Month: June 2023

Building a reputation and trust in a connected culture can be difficult, how are you building a network of individuals who are dynamic, reliable, and participatory?
Are you leveraging healthy relationships from your PLN for growth?
How would you create a PLN prior to engaging a social media campaign on a topic of your choice?

A strong PLN with reputation and trust is essential for helping to create better learning. In an interconnected culture, building reputation and trust can be difficult. Someone may ask, how do we build a dynamic, reliable and participatory personal network before launching social media activities on the topics we choose?

Woods (2013) believes that spending time chatting with the people in your life will help you to easily establish your personal learning network (PLN). Talking with others is a simple way to get insight from others. In addition, use technology to expand and strengthen your PLNs. Participate in online chat and message boards, and communicate with people in the same industry on Twitter. Follow the industry experts you like. Get to know some interesting viewpoints. Start conversations with your peers and establish connections with other Twitter users. Join the learning and development (L&D) tweet chat, which will help you look at the problem from different angles. You can also take advantage of the conference back-channels to see various perspectives from all over the world. Establishing contacts with people from different industries can also help you see things in different sights. These activities can be useful when building your learning and development PLNs.

Therefore, it is necessary to establish a dynamic, reliable, and participatory personal learning network before starting social media campaign on the topic you choose. Firstly, increasing the participation of social media can help you build a dynamic interpersonal network. Follow some professional industry experts you like. Make high quality comments under the similar industry experts who you follow and attract a group of like-minded friends, who might agree with your viewpoints and comments or retweets your comments. Check the insightful comments under the posts or articles of relevant experts, and comment below his comments to increase the connection with people who has the same viewpoints. Retweet the insightful posts or articles, with your opinions attached. In short, actively participate in social media interactions, contribute your highly relevant opinions and comments, which will help you to expand your social contacts in related industries in this process. Increasing engagement on social media is of great importance for building a dynamic, reliable, and participatory personal learning network.

In addition, increasing contacts with relevant people will help you build a reliable personal learning network. Build a thematic learning community on one of social media you want to engage a campaign, such as Twitter. Members can be the friends you made on Twitter. Establish trust with others and use your PLNs to help or answer questions about relevant topics and contents in this thematic learning community or in L&D community. By cooperating with others to solve problems or answering their questions, you can build deep contact and trust with them. Building deep contact with other individuals can consolidate your personal learning network and make it dynamic, reliable, and participatory.

Furthermore, actively sharing useful industry-related or topic-related resources on the social media. Sharing resources can also help you find some like-minded partners in the same industry, who can jointly lead social media campaigns on the following topics and expand your personal network teams. As more and more similar industry peers join in, they can provide with various insightful ideas, which can enrich this social media activity and increase its reliability.

In conclusion, you can take advantage of the healthy relationship in your PLN to promote the growth of your PLN by actively participating in related industry or theme social networking activities, increasing connections and trust with other peers and expanding your personal learning network teams. Use social media to expand and strengthen your PLNs. Establishing a dynamic, reliable and participatory PLN plays a vital role in engaging in a social media campaign in the future.

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

How diverse is your PLN?

Diversity is the range of human differences, with a wide range of interests, backgrounds, experiences, and opinions, including but not limited to the differences of language, gender, race, social status and so on. “Everyone is diverse” (Moore & Schnellert, 2016). In my Personal Learning Network (PLN), I was connected to individuals have different people with diverse interests, backgrounds, life experience, and viewpoints. We share our diverse learning materials, experience, ideas, and creations with each other. Besides, for various reasons and purposes, we are connected to different digital platforms and communities.

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

I am learning from a various voice and learning to expand my understanding of the opinions of others. Take this course as an example, we discuss on Mattermost with our peers about diverse topics and then reflect on everyone’s viewpoints into our blogs every week. In education, the diversity and inclusiveness of teaching are often mentioned together. Teaching to diversity and inclusion is where we value the characteristics that are diverse (Moore, 2016). This learning activity has greatly taught us how to listen to other people’s voices and learn to understand different people’s viewpoints. This is the embodiment of inclusion. And it also helps us build a diverse PLN.

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

In this week’s reading and learning activities, I learned that diversity is not only tolerance and integration. According to Moore (2016), inclusive education depends on the diversity of its ecosystem, which not only promote coexistence and tolerance, but also flourishes with the learning and interaction of everyone in the community. Fortunately, we are studying in an inclusive education system. We are exposed to a diverse and inclusive educational ecosystem. Moore (2016) argued that inclusion is not just about students with special needs, it is about all students. Therefore, every student can be guaranteed to be exposed to inclusiveness and diversity. There are inclusive and diverse educators around us, and we should learn to accept inclusion and diversity, so as to better integrate into the brand-new education system and ensure understanding of true inclusion.

How likely individuals are going to continue with their created content and their network?

We are not sure what possibility it is that every student will continue to use the content and network they created. Personally, I like my current Personal Learning Network. We are free to make learning schedules and choose learning activities, we can flexibly complete our study tasks every week. Discussing and sharing ideas with diverse study members is the source of happiness for studying every week. And eventually establish and expand our own personal learning network gradually in the weekly learning activities.

Are the skills that they developed applicable in professional practices?

In the process of establishing personal learning network, some people may set up it without purpose, while others may plan their own professional learning network purposefully. Maybe some skills are not necessarily practical in later professional practice, but developing professional skills is not the ultimate goal. The skills learned in the establishment of professional learning network may come in handy at some time. We have no idea what will happen in the future. As Qualmann (2012) said, it is difficult to build a network when you are in urgent need of help. Before you need a network, you must first build a network. We are not sure whether the professional skills developed now can be applied in practice in the future. We cannot cultivate skills before we need them in the future. We must first develop these specialized skills.

In conclusion, social platforms play a significant role in helping us establish messaging and themes that are inclusive and diverse. First, social platforms will not refuse us to participate in social activities or learning activities because of our diverse backgrounds, experience, interests, opinions or different skin colors, nationalities, languages, genders and sexual orientation. Second, social platforms will not be inclusive because special people have special needs, but treat everyone equally. Therefore, in such a personal learning network or professional learning network, everyone should be inclusive. The network accepts everyone’s diversity. Exposing such a diverse and inclusive education ecosystem, social medias make a big difference on establishing diverse and inclusive messages and themes.

Reference

Moore, S. (2016), One Without the Other: Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, Portage & Main Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=4832579.

Qualman, E. (2012). Digital leader: 5 simple keys to success and influence (1st edition). McGraw-Hill.

What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
Students use professional social networking sites or applications to share knowledge, share documents, organize discussions with peers, find jobs or career opportunities, while using personal networks to contact friends or families. Most of group members believe that students are currently using google doc, google searches such as wikis, some open courses from universities, blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter Threads, Facebook Groups etc. to develop their professional networks. With the different purposes of students, the digital platform they use will change slightly. For example, graduate who want to find a job often use online platforms such as LinkedIn or indeed.

What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?
When expanding professional learning networks, students might consider several things. They could consider diversifying their network. Using diversified networks enable them to expand their personal learning networks. However, this will increase the risk of privacy exposure. They should consider security and privacy. They should choose digital platforms with stronger security and privacy policies. For those digital resident users, considering security and privacy should protect them from identity theft and take control of their data. Therefore, maintaining good online habits can help students protect their privacy. Select the most secure browser. Choosing a secure network is one of the best ways to protect their online data, especially when using the public WIFI network, be careful not reveal their online banking information. Password is still the main way for us to authenticate our identity on the Internet. It is very important to use random, long, and unique passwords to ensure the security of our digital accounts. Set two-step verification is significant. As an additional layer of security, you should enable two-factor authentication on all possible platforms. Furthermore, be concentrated on essential issues. Instead of being distracted by all kinds of new applications on the website, focus on the problems you want to solve. Be aware of privacy protection and security.

How does data privacy and security limit and/or promote a PLN?
Personal data disclosure, online sale of personal information, including credit card details, online banking login information, social account information, PayPal account etc., and phishing scam has been increasingly serious between year 2020 and 2023. Although people’s awareness of privacy protection has been enhanced, the threat of personal network data disclosure has not decreased. On the contrary, with the accumulation of personal privacy data leakage, on a global scale, cyber-attacks against individuals will increase. On the one hand, the risk of personal data leakage has indeed increased people’s concerns. Some group members think that the risk of personal data leakage on the network may hinder the development of personal learning networks. Some conservatives may have reduced the time of online activities, which affected the development of personal learning networks to a certain extent. However, with the improvement of people’s network awareness, the formation of good network habits, and the strengthening of personal data protection by network platforms, other group members believe that data privacy and security have promoted the popularization of personal learning networks under the case of strong demand for personal learning networks.

In your network, how can you create a digital identity/ reputation?
There are several methods to create a digital identity and reputations in individuals’ personal learning networks (PLN). First, because everyone can set multiple digital identities through different online communities, and some digital platforms do not audit personal digital identities, many people may use false information when interacting online. Therefore, if you want to establish a digital reputation on the Internet at the first time, you must show a good image on the network platform and maintain a consistent network image on all digital platforms. The unification of digital identity can enhance a person’s digital reputation.
In addition, some members believe that creating high-quality content that is relevant to the professional field is significant in creating a digital identity and reputations in PLN. For example, if you are looking for a job, then you should make a resume with good visual effects and high relevance to the job in LinkedIn, including some work-related internship experience. A highly professional resume makes it easier for you to impress HR.
Furthermore, other members think that interacting with your audience or peers on social medias is also important to create a good digital reputation. If you share some articles on your blog, read your comments carefully, take the time to answer each reader’s questions, be a good listener and be helpful to others, then this will increase your reputation on social media.

Consider how an employer would respond if you applied for a job with them and they assessed your social media presence via your digital identity.
My employers will be disappointed if they evaluate my performance on social media through my digital identity. According to my visitor and resident map, most of my academic performance is in the visitor mode. While I study online such as using google searches, I don’t leave any learning traces. Hence, it is difficult for employers to see my academic performance through my personal learning network. When I use various social media to contact my peers, I will show a resident mode, such as Instagram, and music applications. On these applications, my personal preferences are obvious, my “likes” and my song collection will show my preference. Generally speaking, I am not an outstanding personal online learner. On the contrary, my team members show obvious advantages. They have a good online image, high personal learning network relevance, and high-quality resumes on LinkedIn, which will help them impress the interviewers.

What is digital identity?

Digital identity is an identity that individuals show to others through network interaction and connection. It is like their presences on the Internet. It is everything they publish and share online. It is an identity how individuals participate, treat others, and how they use digital tools to benefit themselves on the Internet. Individuals’ digital identity is their footprint on the Internet. Their study, work, portfolio, blog, and everything they do on the Internet represent one’s digital identity (Stoller, n.d.). It is a fictional network image in some established and accepted social networks. For example, when they choose to build their Facebook pages or their virtual identities in chat rooms, they show an identity to an imaginary public, which they think is acceptable and can prove that they are close enough to others in tastes to be regarded as part of their public. People use pictures and references materials in the signature section to prove that they know something about the topics they are interested in when they want to post something in the social media or make comments online (Spracklen, 2015). Digital identity, therefore, is the portrait of humans that they show through online interaction.

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

Professional identity is formed in social interaction based on the Internet by using online platforms and communication tools. Taking medical students as an example, they have formed some professional qualities in the process of graduation, as part of their lifelong professional identification. They learn professional communication methods on social media platforms based on the Internet, which affects their professional identity. Apart from personal emotions and cognition, academic work has confirmed the development of identity through social communication. Professional identity is a personal professional self-concept based on attributes, beliefs, motives, values, and experiences. The development of social interaction models, such as online platforms, and the subsequent formation of their professional identities have an important impact on the future of medical students. These Internet-based ways may have a certain impact on the formation of their Internet-based online identities, which are labeled as “Digital Professional Identity (DPI)”, that is, “professional identities formed through social interaction based on the Internet through online platforms and communication tools. Therefore, professional digital identity emphasizes professional-related network activities, which is more professional and purposeful, and the topics involved in the discussion are also more occupational. This will also increase the development of professional social medias.

However, personal digital identity puts more emphasis on themselves in some interactions on the Internet. Therefore, personal digital network is more inclined to personal preferences, personal social interaction, etc. It may be purposeful or aimless, with a wider scope and a wider field. This will increase the use and browsing of general social software and websites. For example, some teenagers use Instagram to chat with their peers or post something about their lives or something interesting. This kind of behavior is purposeless. Digital identity helps them to find a relaxed platform, establish contact with friends and vent their emotions, including good or bad feelings.

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

More and more individuals, enterprises and countries are interacting on the Internet. Digital identity is the core of these interactions. How they use digital identities will determine how people express themselves on the Internet. This is a basic role of identity in the digital society. With the rapid development of digital society, however, it will bring many benefits as well as threats.

Firstly, digital Identity is the core of the digital economy. Digital identity supports digital economy, and digital services occupy people’s lives, making people’s lives simpler. International services and international cooperation that were difficult to achieve before, through online platforms, humans can enjoy global services at home and keep in touch with people around the world. Digital identity is the medium of digital economy, attracting more global digital identity users and increases the economic income of countries. For the government, they can effectively manage personal digital identities, which is more systematic and concise. Everyone is under the management of one system, through which theft caused by the loss of physical identity can be effectively prevented. Their goal is to manage the digital identity of individuals more securely. For companies, enterprise services can attract the attention of global digital identity users, increase the number of potential customers who will use enterprise services, increase consumer groups, and potentially increase the company’s operating profit.

In addition, for individuals, they can enjoy global services without leaving home, making their life more convenient. People can study, socialize, and shop at home, etc. In the past, they had to spend more time in schools, social places, and shopping places. Now with digital devices, a simple mobile phone can help them to study, work, socialize or go shopping without going to the specific places. This is making everything simple, saving time and doing things more efficiently. At home, individuals can connect with the society and make them have a sense of belonging to society. However, there are more and more issues people should pay attention to on the Internet. An increasing number of websites, new apps, and new technologies will challenge people every day. Living in an age of technology, lifelong learning is very serious. Digital identity encourages humans to become lifelong learners. Social media will reveal whether people have this natural curiosity and passion for lifelong learning. But human beings are growing and adapting (Stoller, n.d.). Learning needs, work needs, or social needs will all prompt everyone to keep learning new technologies, understanding new apps, and participating in different websites or social platforms. These connections and interactions will promote continuous learning and adapting to high-tech life. Especially for education, it may improve the education level of everyone. For some reason, those who have no time to study in the classroom within the specified time can manage their time more effectively. They can balance their lives and families with study and work and improve everyone’s chances of getting education. Of course, with more and more interactions on the Internet, online bullying, pornographic websites, and online fraud will also flood people’s lives, and people will gradually learn the ability to deal with these issues.

Moreover, for professional people, interacting on the Internet helps the formation of their identities, such as peer learning, teamwork, collaborative learning, leadership ability, management and communication skills, ethics, and professionalism. Strong group identity is associated with enhanced social support and improved well-being, but unhealthy group norms may make individuals engage in behaviors and activities that endanger their wellbeing. Using social platforms would have a negative impact on academic performance, reducing students’ face-to-face social interactions. With the use of social networks, individuals may be confronted with physical and psychological problems.

Furthermore, digital identity can increase political inclusiveness and political influence, including the good aspects and bad aspects. The radical left actively uses the Internet to spread opinions, while radical right-wing parties and politicians use social media to strengthen people’s support for themselves and participate in active or passive election campaign. Their control over the media of many famous countries enables them to extend their hegemony to virtual leisure space and make users’ views on neoliberalism and nationalism become norms by propaganda and persuasion. Therefore, the Internet and social media have become a group of people who influence politics and can publicize their political views more efficiently. However, because everyone is in the center of the network every day, it is difficult to avoid contacting these views, so they are subtly influenced by various political views. The internet has contributed to the growth of some conspiracy theories, making it easier to maintain some untrue beliefs. The internet has contributed to the spread of conspiracy theories and made some beliefs more deeply rooted in people’s hearts (Spracklen, 2015).

In conclusion, the network is the establishment and maintenance of social networks and identities. People can find like-minded people to share politics through the internet, but this also encourages the growth of some conspiracy theories. Social media and the Internet can make it easier for people to communicate with each other, but they also have many concerns. People will worry about cyber violence, the spread of illegal videos, illegal downloads, etc. (Spracklen, 2015).

For me, my digital identity is a typical of personal digital identity. I use social medias to keep in touch with my friends. Sometimes I vent my emotions and follow the latest news of my favorite idols. Watching interesting animal videos on social media can temporarily relieve the pressure of busy study and life. Generally speaking, I use social media to contact my friends and relax.

Reference

[Eric Stoller]. (2016, November 25). Your Digital Identity [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0