Blog # 10

Community communications go beyond blogs and social media shares, how does a PLN help and hinder the development of thoughts and ideas in public discourse ā€“ especially when addressing our differences?

A PLN helps in the development of thoughts and ideas through sharing of relevant information on social media platforms such as Facebook, Reddit and Twitter. The communication that takes place between individuals who share the same knowledge also allows for diverse opinions which enhances development of thoughts and ideas. However, the issue on privacy might hinder the development of thoughts as only unreliable information becomes available for engagement by the public.

How can a PLN be curated to minimize bias and expand knowledge of the lives of others?

A PLN can be curated to allow for sharing which enables the knowledge of lives of others and to allow for privacy which minimizes the risks of bias of trying to find meanings of content while linking to the personal identities of an individual. Besides a PLN can be curated to reflect a rich diversity of the minds and opinions of the community through active engagement.

How does the identity of who you are, fit into your PLN?

In a community that is constantly interacting and networking, it becomes integral that one indicates their personal identity of who they are and what they are doing to establish a digital presence. Identity therefore fits in oneā€™s PLN as a reflection of their personal and professional life as researchers. It is through this identity that another individual will identify the owner of certain perspectives in a type of media, more precisely the author of a message conveyed to the public.

Do you include professional and personal boundaries?

It is important to create professional and personal boundaries as one may accidentally post personal message to a professional account that could cost them their job or ruin the brand of a company. Besides having professional and personal boundaries help us manage our emotions and ourselves thus making us to avoid incorporating emotion and stresses that may drain work.

 

Blog# 9

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

Media literacy refers to the ability of identifying various types of media as well as the messages that they are sending. It is the responsibility of an informed audience to forts be able to identify a particular media and decipher the kind of messages that the media is conveying. It is worth mentioning that media literacy allows for the diversity of opinions regarding the depiction of a particular media. However, in as much as diverse opinions are allowed, factual consensus is highly maintained to enhance reliability, objectivity and relevance. This is where media literacy comes into conflict with factual information since there is a clear distinction between diverse view and factual information.

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

There are several benefits that are attached to a PLN that values media literacy. First, it enables learners to think critically in the process of evaluation of the type of media and whether the messages conveyed makes sense. Secondly, it allows for the recognition of a point of view. Precisely, every creator of a media has their own perspective in which evaluating a media and its message helps in identifying the point of view of the author and subsequently appreciate diverse perspectives. Thirdly, a PLN that values media literacy the art of sharing various sources of media responsibly. Ā Further to that, valuing media literacy by a PLN helps the audience to verify the information presented to them as either reliable or unreliable, factual or not factual. Lastly, on a broader context, a PLN that values media literacy is able to make its audience develops essential skills of self-expression and inquiry.

Blog # 8

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

Benefits include increasing reach with a wider demographic of people rather than face to face events and creating a dialogue which adds input into engagement ideas. Some of the risks include misrepresentation of content by the public audience and trolling. The risks for a public figure or people who are trusted is reputational damage.

Further your thoughts by exploring how employers use social media policy to hire, terminate or suspend individuals who use social media inappropriately or contrary to employer expectations ā€“ how would you address negative replies and critiques reflective of your personal values and employer social media policy? Can you provide notable examples?

I would respond positively making sure to prove to my audience that I am actively working for their own good and that I value their perspectives and therefore will make necessary modifications. For instance, I would contact a commenter privately to listen to their views and make necessary changes to my values and policy.

  • How do notable individuals use social media?

Notable individuals use social media to communicate, promote brands and stores, shop, find weather, check news, among others.

  • What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN? (career development in the public eye

Developing career in the public eye has the benefit of creating room for collaboration of ideas through teaching and learning from the public audience. In addition, it enables the sharing of valuable resources that help in levelling complex topics of interest by connecting to the public.

  • Building community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting, what are the perceived restrictions and benefits of having social media directly associated with employment? (verified accounts because of employment, accounts that are professional versus personal, hybrid accounts)

Perceived benefits include aid in recruitment, professional networking, marketing the employer brand, and so on. Perceived restrictions include not using the private details of an employee such as race, religion to either qualify or disqualify them for a job.

