Category: Weekly Blog Posts

This week’s blog post touches base on education and how it occurs in many environments beyond the four walls of a traditional classroom, especially with the aid of a PLN and new technologies. It speaks to a PLN’s ability to share individual and community voice, which has learners engaging in learning for their community and for themselves, thus creating an avenue for lifelong learning. Finally, it speaks to how emerging technologies, which strengthen your PLN, are being used to facilitate learning, thus empowering more voices and building connections for life.  In this blog, I will speak to learners within education, as well as to my own experience as a learner, teacher and user. Bare with me because this is long, but worthy of a read.

Education is a topic that resonates deeply with me. As an educator myself, I am constantly trying to extend the learning outside the four walls of the traditional classroom. “Most learning does not take place in formal settings” (Veletsianos, 2010)  since most of the context is situated outside those four walls and is now, with the addition of technology, accessible everywhere. When we separate learning from our environment/ community, we are teaching our learners that learning only happens in one space. This is detrimental to the learner because they are less likely to be able to apply the skills taught in the traditional classroom elsewhere, thus inhibiting them from becoming the contributing members of society we hope them to be. If we don’t teach in the context of community, which provides relevance in “real life” (whatever real-life means), how will learners be able to participate in that community themselves? Our goal is to develop innovative, creative humans who are empathetic and empowered to make change in our communities. Therefore, in order to create active citizens as such, we must educate them as so. 

In order to best educate our learners in all spaces, it is vital that we use tools that resonate with them, that are applicable to their everyday lives and that extend their thinking, as well as their voices. Emerging technologies have irreversibly  changed the balance from teacher-centered to learner-centered.( Veletsianos, 2010). Therefore, It is important to use these technologies as tools to help facilitate conversation/ co-construction, to build context and that aid in the learner becoming/being the teacher. I use tools such as a personal website, FreshGrade and Padlet in order to give a lens into the classroom and extend education from the classroom into the home/ community. Padlet allows caregivers and students to post videos. In the beginning of the year I ask families to share a bit about the student’s name origin  and then to post a video of their explanation on Padlet. We share this video in class. Here, I am not teaching, the student and their caregivers are. This extends classroom learning and thinking as well as inadvertently teaches caregivers and students how to use the platform I am asking them to use. I have also used social media in a way to share what we are fundraising for in class or for what we are doing. I use it to share news articles of what is going on in our communities and bring that into the class to add context to our learning. This winter I got in contact with a member of Our Place who set up a Zoom call to inform my daughter about the vulnerable population in Victoria and what we can do to help keep that population healthy. I then used YouTube with my daughter who made a video regarding the vulnerable population in Victoria and how she was making care kits to help keep them warm. This helped empower my daughter, send her message and educate others. Mila (my daughter) acquired over 30 “we care kits”  which we then donated to Our Place. Our Place then shared what Mila did on their website and then they received more than 15 more “we care kits.” From here, someone shared Mila’s message to Adam Sawatstky at CHEK5 News. He interviewed Mila and spread her word farther than we could have without having used any of the tools we did or without the help of my PLN. This is how my students, my daughter and I have used social media to educate others and how my PLN is working for my daughter and my cause even when we didn’t know it. Not only is my PLN helpful in putting mine and others’ causes out there, it is a way to engage in community. My daughter, myself and my students (in cases within the class)  all got to feel like we were helping someone, we got to connect and give joy to a community they may never have had the chance to do without me reaching out through the use of technology and social communication.  It also allows my students and daughter to be the teacher of their passions. When we use social media and tech tools, they learn how to share information that they are passionate about or that is relevant making them the educator. Here is the link to her video.

Mila’s Mission: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9JCz94HCqc

News Clip: https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2105737&jwsource=cl

The way in which my PLN ( and the tools I used to build it) worked for me, reminds me of the interview with Brad Baker and how his PLN works for him. Brad’s father was a survivor of residential schools and he grew up in the North Shore in North Vancouver as a part of the Squamish Nation. Therefore, Brad has a huge connection to his community and this is something he is passionate about. He also holds a lot of knowledge from his, his father and his friends’ experience. Brad mentioned that, “healthy community is key” and that having a healthy community means “bringing understanding of my own story and of my family’s story together [so] we can become more positive contributors to society” (Baker, 2021). Baker’s “PLN is really [his] support system” and motivates and assists him in educating others. Baker uses Twitter and social media to build his PLN and open up discourse, thus teaching others and gaining further opportunity to do so. One example of this is when Baker was asked to speak on TedTalk. When I asked him (via email) how he had been given this opportunity, he mentioned that, “a few folks from West Van School had heard [him] speak somewhere else and approached [him] to be part of the series (Baker, 2021).  Therefore, Baker’s passion for his community helped him to build discourse through Twitter and social media which developed his PLN and gave him the opportunity to bring awareness of his passion to others through TedTalk.

There is an important point to address here. Some voices, such as Brad’s and other people from First Nations’ cultures, as well as many other cultures, are just beginning to truly be heard. I know I learned a bit about First Nation culture in school, however, I have learned more from TikToks, Instagram posts and tweets than I ever did in school (much like Jesse points out). This has me questioning why? Brad addresses a solid point regarding how social media, “allows the indigenous voice, in regards to reconciliation, to be put out there and from an authentic source. We all know mainstream media only tells what they want to tell.  [Therefore, social media allows for] “authentic voice and the real story to be told.” Social media allows you to “hear the true story first and foremost because if you are hearing it second or third hand, it generally loses its meaning at some point.”(Baker, 2021). This is a great example of why I am learning more about this topic and more. I am learning more (being taught better) because I am getting the information directly from the source, in real time and in a way that makes sense to me. I am also able to relate more to that source as I can engage with them and learn alongside them. I am being brought into a community I may not have otherwise been able to connect to without social media or a PLN. 

Sharing authentic voices brings up another hot topic for me as an educator. Valuing learner voice and learner experiences. This idea has moved to the forefront of the constructivist theory: The theory that knowledge is constructed from the experiences that each individual brings to the table, as well as co-constructed through the dialogue that happens between individuals. This shift is due to extensive theory examination, as well as the ever-changing amount of technologies and online tools available. This shift may be seen as a burden to some educators as it “impacts pedagogy and teaching/learning processes” (Veletsianos, 2010). New tools and technology forces educators to re-examine how they teach and why they teach that way. It also has them having to learn new technologies on a regular basis. This learning can be incredibly time consuming and daunting when the tool you have just learned may have become outdated in the time you learned it. However, for me, it is just another great example of how adaptable we, as educators/ humans, must be in a system that is ever-evolving. “We must be willing to change our pathways on how we educate” to advocate for what is right (Baker, 2021) and for all. 

