“Everyone loves talking about themselves, […] everyone loves talking about what they are passionate about and once you give someone a platform […] it’s something that I think is tempting to everyone.”
MILLER. (2021). EDCI PODCAST – 2021-10-24 Mo Amir [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoDet6pwaI ‌
Using PLN’s to engage business …
I once had poor service from a local service provider that also used social media — Facebook — to attract business and offer feedback to customers. I had used the product before and had history with the company, so I was surprised by the quality of the service and the response I received when I had phoned in to discuss my dissatisfaction. They were dismissive and seemed to put the blame on me. After the phone call, I went to their social media page on Facebook and began to explain, in great detail, the situation as I had experienced it and also posted a rating of their business on Google. Within a day I received a message in Facebook Messenger apologizing for the situation and then offering a discount for my next purchase. I then had a chance to engage with them again and explain my shock and dissatisfaction — especially as a repeat customer. It all worked out well and I still frequent the shop.
For me, the experience represents how powerful individuals can become in a flash within a networked society.
Career opportunities through PLN’s
Network society is the “interface between economics, culture, and technology and centered on the predominance of knowledge intensity and innovation content to maintain competitive advantage.”
Del Giudice, M. (2014a). From Information Society to Network Society: The Challenge. In Social Media and Emerging Economies: Technological, Cultural and Economic Implications (pp. 71–83). Springer. https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/content/pdf/10.1007%2F978-3-319-02490-5.pdf
My partner and I were considering opening our own early childcare/cafe facility and by joining a few parent groups and local business forums we were able to learn very quickly that it was clearly a viable option for us. There is clearly interest in the community, access to funding, and lease space as well. This was all discovered within a few days of exploring websites for local businesses, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Relationships & PLNs
My partner and I have travelled and lived in a number of areas far from friends and family. Without Facebook, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype, Messenger, and the like, we would not have been able to stay in contact all these years.
I have been able to stay close with friends from high school and college. My partner still reaches out to people he grew up with from Nova Scotia.
Using digital media has enabled us to maintain and foster relationships that would likely have deteriorated over these past ten years, had we not had access to it.
Surrounded by digital media and media choices, 21st century students need to understand how to best apply the media resources available for learning, and to use media creation tools to create compelling and effective communication products such as videos, audio podcasts, and Web sites.
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). Chapter 4 – Digital Literacy Skills. In 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. John Wiley & Sons.
What is media literacy?
Media literacy is the ability to view, interpret, create, and present media. Trilling and Fadel share the The Center for Media Literacy view as “a framework to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in a variety of forms, build an understanding of the role of media in society, as well as [develop] the essential skills of inquiry and self-expression.”
Why is it important?
“We are more interested in what we believe, then what is true.”
Democracy is dependent upon an informed voter, that can think, act, and vote accordingly. Information — like beauty it seems — is in the eye of the beholder.
I would like to draw attention to the rise of “Flat-Earthers”. Would this movement exist were it not for modern media and misinformation? It is quite bizarre to witness foundational world views and concepts — that were once held by us all as eternal truths — devolve into questionable realities based mostly on fear, misunderstanding, and magical thinking.
If the information citizens have access to obscures or purposefully misinforms them, then the force behind that information is malevolent and unworthy of our time and energy.
With so much uncertainty in the world of 2021, it is likely much easier for most to disengage from truth-seeking as it can be unsettling.
Ensuring that populations are media literate is the only way we can ensure the survival of democracy.
Why is it dismissed?
Media literacy is essential to healthy and functional modern societies. As Ms. Smith sates in the video, it has to be more than something just added simply to the already exhausting list of teachers’s responsibility in the classroom.
Unfortunately, that scenario is exactly what is happening for the most — at least here in Canada, or BC at least. Media literacy is still way down on the list of priorities. With an aging work force that still values worksheets and duo-tangs, literacy and numeracy take priority with media literacy as an afterthought.
Education must to evolve, to view media literacy as an encompassing skill tree that supports information seeking and presenting in all forms. Instead of the current model, where students are taken to the computer lab once a week to work on powerpoint presentations — one of which being about media literacy.
Varied views, but the Factual Consensus
This reminds me of a quote from George Washington:
“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.”
We must be willing to listen to others, no matter how seemingly incorrect or offensive their views may be. This approach in keeping with my practice as an educator who values the Touchpoints Model of Development (Brazelton & Sparrow).
Once we have truly listened, then we may discern the next course of action.
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?
“Your professional learning community is your support system.”