  • Delivering information in a connected society requires verifiable resources, how does one build a PLN that can be consistently relied on?

A reliable PLN makes use of the most current information and the thinking from researchers and practitioners. Utilizing expert knowledge and other valuable resources also helps in building a reliable PLN.

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

Those who often tell stories are usually more likely to find themselves trapped in sharing misinformation to the public. The risk in sharing misinformation is minimized since one cannot tell whether a certain information is a fiction or a real event.

Blog #8

Notable people use social media to connect with people, market brands, strengthen their fan base, acquire feedback on their work, express themselves, and create personal and public awareness.

Being in the public eye has lots of benefits. First, one gets to be recognized both locally and internationally, which tend to boost their self-esteem significantly, thus giving them the confidence to grow. Second, a public figure typically enjoys a huge supporting fan base. A majority of the fans of public figures are always willing to support them by sharing with them their moments of happiness and sadness and promoting their work. Third, a public figure tends to get better treatment wherever they go.

A public figure, such as a government official, is commonly susceptible to intrusive and unwanted attentions. This behavior is usually as a result of stalkers angrily accusing the public figure for resentful motivation, intimacy seeking motivation, or psychotic illness. Consequently, the stalking behavior inflicts psychological damage to both the victim and the perpetrator.

Having social media that is directly linked to employment is important because it helps save on time and costs since the accounts are usually readily customized for professional purposes. Additionally, such social media comprises many groups that are committed to specific professional topics, thus making it easy for job seekers to meet potential employers.

One can build PLN that can always be relied on by: joining an online community comprising people with the same interests where they can share ideas and contact people for direct feedback; maintaining the spirit of collaboration as a driving force, where they can work together and be resourceful; asking questions; acknowledging the contributions of people in their network; creating a landing page that eases access by visitors; and designing a personal and professional account.

Veteran storytellers reduce risk in sharing misinformation by employing the use of fact-checking services to promote information from reliable sources, trace misinformation, and filter out false news (Hirst, 2018). In addition, veteran storytellers look at social media critically and take time to confirm the shared information when skeptical. They also ensure that false information is removed from their online networks promptly by requesting the individuals responsible for the misinformation to delete the misleading post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Hirst, M. (2018). Navigating social journalism: A handbook for media literacy and citizen journalism. Routledge.

Jawed, S., Mahboob, U., & Yasmeen, R. (2019). Digital professional identity: Dear Internet! Who am I?. Education for Health, 32(1), 33.

Orsatti, J., & Riemer, K. (2015). Identity-making: A multimodal approach for researching identity in social media.

Blog #7

How social media help engage in community-based communications

Social media help in engaging community-based communications by offering a means to engage, request, and promote input and response from the community with regard to its requirements, priorities, and interests. Additionally, social media can help feedback organizations to train, educate, recognize, and share out resources appropriately. Consequently, this enables them to leverage the available community structure and networks effectively in the event of an incident, thus providing a way for people to take part in their own safety and preparedness.

How social media challenge community-based communications

Social media challenge community-based communications by questioning the issues that usually arise, which may include security, privacy, harassments, scams, bullying, time wastage, cyber-attacks, and control and access.

When engaging with the community through social media in an attempt to solve work-related issues, I should always ensure professionalism. I should also ease participation by creating many access points for the online community and using actionable language to prompt the observers to contribute in the discussion.

Cultural sensitivities

Cultural sensitivity is the ability to recognize that there exist cultural similarities and differences between people without performing valuation. Within the community engagement, I should consider cultural sensitivities by acknowledging the existence of other cultures as well as their cultural identities.

My PLN are my group of mentors, colleagues, and professionals that I connect with to improve my learning and be able to control my own professional development. This global online community enables me to tap into a wide wealth of knowledge and concentrate on what I consider most crucial to my learning. As I communicate to the public via social media, my PLN should share my ideas, learning materials, and resources with the online community.

