furthermore, creating a larger digital footprint, visiting sites online, liking post allows for “custom audience” ads, this provides the advertisement to target individual who already made purchased off their website, shared email or downloaded their apps (“How Do Facebook Ads Target You?”, 2018). 

How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?

To understand the difference between personal and professional digital identity affect social media. We need to know what they are; “professional identity is professional self‑concept of an individual grounded in attributes, beliefs, motives, values, and experience” while personal identity is personal interest, entertainment and information of persons social circle (Jawed et al., 2019).

In “Digital professional identity: Dear Internet! Who am I?” Jawed et al. explain that social interaction on online platforms can impact people’s futures; what someone shares and posts can either have a positive or negative effect. The goals of what a person wants from their social media network will determine personal and professional use. The way they present themselves on social media can help meet their goals (Heidi, 2015). Furthermore, you can not always control your social media; you have control over what you post, where you post it, but you don’t have power over someone reposting it, sharing your content with others, or the way the person perceived, etc. This can cause professional and personal social platforms to clash, as something someone post on their personal forum is shared and someone from their company sees it and determines that it does not meet with their companies values or beliefs can have a severe negative effect on their professional lives (Stoller, 2016). Moreover, online communication and public platforms have increased over the years, especially right now with the pandemic. During the pandemic communicating over skype, zoom, the text is vital to be kept inform whether that is for the work of friends. 

Furthermore depending if the use of social media is for personal and professional digital identity determines what platforms they use. For example, LinkedIn is a professional platform where people can connect, grow their network, and share their accomplishments. While platforms like Instagram can be used for professional and personal uses, people use Instagram as a business platform to promote their brand and reach out to consumers. In contrast, personal media shares life highlights with friends and family. 

In summary, the way a person approaches social media platforms is based on using them for social purposes or network growth. Personal use will be for entertainment, keeping in touch with people, sharing pictures of friends and family, while professional service will be sharing ideas, connecting with people who will help group your PLN, growing your business.

How do digital identities converge in networked publics, and what are the impacts and benefits?

Network publics enable people to connect through “social, cultural, and civic purposes “to communicate with people worldwide by technology (Boyd 2010). Digital identity in terms of network publics can have both positive and negative impact. The use of technology can allow a person to expand their professional digital identity and connect with someone they would never have the chance to meet in person. On the other hand, people use their personal platforms to share their opinions such as political views, these post can be shared with others through public networks which can cause online debates or problems with other users. These identities can clash; for example, when a recruiter is looking for a candidate for a position, they may come across a personal platform. And decide to hire that person based on what they post, or they can determine that this is not the person they want on their team even before meeting them. Another example is with the COVID-19 tracker. When this was announced many people were worried about privacy concerns such as tacking where people are going, keeping personal data and using a public network to store that information. Another digital identity that converges with the network public is medical history, people’s vaccination shot etc. I became aware of the medical history being online and being apart of my digital identity when I started my Co-op at Fraser Health. For safety reasons I had to fill out an online application that included all the vaccination shots that I have gotten and this profile would show what vaccination I was missing. Furthermore, I do not think that we are aware of how much of our digital identity can be found through networked public, just by filling out forms for work, posting pictures with friends etc.

Can a digital wallet provide trust in networked publics?

I think the use of digital wallets can be trusted within network publics. The wallets’ data are encrypted and can only be accessed through authentication, whether that be a password or biometric identification (Hayes, 2019). The fact that you need authentication to use the digital wallet ensures that if you lose your phone, no one would be able to access the wallet since it is locked or hack it due to the encryption making it safer than losing your card or cash (Hayes, 2019). Furthermore, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, or PIPEDA, created rules that need to be met by the private sector that is managing personal information. “PIPEDA applies across Canada to organizations that collect, use, or disclose personal information in the course of commercial activities unless provincial privacy legislation deemed substantially” (“Electronic and Digital Payments and Privacy.”, 2016) 

Although there is a potential risk of using a digital wallet, there are also risk with the use of a visa card. However, it is a personal choice of what a person feels more comfortable with. But for me, I understand that there are more safety protocols in place with digital wallets and can not be accessed with my biometric identification,  it feels more secure than a card. And I am not as scared to lose my phone as I am of my visa card.