As an educator I value voice and conversation as it addresses the learner as an expert in their own experience and builds avenues for learning to be reconfirmed/ reconstructed. This being said, when we offer group discussions in class, in order to provide a chance to share knowledge and co-create understanding, not every voice is always being heard. The outspoken opinionated student may take over the discussion, whereas the shy one won’t feel comfortable sharing their thinking. This is where technologies and social media are stepping in to help. From our readings, the use of Wikis are allowing spaces for collaboration where “multiple authors can edit and update the content of a document” (Veletsianos, 2010), as well as provide a place where conversations and discussions can be had through messaging. Not only do wikis allow for conversation, they allow for all voices to be heard. “The shy, quiet student is “heard” [and] the student who is always first to contribute will not receive undue attention and become frustrated for never being seen” (Veletsianos, 2010). 

I experience the use of online tools in my own current education through the use of Google Docs. We have a safe place to share and edit and converse in anytime that works for us, from anywhere in the world. We can converse through messaging or notes we leave each other. We can use the edit function or suggestion function depending on how comfortable we are with our teammates. In GoogleDocs, we feel safe to share our voices. We feel “heard” and valued because we can collaborate in our time in our own way and not be “overrun” by someone else. We also build connections (our PLN) for life in these interactions. I have met many people I continue to work with today within these types of learning spaces from both my personal and online courses at UVic. The best part is, we continue to use these types of and spaces and to communicate and collaborate together. 

Not only have I used these spaces in my personal life, I have used them in my teaching. I have used systems such as “polleverywhere” to give anonymity to students when they answer questions which allows them to confidently answer with no fear of being wrong in real-time. I have also used GoogleClassrooms so that learners can share ideas and their voices much as I have in my studies. In Kindergarten, these tools are more difficult to use as I have to explicitly instruct my students how to use the technology before we begin. That being said and as mentioned above, I use FreshGrade to help learners share their voices and knowledge with caregivers and other students and I use Padlet to allow learners and their caregivers to share with the class. Unfortunately, there are some challenges with these such as; photo release and caregiver permission of these tools being used. I try to combat these by educating caregivers that there are tools that exist which I can use to blur out faces thus protecting their child’s privacy and still allowing them to participate in online communications/sharing with me. I try and use as many tools as I can for my learners so that they can use those same tools properly within their learning, in all contexts. Since learning happens everywhere, we need to educate our learners how to use the tools available in a way that enhances their learning and their voice which in turn empowers them. This means being educated about them myself. Although it can be daunting and terrifying as a teacher to constantly be learning new tech and new safety precautions, it is life. Our learners are constantly changing what they are using, so should we.  

Today, I see so many youth taking selfies and using these tools as a way to show the world what they think they should be. This is unfortunately doing the opposite of empowering and emphasizing voice and authenticity. It is not allowing one to express themselves or what they are passionate about. If they can’t be authentic and passionate about what they want, how can they engage in and make change for anything? I think that as an educator if I can explicitly teach how to use these tools and technologies for the purposes of being authentic, educating/learning and with the purpose of instigating change, my learners will want to use them in this way and feel better for it. I feel the same way about my children. How much better would it feel to create change, stand up for each other, and to support your community and culture, than trying to change yourself to fit into the preconceived ideals of the world? Brad says it right when he says we “need to be vulnerable because that is true growth” (Baker, 2021). Not only does being vulnerable allow for growth, it allows us to express who we truly are and what we truly believe so that our voices are heard, thus supported. We are a huge community in where we ought to all be included and be able to engage as who we are with what we believe in. “Chenchenstway- we are in this together” (Baker, 2010), so let’s act like we are. Let’s use social spaces and technologies in a way that supports individuals and instills change, growth, and empowerment within our communities, for all. Let’s use these spaces, the ones that amplify conversation and collaboration and use technology, to allow all voices to be heard and facilitate conversations and support systems that can support life long connections and learning. Let’s teach our children that they can use these tools to be who they are, gain support from others, and to spread their own voices to make change. I want that for my own kids and I want it for yours too. 

Here are my main takeaways from this week of how a PLN can support education.

1. Education happens everywhere all the time- at home, at school, on a coffee date, when you volunteer, when you chat with your parents and when you are in nature exploring. Learning is happening everywhere from everyone even when you don’t notice it happening. 
2. Education and learning is enhanced through social communication and online tools. These tools can amplify your voice (if you are quiet they provide opportunities for your voice to be heard),  they can connect you to your community, thus creating meaning and empowerment, and they can extend your voice to places that it may have never reached.
3. Social media and your PLN support or challenge your voice/purpose/passion. Therefore, they provide insight and avenues for change in your thinking. 
4. When you have a robust PLN, it will support you when you don’t even know it and provide strength and distance to your voice and passion. 
5. Everyone is a teacher, or has the ability to be one. If you have a passion/skill/problem that needs solving, use social media and technology to educate yourself on it, build a community around it (PLN), and make changes for that community. 
6. Be perfectly YOUnique. You are enough and what you believe matters. Share your voice. 

 

Citation: 

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.

Baker, Brad. (2021). Communications via-email. 

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)?

As mentioned in my many other posts, social media is an incredible way to communicate with members of the community that you may never have otherwise encountered, as well as a way to deliver and receive information relevant to your interests (as well as spark interests you may never thought you would have until one day seeing it on social media). Social media provides an avenue for information and movements to be met with people who hold positions of power who can then enact change. It carries voices and opinions which give insight and empowerment, as well as exposes strengths. Vance highlights how engaging in a media space can provide instantaneous opportunities. She explains how Drex, a person who had never met her, DM’d her asking if she would consider radio. Then he put her in touch with Larry Gifford who invited her in for a meeting which sealed the deal. Her PLN  connections and social media made this opportunity happen for her and it happened almost instantly.

