After this weeks readings, I have thought about how I have used social media in the past, and possibly new ways I can use social media for the future. I often see my peers presence online, which vary from posting everyday, to seldom interacting with information.

Social media is a platform where people can connect with each other in hopes of sharing information about themselves, other people, organizations, news, or education. A personal learning network (PLN) involves using technology tools such as social media to connect with a group of people to engage with others through conversation, collaboration on projects, and discussion about businesses to advance oneself’s learning (Rajagopal et al., 2011).

The prospect of working at a emerging or well-established company, or individual to learn more or develop a certain topic is one advantage of a personal learning network since members try their best to engage and be active in sharing information to create more opportunities for learning, criticism, and reflection

Social media is a public forum, which leaves open many points to be exploited such as online anonymous harassment, threats, and unwanted advances. Content such as forum posts and tweets from the past may harm a prospective job if the content was inappropriate or taken out of context. Sometimes pictures that are meant for a closer peer group can be shared outside of that group and it could lead to some awkward situations.

A digital identity is someone’s “online presence” and it includes all pictures, videos, projects, status updates, and interactions with other people a person posts online (UniversityofDerby, 2016). Professional social media usage may include using different sites like LinkedIn, where a more formal environment is enforced. While personal usage of social media may include using Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit, where the environment is more casual and the subject matter is more relaxed.

My own digital identity has been very reserved and I have not posted, or reposted many things because of my shyness online. I should aim to post more though as  I have realised the importance of a PLN for my future learning.

References

Rajagopal, K., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., Van Bruggen, J., & Sloep, P. B. (2012). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559

UniversityofDerby. (2016). Eric Stoller – What is Digital Identity? YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0.