Month: March 2021

• Consider how you can use the PLN interactions of this course to further your digital identity post-term.

Looking back, I would say that this course really helped me out when it comes to my PLN interactions. Before, my PLN interactions are just random but now, my PLN interactions are charged with intention. To further my digital identity post-term, I will make it sure to interact with people online who I think can give me idea on how I could be an effective and relevant economist in the 21^st century. After all, Rodrigues and Beefun stated that digital literacy and digital identity allow actions and creations of social network that can be an ideal breeding ground for collaborative learning (cited in Oliveira & Morgado 468). This means that in my PLN interactions, I will make it sure that the people I am interacting with would also learn something from me. I would not like it if I am the only one benefitting in my PLN. Of course, it would be better if I am also helping others out in my PLN. Thus, in my PLN interactions I am both a learner and a teacher.

• What does it mean to have a digital identity in your industry of choice?

In the article written by Oliveira and Morgado, Digital Identity is “understood as the total information about the individual, from credentials that allow access to the closed system, to the representation of the complex “I” in an open digital space (469). In my industry of choice, which is Economics, I believe that having a digital identity means being a reliable source of information on economics online. When my PLN members would see my name online, the very first thing that would come into their mind is that I major in Economics so therefore, the information that I am sharing online with regard to economics must be reliable. I would say that this is not only true in the field of Economics. When a media personality is also sharing news in their timeline, the PLN members already assume that whatever that media personality is sharing is not some kind of fake news.

• Can your current PLN be used to help professional development post-course?

One of the features of PLN according to Oliveira and Morgado is that it allows learning through practice, dialogue, and interaction (472). In line with this, when someone visits my timeline or my profile, they would see my online engagements as evidences of my learning. In addition to this, they would also see the efforts that I am taking in order to get the information I want. Given the idea that my PLN can show evidences of my growth and learning, I could share my PLN to my prospective employers to give them an idea on how I work and deal with other people. Thus, I could use my PLN for my professional development.  

• Additionally, as you progress through the steps of your career, can your PLN be relied on to open professional opportunities?

I would say that my PLN can be considered reliable when it comes to professional opportunities because my PLN members are composed of professionals. Engaging with various professional can help me build my network and earning their trust would help me earn recommendation. Just last time, I had an opportunity to have a discussion with one of my PLN members. During our discussion I mentioned that I am a graduating student and so he congratulated me and told me that if I needed help looking for a company, I could contact him. I felt happy after our conversation because all I did was sit in front of my computer and start a conversation with someone.

Works Cited

Oliveira, Nuno R., and Lina Morgado. “Digital Identity of Researchers and Their Personal Learning Network.” Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014, pp. 467-475, link-springer-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-07485-6.pdf.

1. What is media literacy?

With most of the information being readily provided by the media, it is important for educators and parents to focus on the “proper” way the younger generation can use media for because too much information can be to overwhelming for media users (Miller 3:15). Media literacy pertains to the way people use media to deliver message to particular audiences (Fadel and Trilling). In creating information in media, one must not only be knowledgable on creating information but he/she should also be knowledgable on different forms of media like print, graphics, animation, audio, video, and etc.  

• Why is it important?

Media literacy is important because some information can be misleading. In other words, there is plurality of truths in media that it makes it hard for media to users to recognize the truth that they could believe in. Just as Julie Smith put it, fact-finding in media is entirely up to the users so they should know how to analyze information (Smith 4:45). If users do not know how to filter information on their own, they would not be able to make sense of the information and they might develop this false idea that media is not that useful in learning at all.

• Why is it dismissed?

One of the reasons that media literacy is being dismissed is because of ignorance. When people talk about media, the very first thing that people would think about is entertainment. Because of this, people are not really being careful with the information being presented to them through media. Another reason that it is dismissed is because of fear. According to Julie Smith, one of the reasons that she is invited to do a talk for students is because the parents would like to ask her for advice on how they could ask their sons and daughters to stay away from social media or stop playing video games likes Fortnite (Miller 9:59). Media is something that should not be feared especially when users can be taught how to be responsible.