Reference

Danah Boyd. (2010). “Social Network Sites as Networked Publics: Affordances, Dynamics, and Implications.” In Networked Self: Identity, Community, and Culture on Social Network Sites (ed. Zizi Papacharissi)

“Electronic and Digital Payments and Privacy.” Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, 1 Sept. 2016, www.priv.gc.ca/en/privacy-topics/technology/mobile-and-digital-devices/02_05_d_68_dp/.

DeNamur, Loryll. “Digital Identity: Attributes That Make Up a Digital Identity.” Jumio, 12 Nov. 2019, www.jumio.com/what-is-a-digital-identity/.

Jawed, Saira, et al. “Digital Professional Identity: Dear Internet! Who Am I?” Education for Health (Abingdon, England), vol. 32, no. 1, 2019, pp. 33–35., doi:10.4103/efh.EfH_232_17.

Stoller, Eric. “What is digital Identity.” Youtube, uploaded by University of Derby, 25 11 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0

People can use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Instagram for both personal and professional purposes (Guitterez).By connecting with friends, family, peers, coworkers, and other professionals to learn and gain information (Guitterez). In other words, these social media platforms are our personal learning networks; this is where we get the opportunity to share and obtain new knowledge and experiences with so many different professionals around the world at any time of the day (Guitterez). The power of using social media as a networking platform is that it is easy to form new connections, grow your platform and share knowledge with others (Guitterez).

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

The article “What Is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)?” explains that the world has become more technologically advanced. Society is more connected than ever; this results in individuals developing an online identity (“What Is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)?” ). Individuals are motivated to build and use social media because it allows them to connect and learn outside the lecture rooms (“What Is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)?” ). Those who have social media platforms can share videos, creating gaming networks, discussion forums, online communities  and much more together(“What Is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)?” ). This type of network “is made of people, devices, information and services” that can be shaped into individual personal learning network (“What Is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)?” ). Furthermore, Rajagopal et al. explain that professionals are motivated to “design and navigate network to bring them the most professional and educational benefit at each stage of their career.” This is a personal, professional network to meet the need of their professional pursuits and create valuable connections (Rajagopal et al.). 

What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

There are many rewards when people engage with public communication; however, it differs depending on if it is a personal or organizational network. Personal networks promote an individual’s career and enable the person to connect and find support from others (Rajagopal et al.). In contrast, an organization network platform is to create trusted partners and keep up with ongoing business changes (Rajagopal et al.). It supports continuous learning and allows people to expand their network and connect with others to share their knowledge (Guitterez). The greatest reward of public communication is that it enables people to grow their business, start a discussion, spread awareness and enhance their learning experience. 

There are also risks with public communication; the biggest one, in my opinion, is privacy and potential cyberbullying. As people are becoming more technology-dependent so much of our lives are shared online, making privacy a major issue. These privacy concerns are collecting and sharing location and personal data without the user’s knowledge or consent. Furthermore, personal networks allow people to express hurtful and offensive thoughts anonymously on social media. This is an act of cyber-bullying, which is very common as it is easy to do. Since people do not have to share who they are and can hide behind a computer. 

References

Walsh, Evan. “5 Little-Known Social Media Marketing Tips That Will Take Your Marketing to New Heights.” 5 Little-Known Social Media Mark… – Opinion – What Mobile, 21 May 2019, www.whatmobile.net/Opinion/article/5-little-known-social-media-marketing-tips-that-will-take-your-marketing-to-new-heights.

Gutierrez, Karla. “What are Personal Learning Networks?” SHIFT, 21 June 2016. https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644. Accessed 20 January 2021.

Future Learn. What Is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)? www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644.

Welcome to my learning site!

Here is a little bit about me. My name is Asha Kalsi, my pronouns are (she/her), there is a picture of me above this paragraph. My friends describe me as funny, kind, and smart.  I am in my third year of health informatics science. I am taking EDCI 338 as a recommended senior elective from my friends during my co-op at Fraser Health as a research assistant. I plan to continue my education and attend medical school after completing my bachelor’s; I hope to be a specialist in the future.

I enjoy reading, particularly historical fiction. I am a huge marvel fan, spiderman being my all-time favourite Marvel character. I enjoy getting out and going for walks or hikes, especially since I can pet many dogs! I love working out and spending time with my family and friends (within covid rules).  In this pandemic, I have been trying new things like knitting a blanket ( which did not come out very well), learning to make different dishes and baking more, which caused many burns ):

I am super excited to be in the class and meet everyone virtually! I hope you have a great day!