Category: edci338 (Page 1 of 2)

Media literacy enables the populace to understand and contribute to public discourse. Sometimes the media literacy is different from factual information which will lead to conflicts. There are several reasons:

• belief and culture: different beliefs and culture can cause different explanation about certain content on the internet.
• misleading and false information: Internet is an open space for everyone to speak. information is not always true. There are many misleading and false information on the internet. We need to learn how to distinguish them.
• individual differences: not everyone has the same media literacy, therefore their texts may lead to misunderstandings and disagreements about the credibility of sources and the accuracy of information.

Having media literacy enables us to build a better environment of PLN. A network that values media literacy encourages critical thinking and evidence-based analysis. Members are more likely to engage in thoughtful discussions and evaluate information objectively, and is more likely to encourage responsible sharing of information and discourage the spread of rumors, misinformation, and clickbait content. More important, it enables us to build a friendly environment for everyone to learn. Media literacy reduces discrimination, enhance empathy, and connect people all around the world.

Mainstream social media platforms(Which i am familiar with) that are beneficial in education are Twitter, YouTube, TedTalk, And newly emerging TikTok.

Twitter enables people to share text, images, videos, and audio. People can learn about the news and speeches of influencers. There are many influencers in variety of fields share their knowledge on it. Shortages: Lack of strict control over speech, The quality of content varies.

YouTube is a video-sharing platform where educators can create and share educational videos, tutorials, and lessons. It can be a valuable resource for flipped classrooms, supplemental learning materials, and engaging visual content.

It’s important to note that the selection of social media platforms should align with the educational goals, needs, and age appropriateness of the students. Educators should carefully consider privacy settings, terms of service, and adhere to school policies and guidelines when using social media platforms in educational settings.

For the protection of vulnerable sectors, social media platforms should review speech to ensure that there is no discriminatory speech. And protecting personal information and privacy of vulnerable sectors. It should also be user-friendly in terms of usage.

I think social media platforms facilitate communication and collaboration among students, educators, and educational institutions. They provide channels for sharing information, resources, and ideas, enabling educators to connect with colleagues, students, and parents. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn can be used for professional networking, sharing educational content, and engaging in discussions.

To understand how to balance PLN and public discourse, let’s first break it up.

P = Personal, L = Learning, N = Network

Learning Involving interaction, communication, and exchange for knowledge and experiences with others, so Personal learning network may not be that “personal” as it sounds like. Networks are build up on the social media platforms.

Social space on the internet is a place where people can be anonymous and anyone can assess it. people don’t have to know you and you don’t have to know them. So, sometimes the comments by others can be harmful, disrespectful. While most people is friendly and glad to use it as a tool for learning. You can learn from people all around the world.

As a public figure, the most important thing is their reputation. No matter they are an educator, a lawyer, or a government official. They need to be trusted by the public, which means they need to be very careful about what they say and post on the internet. One small mistake can be overly amplification and interpreted. Losing the trust of the public means that loss their authority, and their speech will no longer taken by the public.

As I said, social media is an open space for everyone. Everyone has the freedom of speech, even when they make negative replies. Facing negative comments is something that each of us will experience to some extent. For me, I understand that it is an open space for everyone, and I know the purpose of why i am using social media. I am here to learn, and making friends with people have some interests with me. As for the negative replies, I will listen if the comments make sense and can help me improve myself. Otherwise, I will just ignore them.

In the last two weeks, I talked about how to build and expand PLNs, and what role social media plays in PLNs. This week, I will share my understanding of how social media can benefits our PLNs.

As an example of this class, we are asked to share our learning experiences in posts weekly. In this way, we can turn our understandings of the topic into text, and we can read others’ posts, and comment others. Other students can do the same thing. Discussion on Mattermost allow us to make  immediately communication and also asynchronous discussion with our classmates.

The point is —– interaction

I believe that interaction with others can help me learn better. Interaction is the exchange of knowledge.

Social media sharing can also help us to find people who have the same interest and learning the same subject as us. By connecting with people from diverse backgrounds in your PLN, you gain access to a broader range of knowledge and expertise. Each individual brings their unique experiences and expertise, allowing you to learn from their insights and benefit from their expertise in different areas.

