Month: October 2022

How would you create a PLN prior to engaging in a social media campaign on a topic of your choice?

When I participate in social media campaign, I will think about how to create a good PLN, which can help me get the knowledge and information I want more efficiently. However, each topic is different, so a systematic approach is necessary. I think strategies by Woods (2013) is a good choice.

The strategies by Woods (2013) includes five parts:

1.Know that all PLNs are different

There is no PLN suitable for everyone, and the best PLN for everyone is different. PLN can reflect the needs and interests of a person, and only by creating the most suitable PLN can we achieve the highest effect(Woods, 2013).

2.Ask and listen

In the process of communication can often be a surprise, communication brings information sharing can sometimes solve your current problems(Woods, 2013).

3. Leverage technology Technology

Technology has expanded people’s social circle. People can keep in touch on social media regardless of the limitations of distance in reality. Expanding the range of information exchange can strengthen PLN(Woods, 2013).

4. Try out Twitter

Twitter is a great tool to build a PLN. Sharing ideas and engaging in conversations to gain insight into interested aspect, as well as by following industry experts to reflect on his comments and actions(Woods, 2013).

5. Look outside of L&D

There is also commonality between industries, and looking for inspiration from similar industries can help us see our work from different perspectives(Woods, 2013).

References

Woods, B. (2013). Building Your Own PLN: Seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network. American Society for Training and Development. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?p=ITBC&u=uvictoria&id=GALE|A348998538&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon

1.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?

The teacher-student relationship between students and educators is a special relationship connection, in which educators are mainly on the “guiding” side, while students are on the “guided” side. The foundation of the teacher-student relationship is trust and authentic information sources, and the relationship of trust is a necessary condition for the dissemination of thoughts and ideas in educational discourse. The relationship between teachers and students is not fixed but fluctuated. In the process of teaching, students can also be in the “guiding” side, and the new ideas and concepts put forward by students based on their own personal learning networks can also promote the self-reflection of educators. In addition, communication between educators and educators is also part of the dissemination of educational discourse. Sharing and discussing credible sources of knowledge can help spread thoughts and ideas more effectively. Of course, the personal learning network also has some aspects that hinder the spread of ideas. The personal learning network itself is inert, and once formed, it is not easy to change, which will lead to the limited dissemination and receiving range of information, and it is not easy to accept the information outside the personal learning network.

2.How do educators create discourse?

Educators use authoritative teaching materials and books to teach, conduct in-depth analysis and explanation of the essence in lectures, and organize students to have group discussion and cooperation, so that each member of the group can express their own thoughts and concepts, and fully absorb what educators want to convey.

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

Social media provides a platform for students and educators to communicate and share. Compared with the traditional communication methods between students and educators, social media has the advantages of long-distance teaching and timely response. Educators can update the changes of educational progress more flexibly and spread thoughts and ideas more widely

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

In social media communication, one of the biggest problems occurring in the process of digital education is “sense of distance”, the “sense of distance” will affect the quality of teaching, compared to the reality of face-to-face communication, digital education will let each other come out with a sense of unreality. The sense of unreality will make educators and students feel defensive between each other, and then affect the quality of receiving and spreading knowledge.

1. How diverse is your PLN?

My Personal learning network is develop through Online Reading Seminar, google, YouTube, bilibili, Blog.

2. Are you learning from a variety of diverse voices and are you expanding your understanding of the views of others?

Absolutely yes, when I was ten years old, I started reading and I was introduced to an Online Reading Seminar, I still remember the first time I attended an Online Reading Seminar. I was great impressed by many comments of view. They taught me to understand the formation of an event from different angles, for example, to understand the occurrence, formation and result of an event or a story from the contradiction between each person’s identity, social form and class. I was surprised to find that many things are destined once they happen, and many things in history are similar, and keep happening in a cycle. What does not change is that human beings never learn from history. Mistakes just happen over and over again. After I read more and more books, I gradually developed my own thinking system and my own ideas. I began to take the initiative to speak and share my ideas with others. When I actively participated in the discussion and made my own contribution, I also gained appreciation from others. It gave me a sense of identity.

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

Through the personal learning network, I have built my own thinking system, including enriching my knowledge, learning to listen to suggestions from others, and being brave enough to express my ideas with others, and I also gaining friends and recognition. To ensure that I am exposed to diversity and inclusion, I took the initiative to communicate with new participants and participated in several Online Reading seminars on different social media

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

I saw a lot of students in Canada using Facebook and Twitter to develop professional networks, and some of student also using blogs and emails. But students in China are mainly use WeChat, Educate Credits Website, Small Red Book and Bilibili as their development tools of professional network.

2. What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?

While developing a professional learning network, students can focus on areas of interest, areas of expertise, expectations and plans for the future, current state, and build their own unique ideas and understandings.

3. How do data privacy and security limit and/or promote a PLN?

In my opinion, the security of data privacy is a big issue of personal learning network. For example, It is undeniable that the unconventional file sharing and downloading of pirated media is a huge obstacle to personal learning network, which undermines the enthusiasm of data producers and extremely deteriorates the network community environment. And there is not a really good way to solve this problem.

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

First, I will establish a personal digital account on my favorite social media, watch the works of other creators in the field I am interested in, and communicate with other visitors and creators by thinking and commenting actively. Choosing a direction of interest for in-depth research exploration and collection of data, sorting out a unique system. Conducting tests when everything is ready, collect experimental data, and iterate reasoning to make sure I get the right result. Publishing my own paper or other form of media document when everything is finished. After publishing, I will communicate with visitors, collect comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the work, and selectively optimize future works.

5. How did pivots to work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic change how we should consider our social media connectivity and professional balance?

During the pandemic, professional learning networks on social media became one of the mainstreams, more valuable data and materials were shared online, and a new trend was born. This means that social media connections and career balance will be more closely linked, which is a more efficient way to access data and profiles. Tweaking your personal learning network is a good idea.