Brad Baker highlights how important it is to surround ourselves with those that help us grow in our pursuit and maintenance of a healthy vision and positive initiatives, whether they be in our professional lives or our personal ones. There is a theme of being true to one’s convictions in all aspects of one’s life — which expands upon an idea brought up by a previous week’s speaker, Markiel Simpson. A consistent message circulated within a social network (digital or physical) helps grow awareness and momentum for that message and keep it true to its purpose.
This concept holds true in education. In my humble experience (as an educator that has been lucky to have travelled and worked with a variety of colleagues of diverse backgrounds), it is impossible to be both a “good” teacher and a “bad” person. One’s personal vision or philosophy that encompasses aspects of abstract concepts like truth, justice, equality, love, hope shines through in the work. In this line of work, you can be ground down by the system and become a cog in a machine that is simply working for a pay check, so-to-speak. I love my work but can see this happening to those around me, and there are days when I feel that way myself. It can be easy for conversations around the water cooler to focus on negative energy and complaints, without any solutions or positivity offered.
Finding ways to rejuvenate one’s passion for and commitment to the profession is vital to the integrity of the work. A carefully crafted PLN that can be navigated to access support when needed makes the endeavour sustainable. It is important to know where and how one can draw strength from colleagues and professional learning, to reflect on one’s practice and grow.
Being willing to challenge one’s one practice is a challenge, but key to beneficial discourse. As an educator, it can be easy to feel like an island, unable to engage in any dialogue with other teachers or those we might learn from. Actively pursuing these exchanges is tricky to manage given our busy schedules and the expectations of the job, but must take place for the sake of the work.
How do educators create discourse?
“We support each other, but we also challenge each other …”
I love staff meetings and teacher conferences. I don’t hold back and remain engaged throughout — but not all staff meetings or conferences are created equal. Those that are organized, respectful of teacher’s busy schedules, and also relevant to our practical, day-to-day work offer moments of rejuvenation. The trick is having a leader or keynote speaker that is capable of building enough rapport with staff or learners to engage as many of the group as possible in as brief a time as possible. There is nuance to this.
What I value most about these meetings is the exchange of ideas and the genuine building of passion and excitement for the work. Hope is rekindled and new practical ideas are added to toolkits. Connections are established and relationships made sustainable through social media and email. Throughout the meeting or day we are able to sit next to teaching partners or those we look up to as mentors — if we so choose. This could be viewed as a microcosm of a PLN; who do you sit with and how do you engage with the intention of the meeting?
What is the role of social media in education?
Social media (as the digital extension/expression of one’s personal learning network) is increasingly becoming a larger component to one’s personal learning environment. Following fellow educators on Instagram, Edmodo, Facebook, Twitter, etc. is means to an end — to grow and enhance our practice in some measurable capacity.
“[P]ersonal learning networks are the sum of all social capital and connections that result in the development and facilitation of a personal learning environment.”
Couros, A. (2010). Emerging Technologies in Distance Education (Issues in Distance Education) (G. Veletsianos, Ed.; Illustrated ed., Vols. 1919–4390). Athabasca University Press. https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120177_99Z_Veletsianos_2010-Emerging_Technologies_in_Distance_Education.pdf
What are some problems with social media communications in education settings?
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act is meant to protect citizens by setting rules and laws around the sharing of information. The Act is very relevant to the field of education, as educators and administrators are consistently communicating information regarding students and learning via modern collaborative technology. Educators must adhere to these rules (of which they may not be fully aware), while also embracing technology to support learning. This can be tricky and there are a number of examples where an educator has made poor choices while using social media and have lost their jobs.
Which social media platforms are beneficial in education?
It is a good question, and I’m not sure I have an answer that would include specific names of software. In my mind, it’s not so much the platform that is necessarily beneficial, but the intention of the user and their willingness to explore a new form of communication that benefits the endeavour. Again, I go back to a previous post where I had said something about a tool only being as effective as the one who wields it. This question led me to creating a list of my own questions to find those “beneficial” platforms:
How can the platform be used to grow a community?
What kinds/types of communities/industries currently use the platform and how?
What are the demographics of users commonly accessing/using the platform?
How can the platform be used to create consistent messaging and a standard vision/expectations for the community and sharing?
At the same time, how does the platform account for its own growth and evolution of ideas and structures over time?
What are the benefits of a diverse and inclusive PLN? How and when do we consider our audiences and how we adapt our messages to meet them?
How does social media engage communications?
Engagement requires initiative. In other words, one must act to accomplish a goal and complete a task, and that act — and the sincerity/integrity of our efforts to do so — is a measure of our engagement. This week’s guest speaker and discussion was thought provoking, and has me reflecting on how one might gain momentum for positive change or growth in their life via their PLN.
