What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
There are many different sites that students use to develop their professional networks, including LinkedIn, Twitter, WordPress, Slack, Facebook, and Instagram! Trier (2021) mentioned that Meetup, Quora, and Wistia are alternatives to sites like LinkedIn. Depending on where their professional interests lay, different sites may be beneficial. For example, Instagram and Facebook, while generally associated with personal use, can be a great way to increase your brand awareness and connect with similar businesses, etc. All these sites have their own unique features, benefits, and disadvantages – users should research them before use.
What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?
There are several considerations while expanding professional learning networks, including (TeachThought, n.d.):
- Keep collaboration as a driving force – PLNs are about working together to achieve outcomes. Think of it not only as what you may gain, but as what you can contribute. By being involved in the process and sharing information, your PLN grows itself. Collaboration creates a solid network.
- Join online communities
- Join meetup groups
- Ask questions – PLNs are about learning, so try to think of questions that may generate interest from others.
- Be an active participant – Spend time online and be consistent. Keep up to date, stay relevant, and try to post at least once a week
- Be polite – may seem like common sense, but web etiquette is not always practised; not only is it polite, but it helps gain more meaningful connections and improve the quality of interactions.
- Designate a personal and professional account – as described in last week’s blog, try to distinguish your professional from personal accounts and content. Different groups will appreciate different types of content.
- Establish your own platform – using platforms like WordPress provides a space to share your views, spread passion, showcase achievements, and find like-minded individuals. This helps to grow connections: other content creators appreciate the time you put into creating meaningful materials.
- Consider your role – consider your learning style when designing an approach to a PLN, and act accordingly:
- Reflectors – learn by reviewing situations, such as posting opinions to articles.
- Theorists – learn by researching information and data, such as by creating a model.
- Pragmatist – Learn by applying knowledge to real situations, such as by creating a project that uses PLNs in the classroom.
- Aggregate resources – you may want to use applications that merge all social media accounts into one interface; this allows for easier posting and regular communication.
- Take (free) courses to learn about PLNs – if not in UVic courses, there are lots of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) that are free and open to the public. For example, this course complete with handouts shows you how to establish a PLN
- Stay current – about new platforms, tools, and resources.
Visitor and Resident (V&R) Map
A V&R map is an illustration of how individuals engage with the Web. It’s a continuum consisting of Visitor vs Resident (X-xis) and Personal vs Institutional (Y-axis) (White & Le Cornu, 2011).
- Visitor = choosing tasks to undertake, like finding a piece of information, completing the tasks, and then moving offline/elsewhere. Leave no social trace
- Resident = go online to socialize – connect or be with other people. About social presence and leaves a social trace
- Personal = for personal reasons
- Institutional = for non-personal reasons, like for work/school
How do data privacy and security limit and/or promote a PLN?
Data privacy and security are important considerations of a PLN. What type of content is being published? Is there any information that could be used against you in the future? What WIFI networks are we connecting to, and are they safe? Do I keep unique passwords? While the use of technology and social media are excellent for building a PLN, there are safety concerns that should be addressed prior to starting; some safety risks may include data breaches, phishing, viruses, unauthorized access to disclosed personal information, etc., and can be of concern if gained information is subsequently used with malintent (Khan, 2017). Visit https://digitaltattoo.ubc.ca/quizzes/privacy-and-surveillance/ for a quick self-assessment of your knowledge of Privacy and Surveillance, and for some great links to increase your knowledge on such topics.
How would an employer respond if I applied for a job with them and assessed my social media presence via my digital identity?
An individual’s presence may be affected by external pressures like caution for career path choices (i.e. politics, medical school, dental school, vet school, grad school, etc.). Because of this, I aim to maintain a professional approach to my personal engagement online that would be approved by an employer. For personal accounts, such as Instagram, I keep private and try to be mindful of what content I’m posting, engaging with, and sharing. On professional networking sites like LinkedIn (see above), I try to highlight my skills, personality, education, and knowledge that are attractive to employers.
In your network how can you create a digital identity/ reputation?
A digital identity is an individual’s online presentation – it encompasses everything they post, share, comment on, etc., and can be representative of how they treat others and use digital tools to interact with others. A PLN is a learning web where an individual engages in communication, creation, and sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources with others. Through the development of these networks, individuals also develop their digital identity (online representational and reputation).
How did pivots to work-from-home during the COVID-19 pandemic change how we should consider our social media connectivity and professional balance?
In the Canadian Internet Use Survey (Bilodeau et al., 2021) conducted between November 2020 and March 2021, 75% of Canadians 15 years of age and older stated they engaged in various internet-related activities more often since the onset of the pandemic – for both personal and professional reasons. With the closure of many workplaces and campuses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Internet has become an essential tool for employees and students – and continues to be today, with some not returning to fully in-person activities. However, the transition to work-from-home affected more than just an individual’s work life. The pandemic has resulted in Canadians using the internet more than ever to stay connected, for entertainment, and for activities like shopping; 57% of Canadians 15 years of age and older video-conferenced with family and friends more often since the start of the pandemic (Bilodeau et al., 2021).
My challenge to you, the reader.
Reflect on your social media presence. Is it accurately reflective of yourself? Does it portray your identity as you wish to be seen? Is the information personal or professional, and is this something you have intentionally applied controls for? Are you proud of how you present yourself and interact with others? Always be aware of the site you’re posting to and of the content you post online – if it is something you would mind a future employer viewing, maybe its place is best off of the internet.
References
Bilodeau, H., Kehler, A., Minnema, N. (2021). Internet use and COVID-19: how the pandemic increased the amount of time Canadians spend online. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2021001/article/00027-eng.htm
Khan, M. J. (2017). Social media rewards and risks. ISACA Journal, 4, 1-5. https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2017/volume-4/social-media-rewards-and-risk
TeachThought. (n.d.). How To Improve Your Professional Learning Network. https://www.teachthought.com/education/professional-learning-network/
Trier, R. (2021). 6 professional networking sites: LinkedIn alternatives. Weidert. https://www.weidert.com/blog/professional-networking-sites-platforms-b2b
White, D.S., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and residents: a new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16. https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3171/3049
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