Vance is not the only notable person who benefits from social media, many others use social media to influence, educate and engage communities to enact change. An example of a notable person I follow is David Suzuki. He has created “FridaysforFuture” climate strikes that have grown into a worldwide movement. This movement, as well as the many others,  create change as they put pressure on the people in powerful positions to make change. I must admit I am a huge fan of David Suzuki because his passion speaks to mine, and because he is authentic and educated. He provides facts and evidence to support his missions all while being kind, unapologetic and consistent in them. I have built up huge trust on what he shares and he motivates me to do the best for the environment, therefore the  best for the people living in it.

As there are many benefits to using social media for some, the use of it by persons in a position of trust can be difficult. What you post on social media can truly affect your appearance/ credibility, as well as that of your employer. As an educator, how I choose to brand myself, truly affects how the school system may look, as well as how reliable and trustworthy I appear. “It takes a life-time to build a reputation and a heartbeat to break it” and “you have to be careful bc its everything is a postcard to the world (Vance, 2021). I have spent ten or more years developing my “brand” and I must protect it. That means that I must be mindful of what I post and what debates I get into, or how I challenge others, as those who I challenge (or those watching the comments of those I challenge) may appear in my future communications, employment opportunities and classrooms. Not only am I mindful of this, but my employers are. My district has a very strict social media expectation that is outlined in our employee manual. We are not to add students to our social media, we are not allowed to have any questionable photos posted on it, and we are to avoid controversial conversations online.

Sometimes the inability to address controversial conversations can place you in a paradox where you want to be open and authentic but you are truly not allowed to be. That is a difficult place to be since I am supposed to teach my learners how to have kind controversial conversations in a respectful and constructive way. In this case, I would have to decide what my bottom line is and what I would be willing to potentially lose through my actions. As Vance said it, “If I am going to knowingly to break rules, I need to be prepared to lose a contract. I need to weigh these options (Vance, 2021). Now, in the occupation I have, there is not much room for moving my bottom line as the Education system is a huge branch and I am not sure I am willing to lose my reputation over a potential controversial topic, yet. I say yet because there has not yet been a conversation I have had motivating enough more me to act on, as well as the fact that I am still considered a newer educator who is trying to develop trust and form alliances which I would need to potentially “muddy the waters” and stay “protected.” It would be important for me to have someone in my corner, much as Vance did with Scott Moore, to vouch for my beliefs and to secure my position. It truly is hard to  be “100 percent of who you are and own who you are” in a world where everyone is watching and scrutinizing. In a world where your employers also hold an opinion over what you should and should not be saying and doing online.  Vance “feel[s] more free because [she] is a veteran of the industry now. [She] has experience.” She can leave her DMs open because she has built a solid reputation and she is confident in who she is and what she does. She has built trust around her information and the way she presents herself. This being said, she does mention how, “competition matters but the collective is incredibly important too because you may end up on that team” (Vance, 2021). Therefore, she is still weighing her decisions and actions even though she has security and experience. I am sure that after I get back from Maternity leave and build more experiences, become confident in my teaching again and gain more allies/ collaborators that I may feel more free in many ways too. Starting off is just not as easy because you don’t yet fully know where you are going or who is going to be in your corner until you start constructing them.

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

Vance mentioned how she would, “Delete the jerks, [because] there will always be jerks” (Vance, 2021). I have no place on my social media for purposeful discrimination or hate of others at all. If someone were being purposefully hateful, I would delete them in an instant. However, if the comment was perhaps made with a lack of knowledge, I’m not sure I could be as  black and white as Vance is. As and educator, I think a little bit of the grey is okay because it brings up misconceptions and allows for conversation. It would allow me an opportunity to educate and bring awareness to harmful behaviours and comments, again showing my PLN the importance of educating people. Of course this would be done in a respectful and kind way and if it led to more hurtful/hateful comments, I would end the conversation and delete the person, but leave the conversation.

Now, if someone were to critique me I would be all open to that. I love hearing what I can do better, or what I have perhaps done incorrectly so that I can change the way I think and act. I want to be a better human and advocate for all. That being said, I get to choose how I deal with that critique. I get to choose if I will change my ways or not depending on how valid and constructive the critique is. Sometimes I may just simply thank someone for their comment knowing that, through my experience, this comment is not as effective as it could be, or I may choose to change my entire thinking and actions as a friend of mine did. My friend addressed someone’s critique on her social media incredibly tactfully and she took steps to improve her original post. She had posted about how she uses rice and dyed it in order to make a cute little spring sensory bin. Someone had DM’d her and commented on how in certain cultures using rice is disrespectful. My friend decided to create another post with this information on it and asked others to speak to their feelings about using food/ rice as a “play item” in order to see if there was anything else she was missing. She shared those responses. She then created another post about how she had already made this and that it may be a waste not to use. So, after asking the caregivers and learners in her class how they felt about it (securing how no one took offence and were all okay with it), she decided to use it. I was impressed to say the least. My friend demonstrated that she didn’t know it all and that in fact, had much to learn.  She taught us how we can deal with critique and how we can change in how we do things, but not everything. I have even deeper respect for her now and I trust that she will always be open and truthful in her learning process and share her learned experiences.

My friend’s actions taught me a lot about how I can build a PLN that can be relied on and how I can create trust and validity in the information I share. If I am open to critiques and new information, and if I take that information and change the way I engage, people will gain trust in me as I did in my friend. They will gain trust because they will see that I am constantly learning and applying my new knowledge in my PLN. I will also make sure to provide evidence and fact in what I post by sourcing out “real news” from “Fake news.” There is so much of this out there and I believe it is really important to source out the sources before posting. It is also important to watch out for content sourcing and content farms, not only because it is taking a hit on the journalists wage and importance, but the information that has been sourced can at times be very subjective rather than objective with no one to decipher between the two types of content. An example of this is how BBC used “citizen-journalists” to cover the conflict in Syria in 2011-20212.  Although these eye-witnesses were extremely important in gathering information, there were problems in managing the subjectivity of the information gathered since, “ there was a tendency to have their own political agenda, or exaggerate details in order to favour their “side” in the fighting” (Hirst, 2018). Content farms and sourcing may not actually give an objective outlook, because the information has been subjectively weighted.

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

As a broadcaster or journalist in a time before the internet and social media existed, you would have to greatly rely on your sources and editors in order to ensure your information was in fact correct. However, now with the aid of internet/social media, journalism and broadcasting has become more of a freelance reality. Therefore, the journalist or broadcaster can go directly to the source and curate their own version of the story knowing it is credible as they can access and verify those stories in real- time. Those same “storytellers”can minimize the risk of misinformed information by creating a reliable network that is filled with experts in order to source solid information as well. As I mentioned earlier, it is also through hands on life experience that veteran storytellers have gained invaluable lessons and knowledge of how to minimize risk in sharing. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that one’s ability to share “perfectly” in the early stages may not be as easy as you are continually learning how. That being said, if you fill your PLN with experts and use credible sources, you will have a lower risk of sharing misinformation.