Balancing professional expectations and personal beliefs

To realize my career development, I need to balance my professional expectations and my personal beliefs. I can achieve this by having reasonable expectations, whereby I get to be logical, sensible, and realistic. I can demonstrate reasonable expectations by expecting that my online community and I perform our jobs, honor our agreements, and are respectful and honest. However, I should believe in the habit of accepting and moving on in the event my expectations are not met in a bid to attain new spaces and opportunities since it is not a guarantee that things must turn out as I had hoped for.

Blog #3

Week 3 Blog

Digital identity

A digital identity comprises information about a person, an electronic device, or an organization existing online (Orsatti & Riemer, 2015). This information can be detected through the help of unique identifiers and can be used by advertisers and website owners to recognize and track users and subsequently personalize the target content based on user preference. A digital identity is usually created whenever an individual uses personal information on a website or creates shadow data while navigating online. Typically, a digital identity is perceived as contextual because users commonly provide selective information when required to validate their information.

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

Since a digital identity is perceived as contextual, online users can customize their approaches when using social media based on the context of their interaction to meet a specific objective, which can either be personal or professional. To fulfill personal objectives, a social media user can adopt an informal communication approach, which can involve providing casual personal information or creating a pseudonymous profile to interact with other social media users. When using social media for personal use, the user can decide to reveal limited personal information including full name, date of birth, place of residence, town or city of residence, and country. On the other hand, to fulfill professional objective, a social media user can adopt formal communication approach, which can involve providing detailed professional information. When using social media for professional use, the user can decide to reveal detailed professional information including name, place of residence, contact details, personal experience, educational background, and professional skills such as communication skills, organizational skills, digital skills, and job-related skills.

How digital identities converge in networked publics and the benefits

Digital identities converge in the networked publics by influencing identity verification and authentication (Jawed, Mahboob, & Yasmeen, 2019). This usually involves the establishment of digital or logical security with passwords or tokens, where trust, security, and identification are prioritized. Today, identity has evolved to comprise both digital and physical identities converging to help merge the use of applications and devices for personal and business purposes. The benefits associated with digital identity include enhanced security, high levels of accuracy, faster turnaround times, low operational costs.

Blog #2

A social media expert, Eric Stoller, elucidated that digital identity, though ill-defined, is oneā€™s presence online. That is, what someone posts, shares, how they interact with people online, and how they use digital tools for their individual benefits. Everything an individual does on the web represents their digital identity. Digital identity, therefore, is essentially any personal data existing online that can be traced back to the real you. For example, photos uploaded on social media, posts created or commented on, online bank accounts and even search engine histories.

An individualā€™s digital identity holds sizeable value.Ā  For instance, an individual might post content on the web, that potential employers might see and instantaneously become attracted, giving the individual an added extra. On the hand, another individual who posts unruly content, risks having their careers ruined, or rather losing all potential employers or investors, owing to their inimical posts. In sum, Digital Identity is any set of an individualā€™s attributes which can be accessed by technical means and identify a specific individual within any set of individuals. Typically, there is no specific thing such as ā€œaĀ digital identity,ā€ rather, several of themĀ (IGI Global, n.d.)

There are two main approaches to digital identity, personal approach and professional approach, all of which affect social media use. Professional identity is, professional introspection of a person, based on beliefs, character traits and experiences. Professional identity, from a finance perspective for example, is how a financier defines himself in his profession. Digital Professional Identity therefore is professional identity that is developed via online social interactions by utilizing communication channels and online platforms (Mahboob et al., 2019, p.Ā 33). Professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use positively. In view of the fact, professionals use social media to ameliorate their various professions, for instance, professional artists post their masterpieces on social media and online art rooms, where they obtain their clientele.