• Why should you aim for varied views but the factual consensus in your PLN?

One of the characteristics of media that I like the most is democracy. This means that everyone has the chance to share their own insights or ideas about a certain information. However, this democracy should be practiced with precaution because the negative side is that everyone can share their ideas without proper “screening.” In connection to this, with a lot of information available through media, how would media users know that the information that they are being exposed to is inaccurate? Also, media changes everyday. Just as Julie Smith put it, media is not like Mathematics where 2 plus 2 will always be 4 (Miller 2:20). This makes checking the validity of information in media more challenging.

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

In the short story titled “The Once and Future Kingdom of Learning” shared by Fadel and Trilling, one of the things I learned is that “knowledge” is a double-edged sword. In other words, knowledge can be beneficial and destructive at the same time. I believe that the same thing can be true for open dialogues for media literacy and factual information. This open dialogue can shed light on how media literacy and factual information can be promoted to prevent misinformation. On the other hand, these open dialogues can result to disagreements.

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

One of the benefits of having a PLN that values literacy is safety. If the PLN members are literate enough to properly use media, then they could guarantee that the information being shared in the PLN is something credible and it is not some kind of a fake news. Because the PLN members feel safe, they will be more encouraged to share information and actively participate in the discussions.

Works Cited

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 A01- Smith, Julie.” YouTube, 1 Nov. 2020, youtu.be/Z_T9RghwJlI.

Trilling, Bernie, and Charles Fadel. “Digital Literacy Skills.” 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times, John Wiley & Sons, 2009.

EDCI 338 Blog 8

1. Explore the video provided and reflect on the themes of a PLN in a professional capacity – how does a PLN give power to messaging for an individual or community?

            To better explain how PLN can give power to messaging for an individual or community, I would like to mention Brad Baker’s experience of using social media. Brad Baker is currently the District Principal of Indigenous Education in North Vancouver School District 44 and as an experienced educator, he is using social media not just to advocate on Indigenous education but to also diversify the learning experience of his students. Social media played an integral role for Baker to positively spread the importance of Indigenous education. This is because without social social media he would not be able to reach a wide audience. Social media also helped him become a “positive” contributor to his community (Miller 5:25-5:30). Without social media, all information on Indigenous community will solely come from the mainstream media that only tell people what they want to tell (Miller 7:43-7:45).

2. Education occurs in so many environments beyond the classroom, how does social media help expand education and associated needed communications?

            In the sixth chapter of Veletsianos’ book, I learned that teachers can use social media encourage learners to have an initiative in learning and become independent learners. For example, teachers instruct their students to participate in social media activities like blogging and social networking (Veletsiano 127). In these kinds of activities, teachers no longer dominate the production of information, but rather, they are also encouraging the learners to produce their own content. This reminded me again of Shelley Moore who said that learners learn better when they collaborate with one another. This means that social media does not only allow learning beyond the classroom, but rather, it also promotes “democratic” classrooms.

3. Community communications go beyond blogs and social media shares, how does a PLN help and hinder the development of thoughts and ideas in education discourse?

            PLN is a double-edged sword –it can either help develop or hinder the development of thoughts and ideas in education discourse. One of the advantages of PLN is that it allows learners to expand their network. In connection to this, Veletsianos said that, “The best part of this course is that it’s not ending. With the connections we’ve built, it never has to end (127). This means that even if the students are done with the course, their learning does not stop there because they could continue to learn with their PLN members. On the other hand, because PLN allows learners to connect with “literally” anyone, the teachers will not be able to keep their students under their surveillance. It is still necessary for teachers to track student activities online because there is a chance that they are exposed to a wrong kind of information.

4. How does the use of PLN raise awareness opportunities in education?

            As mentioned earlier, PLN allows learners to create a network, their own network. In this virtual network that students have created, students can organize events together and support each other’s advocacy. In this week’s video, Baker mentioned that PLN also allowed the indigenous people to talk about their experiences and their dream of reconciliation (Miller 7:26). Put in other words, PLN allows learners to get the information form the authentic source. This means that learners become more exposed to the problems that they become more inclined to solve it.