I want to end this  blog with this snippet from the interview with Vance. I think she describes greatly the vital roll your network plays in your professional life and how every communication and conversation within it can lead up to where you end up. She demonstrates that your PLN is working for you (positively or negatively) behind the scenes (without you even knowing) because people are talking about you and watching you.

“I have benefitted so much from the foundation of my network and from being open to the connections that you have with the people who may float by you and not know they may become a huge piece of your network. Ex: How I Volunteered for Greater Victoria Open. I was sitting at a table with some of the biggest heavy weights at the industries I wanted to get into. I didn’t know this. Volunteering really helps network bc people know you want to be there.Things are happening behind the scenes- people are talking about you” (Vance, 2021).

Citation:

Vance, Jody & Miller, J. “EDCI 338 – 2021 – 03 – 21 JODY VANCE.” 03 Mar. 2021. doi: https://.youtube.com/watchv=dgZOJgJKdyl&feature=youtu.be

Hirst, M. (2018). Navigating Social Journalism: A Handbook for Media Literacy and Citizen Journalism (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.4324/9781315401263

After reading chapter 4, analyzing the interview between Miller and Simpson, and discussing with my group, I am newly aware of the impact that social media has in advocacy communications. I am realizing that information can be gained in, and spread quickly through, social spaces, that Hashtagging provides a common language and an avenue for sharing and connecting, and that when the sharing of passion extends through social spaces aiming to influence specific audiences, reaction and change can happen. In other words, social media is an effective avenue to share passions, start conversations around those passions, spread the word on those passions and to evoke passion in others, thus making people take action and create change in relation to those passions. It is a way to help engage in community and have your voice heard.

In one of our discussions, @callim mentioned that, “What defines advocacy communications is that they focus tightly on influencing specific audiences and using specific messages in order to deliver changes in policy or practice.  In general, successful advocacy communications require clear objectives, knowledge of the intended audience, language appropriate for that audience and content that is short, specific and to the point.” (@callim, 2021). @Callim’s comment reminded me of Miller and Simpson’s interview. Simpson was clear about his passion for adding black history into curriculum and this was his clear objective. He gained the knowledge through reaching out to like-minded people on social media and by attending conferences (knowledge of intended audience), then he began posting and Hashtagging in a common language in order to communicate his passion/intentions, as well as enlighten his passion/intention within others. Those hashtags then took off and had others re-tweet/using those same hashtags, thus spreading his word even further within the community, as well as into the positions of power that can instil change. In Simpson’s experience, his use of social media brought attention to his objective. Because of social media Simpson’s voice has reached people in places it may never have reached.

An example of social media reaching people it may not have reached or bringing attention to certain issues which may not have been noticed is one which resonates with me. One day when I was checking facebook, I had a notification in our neighbourhood group. When I checked this notification, I was met with a petition to stop the development of a piece of land directly behind me which is filled with old growth. This piece of land is a park that I take my family to on a regular basis. It is a place where people have made wooden signs which have both First Nations words and English words labelling the plant life there. It is a place where someone has taken the time to create little natural fairy/ troll homes for my littles to examine, wonder about and extend their imaginations. This place resonates deep with me and I had NO PRIOR IDEA that there was any intention of developing it until I saw this petition which was posted by a member of the community. I may have missed it in the news or even on signage, however it reached me through social media and I am grateful it did.

Not only am I glad that social media has opened up avenues to reach me, I am glad that it enables us to participate in the sharing and curating of information in an affordable way, which other models do not. Clarke and Aufderheide’s speak to how social media gives more choice as to what is being shared, more “chance for conversation and curation, collaboration with media makers and more creation by users” (Clarke & Aufderheide, 2009). Social media has given individual users the ability to move from “being an anonymous part of a mass to being the centre of the media picture,” as well as “has created a space where people come in as participants and leave recognizing themselves as members of public.”(Clark & Aufderheide, 2013). Many communities have formed because of social media, thus creating extensive connections to community and a sense of belonging. When you have a sense of community and purpose, you begin to take the steps to make change in and for that community or to engage within it. Take the Black Lives Matter movement for example. This community grew together and through effective communication on social media, is continually creating change by educating and influencing others. Another example is Simpson. Simpson found his community and they grew together. They began extending their networking through social media, thus reaching influencers such as the Minister of Education, Rob Flemming and The president of the BCTF Terry Mooring who now participate in implementing Simpson’s ideas. They all found a community and aimed at making change within it. Their voices are being heard and they are recognized as active members in the community.

These examples have given me an understanding of how I could better use social media to build my PLN in order to promote and advocate for social change. Simpson notes that the growth of his PLN came from being very authentic and from there it expanded quite naturally (Simpson, 2021). This inspires me to use my PLN as a space for change because it gives light to the fact that my PLN can represent who I am and what I care about as a person, not just a professional. It demonstrates that my thoughts and values are important and I can make change with the help of others. Simpson’s hashtag helps me remember that we are, “Stronger together, together we rise.” Therefore, it is important for me to step into my community and help create change within it either through my own PLN or participating in others’. This way,  I am doing what is best for me and for my community. I am engaging with my community and being an active participant.

I feel that my PLN does amplify the views of others as I tend to share petitions and initiatives of others. For example, a friend of mine is a guide for an athlete who is visually impaired. He was raising awareness, as well as funds,  to support athletes who are visually impaired, through a race he was promoting on the island. I shared this with others through social media and participated in it myself, therefore amplifying someone else’s views. I also do this with many other initiatives and causes, not only to aid in the cause itself, but because I appreciated others’ bringing attention to my cause when I fundraised to support learners in Africa. Looking back, when fundraising for Africa,  hashtagging and tweeting did not exist. However, if it did, I do think that creating them could have helped curate more influencers to spread the word and potentially create a larger impact. This being said, influencers can also take a negative light when endorsing a product because they are being used as marketers for a certain product which they have been paid to promote. In that case, the endorsement is not necessarily what the endorser holds value in. Rather, it is a pay check.

I think what I truly took away from this post is that my opinions, knowledge and values matter and that I can instil change with the help of others and social media tools. I can use my PLN and social media to authentically start a meaningful dialogue with others who I can learn from and learn with and who can extend our dialogue further. When our community assembles and we create a common language, our views can be shared and possibly get engagement from leaders who can amplify our message or enact change in our communities. This engagement shows that our voices are being heard and that our voices have impact. Together, we are stronger.  

Citation

Simpson, Markiel. “EDCI 338 – 2021 – 02 – 22 MARKIEL SIMPSON.”  21 Feb. 2021. doi: https://youtu.be/yCSpm1Lx8-A

Clark, J., & Aufderheide, P. (2013). A New Vision for Public Media – Open, Dynamic, and Participatory. In J. Pooley, L. Taub-Pervizpour, & S. C. Jansen (Authors), Media and social justice (pp. 55-67). New York: Palgrave.

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

If I were to create a PLN prior to engaging a social media campaign regarding inquiry, I would make sure to ask questions specific to the topic and to be open to a wide range of answers from a wide range of professionals. I could do this by questioning/conversing with friends and family, posting questions on my social media such as facebook and Instagram and by creating a tweet, much like Tomloud @loudlearning did through @edchat.

I could join in on tweet chats and have a voice in the discussion as well. This way, I can ask questions, listen to feedback, give insight, reconfirm/reconfigure thinking all while also building the diversity within my PLN.  “There is plenty to learn from people outside our field” (Woods, 2013). Therefore, I would ensure that my questions were pointed at professionals/people who have both similar interests/occupations, as well as a variety. Finally, “A PLN should never be a one way street. It should be a way for [me] to help others as well. The more [I] contribute to [my] PLN, the more others will want to help [me]” (Woods, 2013). Therefore, I would make sure that I was putting as much into the conversation as I was taking from it, as well as make sure to participate as much with others’ topics as they do with mine.

Citation

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 16 Feb. 2021.

Tom Loud, TL [@loudlearning] (February 14, 2021). Language of Great School Leaders:1. How can I help? 2. What do you think? 3. Your work is changing lives! 4. I trust you 5. I appreciate your commitment 6. Thank you for working hard 7. I was wrong 8. I’m sorry 9. Do you have the tools you need? 10. I’ve got your back [Tweet], Twitter, https://twitter.com/loudlearning/status/1361173032765652992 (Screen shot by Jayne Won).

When I look at my current PLN I find it to be quite diverse in the way of who I choose to follow as well as who tends to follow me (“Following” being the purpose to learn from/with and feel connected to someone or something). As an educator, I ensure that I am learning from a broad range of experts of all genders, ages, ethnicities and abilities, as well as look to these educators to help educate myself in realms I am not as comfortable in, such as racial equity, due to my privilege and my possible misconceptions. I follow many inquiry based teachers from all over the globe, as well as several specialists within the education realm, such as librarians, OTs, Medical professionals and parents. I also engage with diverse peoples from all economic statuses and cultures. For instance, I engage with friends I made while teaching in Africa who come from different circumstances than those I live in here, as well as people from all over the globe from when I travelled the world. I have a lens into their culture and recognize that everyone I am connected to has taught me something about the world or about life. I believe speaking to and listening to my diverse array of humans has created diversity in my own PLN. Each person I am networked with has given me some kind of insight which has diversified my PLN, as well as what I choose to post.

When I examine who I follow and why, I recognize that I mostly sit safely in the background learning from the many voices that exist in my PLN. I am not yet sharing many of my experiences, nor am I contributing much other than offering positive reaffirming comments such as, “thank you for your knowledge” or “what a great perspective, I had never thought about it like that.” Here and there I may offer a word of wisdom when I feel my knowledge can contribute to the community, or when I have a a question to ask, but mostly I take in information. However, if I take our Mattermost conversations as an example of learning from a variety of voices versus being “the loudest in the room,” I would say that I have truly listened to, engaged with and learned from many of the contributors in this space. Our group brings up diverse perspectives and excellent points which continuously have me changing my blog posts to include the ideas from these insightful conversations. In this space I share openly because I have a purpose within the space. Much like Moore noted in her video, in this context, I have diverse knowledge to share, therefore purpose (Moore, 2021). Here, in the Mattermost platform, diversity in opinion and in insight guides our learning and is the reason why our groups exist. Here, I feel valuable in my community contributions, as well as value other members contributions. My group members here “are not fans/followers, they are a community to share ideas and to learn from” (Moore, 2021). In this space, I am a balance of the two; both a listener and absorber, as well as a contributor and a loud voice. Not only does this platform allow for diversity in thought through conversation, it gives my thinking balance. It allows me to digest many ways of thinking before posting, thus better ensuring that what I am posting is more educated, balanced, respectful and inclusive.

When I look at my two very different ways of participating I am beginning to question why in certain platforms I feel my voice has more value than in others, or why I choose to participate more eagerly in one area than the other. Perhaps, in my personal, I am participating in a silo of information sharing so that I am not “muddying the waters by putting real life in” (Colunga, 2020).I am staying safe in my interactions and not creating potential challenges. Whereas, on Mattermost I am encouraged to challenge others’ thinking and them challenge mine. These challenges feel good because I know they are for the sake of our development/ learning and that this growth stems from differing outlooks. As I reflect on this, I am re-evaluating, yet again, the purpose behind my personal platforms. Why am I posting? Is it just to be reaffirmed? Do I truly want others to challenge me? Am I contributing to bias and inequality when I do not share my voice? These are questions I am beginning to answer and adjusting my PLN through this journey. I will continue to dive deeper into answering and reconfiguring them. What I do know is that I do not want to participate in a silo of information because it does not allow for us to be exposed to new ideas or build on the fact that every person has a voice. It is skewed, very one sided and supports pre-existing biases. Spaces as such do not challenge thoughts and ideas in order to build a community built on authenticity and value in voice. I want to be exposed to new ideas and I want to share mine so that these pre-existing biases cease to exist.     

In my communications with my Mattermost group, a member explains how,“it is important to understand that everyone is an individual and the way they would want to be treated varies” (ashk, 2021). “It is important to treat everyone how they want to be treated”(Struch, 2021) and “if we are open to seeing each others perspectives in this forum and mutual respect is demonstrated, PLN’s can be a positive tool to foster community” (Callim, 2021). This solidified my understanding that we all have underlying unconscious biases and that these biases can decrease when engaging through meaningful, challenging, open and honest conversations with others. Therefore, using a diverse PLN can broaden my views of inclusion by engaging in differing/challenging conversations which will deconstruct my potential unconscious bias, thus enhancing my viewpoint and creating more unbiased conversations/online communications. A diverse PLN can open space for conversations which foster a new community that aims at destructing bias.

As an educator, I continually evaluate inclusion in my own classroom space. I truly believe that inclusion is being actively embraced in these spaces, although I know there continue to be flaws. Much like Moore points out, “sitting in the same room and breathing the same air is not enough” (Moore, 2017). Many educators are including all in their classrooms, yet continue to struggle with the success/ participation of all. A main question I ask as an educator is,

“How can I create spaces/lessons in which all learners are engaging in learning that is authentic to their self, while contributing to their community (including the community of learners and the community in which they live), all while meeting each learners’ specific needs?”

This is a big question which needs thoughtful evaluations of how learning is designed, as well as how individuals can drive their own learning process. I know I can struggle in creating spaces that maximize learning for all. However, when Moore relates bowling to the education system, it turns my struggle into a power. It makes me re-evaluate how I design learning in my classroom and gives me the power to change my targets in order to allow “success” for all. In Moore’s words, “In order to knock down all the the pins, you aim for the ones which are the hardest to get” (Moore, 2016). In an educational sense, in order to provide successful learning for all, if I aim to support the learners in my class with the highest needs first, I will ultimately best support all learners. There is then, no “other.” Take the image attached as another example. Here, someone has thought about the child who was not the tallest first, before building the fence. Without even having supports, the builder has created a place where everyone can enjoy watching the game by eliminating ALL barriers. Classrooms and classroom teachers are beginning to aim for this and I hope more educators use Moore as a resource in UDL (universal design for learning) in order to improve their ways of teaching. I know I will be sure to share her perspectives on my PLN to educate others.

An outcome for my PLN would be to educate others on what I find interesting or what I have learned, as well as to learn and be educated by others. It is to share ideas and to listen to others in order to grow perspectives and understandings alongside each other. I can ensure exposure to diversity and inclusion simply by living in this mind-frame. The mind-frame that learning is created and  built together. There is no one right way of thinking, but many unique ways that contribute to the conversation and the overall understanding for all. I can also remember that inclusion is not stagnant. Being inclusive is action oriented and is a journey which we are all on (Moore 2017). If I continue to listen to, learn from, and collaborate with a diverse ever evolving set of humans, all while staying in the mind-frame that we learn with and from each other, my PLN will reflect that inclusivity and modesty. It will reflect value in all voices.    

After participating in the readings and videos, I have come to realize that inclusion is exactly what adds to my PLN and what makes it successful. Inclusion is what drives knowledge, conversation and action. It is what generates conversations and forward thinking. Therefore, without it, a PLN would likely sink and become very one-sided and bias, thus less informed and less respected. I am currently thinking about my deep rooted purposes behind my PLN and intend on reframing and restructuring it as I move forward. My PLN is a journey, not a final product.

Citation:

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.

Colunga, K. (2020, December 19). The Social Media Silo Situation. Viewpoint.  February 10, 2021,  https://viewpoint.pointloma.edu/the-social-media-silo-situation/

Image from : Direct Course (2016). https://directcourseonline.com/equity-equality-inclusion/

Students all over the globe are reaching out to be found by potential employers, coaches, collaborators, etc.. and they are using several online tools to do so. Students are currently using networks such as LinkedIn, blogs, forum chats, and webpages to develop their professional networks. That being said, I also know several educators and companies which are using Instagram to post and create a professional network.  When I began noticing what students were using to build their networks, I started looking at mine.

After evaluating my own V&R map, I became aware of some of the things I could consider doing in order to expand my PLN. I could separate how I use my Instagram in order to expand my PLN. For example, my personal Instagram, which is riddled with my kids and my family which is currently intertwined with my teaching projects, could be broken up into a personal more private account and a professional teaching account. This way I can keep my personal separate from professional (as mush as possible with tight settings). Doing so would allow like-minded professionals a lens into my classroom and a chance to reach out, rather than seeing images of my kids and become disinterested as it doesn’t mirror their interests. The same would go for the caregivers of my students. A professional Instagram could give them some insight into my practices and pedagogy, thus allowing them to see the type of teacher I am. Another thing I can do to increase my professional learning network would be to use the website created in this course to attach my professional Instagram page to so that I can be found in different platforms all in one place. This way, I can send out a newsletter with my website attached and then caregivers and other professionals can search me from that location with the information I provide, rather than any information they get while googling me. Finally, I feel it would be important to implement platforms that other educators, my students and their caregivers are using. For example, other educators use Google Classroom, MS Teams as well as Instagram. Parents are using FreshGrade, which I currently use, as well as Instagram. Perhaps, I could somehow build this into my website with links so I can inform, engage, inspire and nurture education for all in one place. As Wikipedia points out, “participants in all of the educational stages frequently mentioned convenience/ease of use as an important factor in obtaining information” (Wikipedia, 2020), therefore perhaps making all my links convenient can make it easier for all users of my website to find what they need to support their learning which, in turn, helps me.

No matter how I choose to network,  it is incredibly important to create a digital image of myself that is respectable. I need to remember that I am putting myself  on the web to either tell something about myself or to attract potential employers, coaches, collaborators etc… Therefore, when I am acting in social networks, it is vital to do so with thought, care and attention to the fact that my comment has both positive and negative impacts to myself and possibly others, all which can all be traced back to me. In other words, I need to stop and think “Why am I sharing?” and “How will what I post demonstrate the kind of person I am?”

For example, If I am choosing to share something I find funny, I need to ask myself, “Will it be funny to all?” Will it discriminate? Will it hurt feelings? Will it be taken out of context? What would a potential employer think of this? If I can justify those questions, I might think about posting it. However, if those answers cannot be justified, I will absolutely not post.