In order to promote a viewpoint and gain a following on social media, Markiel Simpson points out that “figuring out what [one’s] voice is and [also] figuring out what [one’s] niche is …” is the first step (EDCI – 338 MARKIEL SIMPSON, 2021). He then discussed the importance of establishing a consistent approach on social media platforms, to gain momentum and grow awareness. For example, consistent hashtags can be effective to link shared content amongst a wide variety of users. While appealing to and then drawing in others to the message, it is important to pass on these same strategies so that the awareness can quickly grow along with the movement. “[We] are the expert[s] of [our] own lived experience […]” which we must honour and apply to our practice and our message so that others may follow that example.
“What unites such diverse, multiplatform projects? People come in as participants and leave recognizing themselves as members of a public— a group of people commonly affected by an issue, whatever their differences about how to resolve it. These projects have provided a platform for people to meet, learn, exchange information, and discuss solutions. They have found each other and exchanged information on an issue in which they all see themselves as having a stake. In some cases, they take action based on this transformative act of communication.”
Pooley, J., Taub-Pervizpour, L., & Sue Curry Jansen. (2013). Media and social justice. Palgrave Macmillan.
How does social media challenge communications?
Social media communication can be impersonal, having typically removed the face-to-face element of the exchange. While platforms like Zoom and Facetime may alleviate this while offering real-time images of those we are talking with, there really is no replacing face-to-face interaction. Participants can engage and witness the variety of communication that takes place through body language and even touch in the real world, and often lends itself to cues of sincerity.
In my opinion, social media communications are often missing a very human component, which is inherently bound by the content of the message — as opposed to the integrity and intention of the messenger.
Is social media inclusive?
This depends entirely on which social media platforms one chooses to use. Not all platforms are created for the same purpose and most are controlled by stakeholders with a “bottom line” decision making framework — which always places a higher value on profit over the end user. These social media companies are not yet controlled well enough by regulatory bodies and society is slowly becoming more aware of the negative impacts of unfettered social media growth and access.
“If we are going to have media for vibrant democratic culture, we have to plan for it, try it out, show people that it matters, and build new constituencies to invest in it.”
POOLEY, J., TAUB-PERVIZPOUR, L., & SUE CURRY JANSEN. (2013). MEDIA AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. PALGRAVE MACMILLAN.
Does your PLN amplify the views of others?
I have been less and less active on social media in terms of sharing thoughts about my day, as I am currently focusing on completing my program and my professional work, while also making sure to spend time with my family. The time I am currently spending on social media is more related to my own personal growth as a mother and how to support my son’s development within our local community. In this sense, my PLN likely amplifies the views of local mothers and where to find affordable family resources as I am sharing, liking, and tagging a lot these kinds of posts. Instagram and Facebook are becoming my platforms for this kind of PLN growth.
How do employer policies impact our social media communication expectations?
As an educator, employer policies greatly impact my social media communications and expectations. I must always be aware of my role as a professional caregiver and educator within the community and behave accordingly while sharing and communicating within that capacity while online. There are repercussions and consequences in life for poor decision making, and this is true in the digital world as well.
Curating my own social media, for a critical public audience. I am still working on the post…stay tuned.
What are 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)?
– How do notable individuals use social media?
– What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?
– Delivering information in a connected society requires verifiable resources, how to build a PLN to rely on?
How does one address negative comments on personal values and employer social media policy?
– Building community with online tools provided by the employer can be limiting, what are the perceived restrictions and benefits?
– How do those, who are veteran storytellers, minimize risk in sharing misinformation?
What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
Twitter and Instagram seem to be popular for personal and professional connections. Facebook is still around and other, more niche platforms like Edmodo exist within certain fields.
What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?
Which platform is used in the field you wish to break into? Learn the language of the professions, but also the social media tools that will allow you to connect with others that might help you on your path.
Discover what an employer would find based on your V+R Map if you applied for a job with them?
How would I create a PLN prior to engaging a social media campaign on a topic of your choice?
I’m not sure I understand the question exactly. I’ve been thinking about my take-aways from this course lately and I have realized that it is past time that it is time I curate my online presence and professional portfolio site, so that I may be better able to connect with others professionally through other social media strands like Twitter and Instagram. I want to become a better blogger, sharing my successes as well as my struggles so that I can add to my value within the network as a responsible user as well. Recent professional development has helped me to reconnect with the concept that there are so many people out there with great ideas just ready to share and it is up to me reach out.
How do internal and/or external communication tools play a role in helping establish messaging and participation themes that are inclusive and diverse?
