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 individualsā€™ 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.