Not only should I consider what I post, I should acknowledge the importance of how I post on other people’s posts or comments. I must think about the direct link that a potential person has to my comment and what my comment shows about the type of person I  am. When I post or comment, I always act how I do when I am speaking to someone in person, or even maybe a little bit better as there is a paper trail. I am supportive of what I believe and kind in how I treat and speak to others. I may have a differing opinion, however, I continue to be kind and thoughtful. The reason I believe it is important to watch how I say things or what I say in comments comes from experience when I welcomed an adult volunteer into our class. They seemed absolutely lovely. A colleague of mine came in and mentioned to be weary of sharing too much to this person as they have a habit of “being kind to your face and ripping you apart on social media.” I was taken back. I asked how she knew this and then she showed me the mom’s group chat comments of facebook written by this volunteer. I was now terrified to have this volunteer back as I didn’t know what could possibly be posted about myself or the learners in our classroom. I never asked this person back because their posts gave me insight into how they behave online, which changed my mind about them in person. They seemed sweet, but showed a different side online. This volunteer hindered their own opportunity by posting unkind remarks online. I have since made a written contract that any volunteer in our room must sign which mentions how they must keep anything they see to themselves or actions could be taken. The contract mentions both online and offline comments. I hope it helps people think before they write or talk.

On the other side of this, when I created my V&R map, I noticed how it isn’t always about how a person can damage their image to an employer. They can also enhance their opportunity by participating in more networks. Currently, I tend to “lurk” in a few platforms but have not yet shared my thinking. Take Twitter for example. I follow people and the news on twitter, but I have yet to post. When I stop to think about why, it stems from my fear of backlash from an employer or caregiver, as well as the potential to post something out of context. However, if I actually participated in this realm and became more of a resident, my ability to be noticed would increase substantially. Tweeting is a quick and efficient way to get what you are doing out in the world within seconds. There are so many users and potential collaborators which use this platform, so when I want the chance to be noticed it would be important to participate on the Twitter platform. I would  just have to remember the reasons WHY I am posting and HOW what I choose to post can make me look to ALL potential readers.

If  a future employer were to search my name, they would not come up with much. I do use several “alias” names for different accounts which are managed quite securely. They would likely come up with my running times, marathon photos and my outdated LinkedIn account. The running and marathon will absolutely be fine to see by an employer as it may show them I am determined, athletic and work towards my goals. However, my LinkedIn is outdated and I should either cancel it, or update it so that potential employers do not have outdated information regarding my current credentials.

One question I still have is, in regards to the quality of my overall digital identity (both personal and professional). After participating in the V&R activity and readings and really taking a look at how I use platforms, I wonder if I should separate my ID’s into two separate networks- a professional and a super secure private personal, or should I somehow meld the two. I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Citation:

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

“V&R Mapping.” David White, 13 Jan. 2020, daveowhite.com/vandr/vr-mapping/.

What is Digital  Identity?

In order to understand digital identity, I believe one must understand the meaning of identity in general. Identity is “what it means to be who one is including the quality and beliefs, distinguishing a person or group from others”(Mahboob et al. 33).In other words, identity is a dynamic set of qualities and beliefs that makes one person or group different from others.

Digital identity is both your personal and your professional identity which are represented in your online presence. Your identity online develops from “what you post/share online, what you engage in, how you engage, how you treat others, and how you use digital tools for your benefit, as well as for the benefit of the people you work with or teach” (Stoller, 2016). Digital identity is your online footprint. This footprint makes you “searchable” to potential employers, networks, like-minded individuals,  and anyone really.

Digital identity is not only based on digital interactions. It is developing into a way in which you can store hard facts about yourself in the form of a digital wallet. Your digital wallet can contain items such as; your SIN number, passport, banking information, transcripts etc.. all in one place, thus making them more accessible and allowing for more inclusion.

I guess it would be safe to say that your digital identity can be made up of your facts in documents, as well as your actions/presence online. Your digital identity can both develop, or destroy, your credibility based on your settings, as well as the uncontrolled media that is shared about you by others. Your digital identity can be manipulated and shaped in order to fit into certain social/professional communities.

How do personal vs professional approaches to Digital identity affect social media use?

As mentioned above, there are layers within one’s digital identity. There is a personal layer which represents an individual’s interests or hobbies, cultural beliefs, political beliefs, etc.. and there is a professional layer which represents how you define yourself within your profession- a doctor, defines themselves as a doctor within the realm of medicine and represents themselves by sharing certain experiences, attributes or values(Mahboob et al. 33). These layers make up your digital identity and can shape the way in which you choose to use social media. The question is, how?

When it comes to your personal digital identity, you may be more open to sharing information and have more relaxed sharing settings. You may be okay opening up to more people and having them know that you are active, that you adore chocolate and that you have a beta fish named “Hank the Tank.” On the other hand, in your professional life online, say as a teacher, you are likely to be less open about your personal life as you would want to protect yourself from potential readers/viewers that may take a post/image out of context, thus changing the image of you as a professional. For example, a parent of a learner in our class may see that I have a fish named “Hank the Tank” and assume that I am an avid Will Ferrel fan and find humour in drinking and streaking scenes and perhaps perceive me as unprofessional or label me as, “that kind of person.” However, this is not the case nor the context. My daughter actually named Hank the Tank during a time she loved to rhyme and said, “My fish lives in a tank and his name will be Hank the Tank.” The potential risk of posting something that can be taken out of context will tighten up what you share and who you share with in your professional identity and personal identity.

It is important to note, that when dealing with any digital identity, the owner of that identity is able to manipulate posts and comments, thus creating am image of him/herself which may in fact not be authentic. As Spracklen describes it, online interactions are not necessarily authentic because, “everybody in a given social network will be performing the role they think gives them the correct social identity in the right form of belonging” (Spracklen, 2015). In other words, you play the part and post comments/images that reflect the person you think you should be seen as within a certain group. As a digital professional, you will play the role of what is expected in your occupation. As an individual displaying your digital identity you may play another several roles in order to fit into certain groups.

How do digital identities converge in networked publics and what are the impacts or benefits.

Digital Identities(both professional and personal) converge in networked publics when either access is granted through security settings by the owner, or when an uncontrolled media source/person provides information about you. A great example of this is when I was applying for jobs 8 years ago as a teacher. During one interview the interviewer mentioned how impressed she was by the 13km Merville race that I had just finished second female in. I was shocked that she knew this information about me. I realized right then and there that she had done a google search of my name. She had come across this information about me through a news article that I didn’t even know existed! Right there, my personal digital identity merged with my professional digital identity. Someone else affected my digital footprint. In this case, I didn’t mind since it supported my interview, but it made me realize that there are uncontrolled sources out there that could dent or diminish my credibility.