On the flip side, personal identity is the understanding of self that an individual obtains as he or she approaches dotage (Admin, 2015).Ā Digital Personal identity therefore is simply an individualā€™s day-to-day interactions with the web. Personal approaches to digital identity affect social media use both positively and negatively. On the positive side, an individual may use social media as a platform to sell their product or adroitness. On the contrary, an individual may use social media to promote violence, cyber bullying, or internet tension. An individual may also, through their posts, demean themselves, locking themselves out of opportunities.

Networked publicsĀ is the gap created through networked technologies, and the pictured combination that arises from the convergence of individuals, their practices, and technology. (Boyd, 2010, p.Ā 39). Networked publics, like other types of publics, have many similar functions. Digital Identities converge in network publics in that, a personā€™s identity, is envisioned differently across various mediums of communication be it personally, on the web or on phone. In a face-to-face situation, one can cautiously gauge the context to decide what actions to take, and how to present himself. Facebook, a networked public, is an online social networking site, described by multiple features which allow individuals to make public identities, comprehend a group of individuals with mutual connections, and move among those connections as they wish.

From the Davos 2019 press conference, Mary Snap outlines a major benefits of digital identities converging with networked publics. She asserts that networked publics provide a set of standards by which digital identities could be developed in many different cases using many different kinds of platforms and applications, thereby enabling the prevalence and use of digital identity.

 

References

Admin. (2015, August 15).Ā Difference between personal identity and social identity. Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms.Ā https://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-personal-identity-and-vs-social-identity/

Boyd. (2010). Social network sites as networked publics: Affordances, dynamics, and implications.Ā A Networked Self, 39-58.Ā https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203876527-8

IGI GLOBAL. (n.d.).Ā What is digital identity. IGI Global: International Academic Publisher.Ā https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/internet-identity-and-the-right-to-be-forgotten/7638

Mahboob,Ā U., Jawed,Ā S., & Yasmeen,Ā R. (2019). Digital professional identity: Dear internet! Who am I?Ā Education for Health,Ā 32(1), 33.Ā https://doi.org/10.4103/efh.efh_232_17

Blog #4

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

Students are currently using LinkedIn to develop their professional network. LinkedIn brings excellent benefits to students as it connects them to jobs as a soon they graduate from college by connecting them to professionals. Specifically, LinkedIn enables students to showcase their profile, connections and recommendations which is integral to career paths.

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

I think using Quora will enable me expand my professional network. Quora is a knowledge sharing website that allows posting of any questions and answering by anyone. Through Quora, both specific and general questions can be asked. One can view the discussions presented by others and also engage in answering their questions.

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

I believe that Facebook is an ideal social media platform for use to build my reputation and digital visibility. The left tool bar under Groups icon on Facebook has ā€œExploreā€ and ā€œMoreā€ areas that enables one to filter by category the topic of interest and find relevant groups that will enable me connect with other professionals.

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

A local employer can search the content of the job I have applied via Linkedin as a way of conducting a background check. This is because they are not restricted to the information on the materials of job application. The process of searching may enable them to view my profile which goes them the first impression of who I am. Ā By doing so, it they might be concerned if they find any omissions or my employment history, identity verification, criminal records, education confirmation, and credit history, among others. Indeed, this benefits my career path as it helps me to realize that applying a job goes in hand with a good reputation and identity. Besides, it also demonstrates credibility in my industry and highlights my achievements which is positive to my career path. The process can either hinder or increase the chances of me getting employed cindering whether omissions were found or not

Blog #5

How diverse is your existing PLN?

Drawing from the article by Shelley Moore, it is interesting to know how diversity and inclusion came into being. My existing PLN is based on education and dwells more on the trending conversations that aim for diversity and inclusion in the education sector. My PLN comprises of likeminded individuals and professionals on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

In your PLN, are you learning from a variety of voices or are you the loudest in the room?

Yes, I ensure that I listen to diverse voices by connecting with the professional world comprising mainly of educators. I also make use of informative insights generated from articles, books and blogs, podcasts and interviews as they enrich my knowledge on how to promote inclusivity and diversity in education sector.

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

Yes, I do participate in information sharing of a broad range of themes since through sharing; people get to read about what I have to offer and eventually would develop interest in joining my network. I believe that blogging is a great way of sharing my knowledge with others and could even get people to join my community.