5. What is the role of social media in education?

            Social media can make students’ learning active and interactive. For example, when searching for the necessary information, learners can search through their social media to look for the additional information (Veletsianos 127). In addition to this, social media also allows learners to ask questions to each other or sometimes ask for help. Without social media, I believe that it would be hard for learners to look for a support system that could help them throughout their learning.

6. What are some problems with social media communications in education settings?

            Social media exposes learners to a variety of information that they often experience information overload. When there are just too much information that can be found online, I suggest that teachers provide guide questions or checklist that students can use as they try to learn new things on their own. The guide questions and checklist will prevent students from getting lost and it will also help them assure that they are doing the right thing.

Works Cited

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 Brad Baker.” YouTube, 5 Mar. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy63SmEpvCw.

Veletsianos, George. “Developing Personal Learning Networks for Open and Social Learning.” Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, Au P, 2010, pp. 109-128.

1. 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)?

Some of the risks of engaging with a public discourse with a public audience in the media space is that one’s opinions or views will be exposed to the public who can disagree with him/her. This kind of communication set-up results to division due to varying beliefs and perspectives. For the journalists, engaging with a public discourse is their bread and butter. However, Martin Hirst explained it is almost impossible to make a living from freelance journalism (142). This only means that for the journalists, the risk of involving in a public discourse would have something to do with the money that they are making. On the other hand, engaging in a public discourse also has its benefits like it can shape the public opinion and it can also help the public become informed. Just recently, I followed Doctors on Social Media (@somedocs) on Twitter and I learned that random people can ask them health-related questions and they often leave a reply. This way, Doctors on Social Media helps dismiss myths about health and they also give people free medical advise.

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

In this week’s video lecture, Jodi Vance, the first woman in Canada to host her own sports show in prime time on national sports network, explained that establishing one’s reputation can be very difficult but ironically, it can also be easily ruined (Miller 21:37). By saying “establishing reputation can be very difficult” she was pertaining to the days when she was handing out bumber stickers to promote the radio station that she was working on. More so, she was also pertaining to doing volunteer work for Greater Vancouver Open so that she can expand her network. In connection to this, the people who engage in public discourse should make sure that credibility of the information they share with others or else no one will ever attempt to believe in them again. More so, in addressing negative replies, people engaging in public discourse must know when to stop (Miller 19:50). It is important for people to know when to stop in order to prevent problems from getting out of control.

3-4 How do notable individuals use social media? What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?

Notable individuals use their social media to create and expand their network. In the case of the administrators of Doctors on Social Media (@somedocs), they were able to extend their services and expertise to people who rarely goes to the hospital for medical check-up. In addition, using Twitter also helped them reach people who cannot afford to go the hospital for annual check-up. In the case of journalists, on the other hand, they use social media to keep the public informed.

5. Building community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting, what are the perceived restrictions and benefits?

Using restricted online tools provided by the company can help the organization better communicate with their employees. This is because this particular online tool is specifically designed for the effective communication between and among employees. Nevertheless, the online tools provided by the company does not enable integration. This means that outside work, there is no means for employees to reach each other for personal reasons like inviting them to a party. Unless the employees would give each other’s personal social media accounts.

6. Delivering information in a connected society requires verifiable resources, how to build a PLN to rely on?

In order to build a PLN that I could rely on, the first thing I did is to check whether the people I am following are legitimate or not. Moreover, I also look into the content that they are posting and fact-check the content of their posts. Lastly, whenever I saw misinformation in my social media I usually report it and send a personal message to one who posted the information to politely request them to take down their post.

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

From what I learned from Martin Hirst, I could utilize “citizen journalism” in order to acquire reliable stories to share with others. The digital age allowed individuals to participate and collaborate in the creation of an information. With the help of the people, I could guarantee that my contents are monitored and double-checked.

Works Cited

Hirst, Martin. ” Social Journalism and the Gig Economy.” Navigating Social Journalism: A Handbook for Media Literacy and Citizen Journalism, Routledge, 2018, pp. 142-147.

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 – Jody Vance.” YouTube, 1 Mar. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgZOJgJkdyI.