What does it mean to network using social media?

In the article ‘Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them’, a model structure of how networking on social media platforms is expounded upon (Kamakshi Rajagopal). It takes three major steps. These are namely: the building, maintenance and activating of one’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?

       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 person’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 one’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 person’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 ‘Networked Privacy’ 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 individual’s unique footprint on which they can be reached, the ability to keep in touch effectively with people one already knows and the offer of  opportunities for learning how to solve an issue (Kamakshi Rajagopal).

 

References

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

Kamakshi Rajagopal, Desirée 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.