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

In addition, in order to broaden my views on inclusion using a diverse PLN, I believe that suing social media platforms will be effective. This is because social media engage various likeminded individuals from different backgrounds with diverse views that I can draw from to broaden my views on inclusion.

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

The learning outcome of my PLN is that inclusion and diversity is important for teachers since it is a step to promoting collaborative education. I am ensuring my exposure to diversity and inclusion by setting up my profile and ideas in social media platforms so as to attract people to share and contribute to my ideas. Besides, I also intend to have meet-up groups in the community where I can physically meet with likeminded professionals to ensure my exposure to diversity and inclusion.

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

Further to that, after reviewing the readings and videos my thinking about inclusion and PLN has changed. Some of the myths that I initially had about inclusion has changed. I have also learned that it is only now that inclusion has gained much attention since back in the days it was more of exclusion, segregation and integration. I have also learnt that PLN is critical in promoting inclusion in the education sector and that teachers should embrace it.

Blog #1

What does it mean to network using social media?

In the article ā€˜Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use themā€™, a model structure of how networking on social media platforms is expounded uponĀ (Kamakshi Rajagopal). It takes three major steps. These are namely: the building, maintenance and activating of oneā€™s presence. Building a network has to do with the establishment of a community of other users with similar interests such as organizations and reputable users through interactions such as participating and commenting on progresses they have. It is then followed by the maintenance of such an interaction by regularly checking the trends in an industry, learning what is going on and scouting potentials for collaborations. Lastly, it has to do with the activation of said connections to seek after the opportunities that available within an industry or organization.

How do people learn and engage using mediated platforms?

Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā  The process through which one learns personal networking is a life-long matter. This is done not in the formal structures of education such as sitting in classrooms to be taught or through endless book research, but it is achieved through learning amongst ourselves in groups, through watching of informative videos such as those posted on YouTube or through communities such as gaming and other social media platforms where knowledge is posted and shared. It is through these interconnected online network that learning occurs at a personā€™s rate and preferred mode. Whether through auditory or pictorial or verbal forms. In addition to all these, the platforms provide the access to engage and interact with others who have similar interests. Therefore, they serve as a medium of engagement between two or more individuals with similar goals (Southampton).

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

Individuals are inspired to join networking platforms with the incentive of getting for themselves many possible connections for advancing themselves. These need to advance oneā€™s self drives them to join a community network so as to find out what professional benefits and opportunities they can have. It leads to decisions of who to maintain a connection with or discard within a public network. The factors that contribute to such choices include: the personā€™s experience in their profession, the personal attachment between the two individuals. If they personally know each other in real life, they would likely keep in touch or reach out to the on a social platform. In addition to these, the proximity of the personal connection of the people within a network is key. If they are geographically close to each other, they are more likely to connect on public platforms.

What are the risks and rewards of public communication?

The article ā€˜Networked Privacyā€™ discusses the major risks associated with social networking platforms (Boyd). It points out that the privacy of the data of users is not a guarantee hence, possess a security threat. It also gives the suggested image of who they may be. Therefore, the creation of a form of measuring stick through which one makes social comparisons that may be unhealthy. In addition to this, the data amassed by the social platforms are used to customize adverts hence people are being sold information or products cunningly. However, the benefits of public communication are many. These are: enhancement communication that result in more opportunities, establishment of an individualā€™s unique footprint on which they can be reached, the ability to keep in touch effectively with people one already knows and the offer ofĀ  opportunities for learning how to solve an issue (Kamakshi Rajagopal).

Ā 

References

Boyd, Donah. “Networked Privacy .” Surveillance & Society (2012): 348-350. Document .

Kamakshi Rajagopal, DesirĆ©e Joosten-ten Brinke, Jan Van Bruggen, Peter B. Sloep. “Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them .” First Monday (January 2012). Document .

Learning in the Network Age. Dir. University of Southampton. University of Southampton. n.d. video.

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