A diverse and inclusive personal learning network (PLN) has brought many benefits in social media sharing. It provides a wide range of perspectives from individuals from different backgrounds, cultivates Critical thinking and challenges preconceived ideas. By establishing connections with people from different cultures and experiences, you can gain a broader knowledge base and expertise in different fields.

The main question for this week’s blog is “How would you create a PLN prior to engaging in a social media campaign on a topic of your choice?”

We have to know that all PLNs are different. There are similar platforms at early stages of competition, but after time there are only a few the most successful platforms left. For example, Youtube, Twitter, TikTok are the leaders in their field. They have some similar functions, but they each have their own advantages. Youtube are for educators to post their videos, which are usually long, and Twitter is for texts and pictures, TikTok is for short videos, which are usually Including a single point of knowledge. On another word, because of most people are using it.

So, when choosing our PLN, we need to choose the one with the most potential, and with more visitors and creators. More people on it, means more we can learn from.

Knowing your interest also help you to build your PLN. Determine the specific area or subject you want to focus on for your social media campaign. Having a clear topic will help you narrow down your search for relevant information.

Identify key influencers and experts. For example, i am a psych student, and a expert in psychology posts his knowledge and understanding on Youtube weekly. This is why i create my Youtube account to follow him and watch his video. During this time I explore more influencers on Youtube, and i have expanded my PLN.

Continuing learning and exploring is the key to create and expand PLN. As the example I gave before. I expand my PLN from one expert to many. In the process of continuous exploring, you may discover many unexpected gains, from one expert to many and from one platform to many. Learning should be an ongoing process. Dedicate regular time to expand your knowledge by reading books, articles, and research papers. Listen to podcasts or watch videos related to your topic. Stay curious and open-minded to new ideas and perspectives.

My PLNs are based on my needs of learning. What subjects and materials i am learning. They are diverse and expanded by the purpose of learning. For example, TikTok, is the social media platform I used most when I want to relax myself a little bit and I can also learn many new knowledge through the short videos. I believe that “learning can happened everywhere.” Besides, now the algorithm will recommend similar videos to you based on the content you are interested in. Other PLNs I used are institutional. I use them to do formal learning. Social media determined the quality of interaction between me and others.

Inclusion within a professional setting is crucial for creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute. to be “inclusion” we should actively engaged in the class, and discussions. Post and comment others with respect. Inclusive PLNs can help us connect with individuals who offer unique insights, different cultural perspectives, and a wide range of expertise, ultimately leading to more well-rounded personal and professional growth.

During this week’s discussion. Our group members agree that we should embracing unfamiliar topics involves maintaining an open mindset toward exploring viewpoints and subjects that may be new or challenging to build up an inclusive and diverse PLN.

Social media also play a key role in helping us establish messaging and themes that are inclusive and diverse. Social media expand the influences of our voice( messages, blogs, videos…) and make it possible for more people to listen to our voice. Social media allows us to share content that promotes diversity and inclusion. By sharing resources, articles, and thought-provoking content on our social media profiles, we can disseminate inclusive ideas and encourage others to engage in discussions around diversity.

Establishing a diverse and inclusive PLN is instrumental in fostering personal and professional growth. Social media platforms provide an opportunity to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, access global knowledge, and challenge our assumptions. By actively leveraging social media to establish messaging and themes that promote inclusivity within our PLNs, we can create spaces that encourage learning, dialogue, and collaboration across diverse perspectives. Let us harness the power of social media to cultivate diverse and inclusive PLNs that inspire us to continuously learn, adapt, and grow in.

Here is my Visitor & Resident Map:

For me, WeChat, and TikTok are the most common social software platforms i use in my daily life, and i have my digital identity in both of them, and they are for personal use. Gmail, is the app i use to communicate for most school works, and only a few occasions i would use it for personal. Brightspace is the course website for Uvic(institutional, off course) and Youtube, TedTalk, Quizlet are the website i would visitor but not have residency on them.

Here are some Visitor & Resident Map of my group members:

(Ling Jiang)

(Xueyan Lin)

Through the group discussions this week, my group members and I find something in common of the map. We have the same purposes to use some apps, while not others. The purposes of using an app decide whether is personal or institutional, visitor or resident.

We are all agree that social media platforms such as Brightspace, WordPress, or google doc are the platforms that students use most to develop their digital identities.

When expanding their professional learning network online, people will consider data privacy and security. In this view, it will limit a PLN.

In my network, to create a digital identity/ reputation. First, to create professional profile, and then engaging in community conversations. Consistent and frequent online activity is also important to maintain the reputation. Read the comments and reply them respectfully.Establishing mutual transmission of knowledge.

The digital identity I created for WordPress is certainly a personal one, and I kept it as much real as in the real world. I know it’s unsafe to display too much personal information online, but I want to try my best to stay authentic and meet new friends. After all, this digital identity is for academic use.

In the digital age, Digital identities have gained immense significance. Online platforms, such as social media, professional networking sites, and educational communities, enable us to connect with like-minded individuals, share knowledge, collaborate on projects, and stay updated on industry trends.

I think creating an digital identity is inevitable. Most people now are using many social media platform, and applications. Youtube, Twitter, Facebook… and the first step if you want to use it, is what? —- to create an account. Even Uber, you have to have an account in order to use it. The account you create is your digital identity.

According to Jawed, S., Mahboob, U., and Yasmeen, R. (2019), Digital Professional Identity (DPI) is a professional identity which develops through internet‑based social interactions by utilizing online platforms and communication
tools.” it’s a tool to communication with others, it’s a representation of the identity that person in the real world. It allows people to conduct professional interactions, apart from social. As an example given in the article, medical students are paying more attention on social media. Their DPI online is dynamic as the identity in the real world. it will influences by interactions with others. So, developing their DPI is helpful, is as important as developing their identity and professionalism.

Here are some considerations when create a professional digital account:

1. Defining the goal: determine the purpose of your online presence. Identify your professional aspirations and align your digital identity accordingly.
2. Examine and verify: Take a proactive approach by reviewing your existing social media posts and profiles. Consider the privacy settings and adjust them as needed. Remove or modify any content that may be inconsistent with your professional goals.
3. Consistence: make sure the speech online is consistence with your knowledge. it is important to be trustful and authentic on the internet.
4. Communication: Sharing and learning can be conducted in the same time. interacting with others is always helpful.

Sources

Jawed, S., Mahboob, U., & Yasmeen, R. (2019). Digital professional identity: Dear Internet! Who am I? Education for Health (Abingdon, England), 32(1), 33–35. https://doi.org/10.4103/efh.EfH_232_17

Personal learning networks are the platforms we use to study, to communicate with others, and to personalize our methods of learning. Technological progresses provides technical support, enriching the methods of learning, and eliminating the limitation of time and space of traditional learning method(fixed time and space i.e., classroom) More important, on the internet, we can be both leaner and teacher at the same time. We can learn from others and propose our understandings of the topics. The transmission of knowledge is bidirectional.

Digital identity is the identity we uses on the internet. it is the representation of who we are or who we want to be, based on how much information we are willing to show to others, and we might also want to keep something privacy. Communication is based on our digital identity.

To construct our personal learning networks, we first need to set up our digital identity. Again, this is important for the communication. Making connect with others is important for our learning, and it is an important learning resources. Once we built our networks of learning, we can participate in learning, maintaining the network.

What does it mean to network using social media?

Personal learning networks can be diverse. It depending the needs of the learner, or the requirement of the class. we can build our learning networks in any social media platforms. For example, our learning groups in Mattermost is a network.

How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?

A group contract can be used to motivate people to participate in networked public, but the most important is the goal of one’s. (i.e., what he/she want to learn, and how much he/she want to learn, depending on his/her goals, and will effect the efforts he/she puts)

What are the risks & rewards of public communications?

Internet and network are opened sources. Sometimes, it can be misleading. digital identity may expose too much personal information, and the sources you put on the internet are easily to be plagiarized.

Sources

Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them
by Kamakshi Rajagopal, Desirée Joosten–ten Brinke, Jan Van Bruggen, and Peter B. Sloep. First Monday, Volume 17, Number 1 – 2 January 2012
https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/download/3559/3131
doi:10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559

What is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)? https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644

Boyd, d. 2012. Networked Privacy. Surveillance & Society 10(3/4): 348-350.http://www.surveillance-and-society.org | ISSN: 1477-7487