I agree with the article, “Digital Identity, Who am I,” when they speak to the need to incorporate the concept of identity into  a curriculum about behaviour in online public networks (Mahboob et al. 33).  I believe it is important to be educated about how one chooses to post and perform in networked publics so that they can make educated choices about how they want to be represented, as well as understand how they could possibly be represented poorly.

Can a digital wallet provide trust in networked publics?

The world is ever changing and is becoming more fast paced than ever. The need to move online and have quick transactions is inevitable and imperative. A digital ID/wallet can speed up our pace as it gives us the ability to sign documents and have it completed in one minute, rather than 3-5 days. However, it does also create concerns. It may be difficult for some to adapt to digital ID/Wallets due to fears and worries around data security, transparency and lack of trust in governing bodies. A digital wallet can seem ridiculous to think about when fraud and data leakage are potential risks. However, a digital wallet can actually give you greater control over your information. A speaker from the Davos conference speaks to a third party app named DIGIME which gives you agency and control over how and with whom you choose to share your information, while another speaks to an app called “Learning Machine” which adds your credentials into a digital wallet and gives you agency over your settings (Davos, 20112).

I currently use an app called “PayPal” which allows me to trust paying on the web and which makes me feel more in control as to who has my information. PayPal allows me to pay online without showing my credit card numbers or identification. Using “PayPal” in networked publics, opens up more trust if the purchaser understands their information is being kept safe as well as how it is being kept safe.

On the note of trust, a comment which reminded me that that there are people out there who are trying to tackle problems for the user as technology develops was one from Mary Snapp. She mentions that, while developing tech we need, ”ethicists, philosophers and historians to insure that as the tech is developed it is developed in a way we can ensure ethical use” (Davos, 2012). Yes, this could have been mentioned for peace of mind, but it gives me hope that there can be trust and transparency within this realm.

Not only can a digital wallet provide more agency and control for the owner, it prioritizes inclusion.  Inclusion is not only important to the economy, it is fundamental in overcoming the divides that exist in our world today. Digital wallets can be a way to include 1.7 billion more people who are living in third world countries (Davos,2019). This is a huge number of people who have been disconnected from opportunity. Digital wallets can allow for more travel, health coverage and quick and easy access to that information if one was ever stuck without papers.  However, as much as we want to include, it would be important to recognize what could also potentially exclude people.  For example, the ID which one would be required to carry  noting they have had the Covid19 vaccination could easily discriminate against those who choose not to get it, as well as those who may not be able to.  “What exceptions do we make for these? Is it “fair” to make exceptions?” are some of the questions which arise with this protocol.  

As mentioned before, the world is moving online and there can be worries behind it, and in my opinion there should be. These worries present themselves as possible problems to be solved. From the readings and the videos, I am beginning to realize that there are conversations around the potential issues that could happen online (as much as they could happen offline)and that trust is trying to be built. These conversations and the fact I would have more agency over my assets, builds my trust. Therefore, I believe that trust can be obtained in networked spaces, as long as proper policies are followed and that the creators remain transparent. Trust doesn’t happen over night, it is earned. However, in order to earn trust, one must be willing place chance in someone or something before it has a chance to develop.

Citation

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

Mahboob, Usman, et al. “Digital Professional Identity: Dear Internet! Who Am I?” Education for Health, vol. 32, no. 1, 2019, p. 33. Crossref, doi:10.4103/efh.efh_232_17.

Davos (2019), Press Conference “The Value of Digital Identity for the Global Economy and Society” Available at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-V7lyxrOmw&feature=youtu.be

What does it mean to network using social media?

Networking is the exchange of information and ideas among people with similar interests or professions. It is the process of finding information, knowledge and skills, as well as sharing them. Therefore, networking through social media is the use of multi online/offline platforms and technology as a means to connect with like minded people in order to learn from and participate with them. Using social media allows people to “gather, connect, communicate, create and also share knowledge and experience with a group of connected people, anywhere at anytime.” (Gutierrez, Karla, 2016). Therefore, networking using social media allows people to learn form a wider range of people, over a range of time zones, from the comfort of their homes. Networking using social media means more access to what there is to be learned, as well as to potential collaborators. It is a way to build community with people of your choice.   

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

People are motivated to participate in networked publics since “your network allows you to find appropriate, constant support when the need arises,” (Rajagopal, Kamakshi, et al. 2011) as well as “can be used as a means to continuously support professionals’ life-long learning in practice.” (Rajagopal, Kamakshi, et al. 2011) In other words, in your personal or professional life, when a question arises, networked publics can be a quick and easy way to inquire about, and find answers to, those questions in a way in which you feel most comfortable with or ready for. For example, you may choose to have very weak, weak or strong ties in your public networks depending on your main goal or present need. Your weak ties allow you to learn new information quickly and without much interaction with the tie and your strong ties may allow you to collaborate and create with a like minded professional. Either way, you have choice in how you want to interact and will be supported by them according to your own needs.

       What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

As mentioned above, public communications can bring about collaboration, learning, supportive social spaces and professional possibilities. Public communications create conversations and dialogue, “where tactic knowledge is built through experience and reflection and [is] shared”(Rajagopal, Kamakshi, et al. 2011)Therefore, these public communications create and facilitate valuable life-long learning.

Although there are many rewards of public communications, there always comes risk, even with the ever changing securities or attempts to control what is posted. No matter how much control one thinks they may have, there is space for that control to be lost. For example, sometimes, “what we share about ourselves tells heaps about other people.” (Boyd, Danah. 2012). When sharing information about others it is vital to have permission or consent, however in many cases a person can post an image of themselves, yet with others in the background. There is no release granted and yet still allowed to go public. Another risk presents itself in the form of corporations who collect and sell users data for marketing purposes from algorithms that, “construct portraits of individuals based on others’ habits”(Boyd, Danah. 2012).These companies can then build an image of you based on yours and others’ online habits having potential impacts on what you purchase or on your views of the world. The worst part is that many users do not recognize that this is even occurring. Great examples are laid out in the documentary, “Social Dilemma” directed by Jeff Orlowski and written by Orlowski, Davis Coombe, and Vickie Curtis.

References:

Gutierrez, Karla. What Are Personal Learning Networks?, 21 June 2016, www.shiftelearning.com/blog/personal-learning-networks.

Rajagopal, Kamakshi, et al. “Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them.” First Monday (2012). Web.

Boyd, Danah. “Networked Privacy.” Surveillance & Society, 12 Dec. 2012, ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/networked.