Inclusion is an important aspect of modern education in the West. But what it is — and how it actually manifests within a learning environment — is a tricky question.
For example, a wide range of hardware and software is now available to educators, but those tools are only able to foster inclusion as far as educators are able to make use of them. The goals are to enable student participation within the social learning of the classroom — and not further a learner’s isolation. Being able to connect with families beyond the hours of the school day through blogs and school portal pages has also helped educators foster inclusion through timely feedback and a collaborative online presence. There are clearly powerful social and digital media tools that can bring more inclusion to education, but there must be adequate training for those that use it and their attitude toward professional and personal growth must not be one of resistance — but rather one of humble and willing acceptance.
It boils down to the age-old issue: a tool is only as useful as the person wielding it.
A PLN is always in flux I suppose, and at present I consider my network to be deep and diverse enough to keep me learning and moving in the direction that I currently wish to be heading. I still maintain professional and personal connections with a number of colleagues with a variety of backgrounds from over the years. To do so, I make use of WhatsApp, Facebook, Gmail, Messenger, and FaceTime.
Many exchanges are professional — when I am asked for help or I am seeking to learn about a topic related to the field. Other times exchanges are more personal, where (former) colleagues reconnect over our similar interests and passions beyond work. We exchange photos, links to humorous videos or media, and stories from one another’s lives.
With that said, I am always aware of a certain level of decorum. I value professionalism and so try to keep this in mind when networking on social media — almost all of the time. I have also learned how to search for specific online groups and resources that have helped me to learn and grow — professionally and personally. I am an active member of several mothers’ groups on Facebook for the are I live in, and have continually sought out community organizations and events that align with my views and lifestyle.
In your PLN, are you learning from a variety of voices or are you the loudest in the room?
I certainly like to think that I am not intentionally structuring my PLN so that I am simply hearing my own echo and solidifying my own viewpoints. Although in the spirit of honest reflection, there are times when this may be true.
When I am feeling unsure of my own abilities or understanding — and also feeling vulnerable in some capacity — I tend to open up more readily and seek out those that I am able to deem reliable and trustworthy to provide guidance. However, I can be demanding when seeking out help, often considering my own needs over those of the helper with whom I seek to connect.
As a white, cisgender, Canadian female, I recognize that my voice has value and needs to be heard, but that there are also other voices and that they have priority at times as well. Given a situation, one voice should have priority over another — but this does not mean we must not all be heard and listened to. We must all be able to recognize our own value and place within the network, while simultaneously appreciating the intrinsic value that each participating member brings to it.
There are certainly times where I can to be a better listener and more actively seek out voices that may challenge my perspectives/understandings, so that I may gain a healthier, fuller understanding of whatever the matter may be. Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is a wonderful example of a humbling learning initiative where I readily acknowledge that my understanding is so very limited, and that I must actively seek out connections with local indigenous community members to learn and grow as a Canadian educator.
Do you participate in a silo of information sharing (similar themes or wide range of interests)?
“Homogeneity is a battle that has never been won and never will be.” Moore, Shelley. One Without the Other : Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion, Portage & Main Press, 2017. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uvic/detail.action?docID=4832579. Created from uvic on 2021-10-09 23:12:56.
Silos of information sharing is an interesting term and it seems to have negative connotations within the article this week, and I’m somewhat opposed to that sentiment.
The mind organizes and categorizes information into schemas, and the developed heuristics help us get things done in life. Categorizing is a part of being human. However, problems arise when we believe that there is only one way to categorize and that things can’t ever be re-looked at or reordered.
As an educator, I communicate with other educators within what one would call a silo of information sharing. We are like-minded professionals, connected to one another through our type and place of work. We have had similar, but also vastly differing experiences that we share and grow from. We all share in the spirit of betterment and benevolence (generally speaking). I see this as a positive thing. While I try to readily accept constructive opinions and criticisms from varying sources, I must always come back to the fact that professional educators must be properly trained and qualified to work with children. Rather, inclusion requires educators to witness, believe in, and value the experiences of others unlike themselves — and be willing to find a place for those voices in learning spaces so that those voices are common and accessible. This can help us to be better people and educators, while still maintaining certain (valuable) silos of information sharing.
How can you use a diverse PLN to broaden your views of inclusion?
My partner taught English at an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program school in the past, and when they were selecting novels for their school year he was asked to select authors and poets that would differ from his experiences and world view. This meant finding poets and authors from around the world with varying genders, identities, and cultural backgrounds different from his own.
By seeking out the narratives of others’ lives and discovering how their stories are like our own bridges the gap. Pushing ourselves to question the status quo of our own day-to-day and make a connection that we might not otherwise make, makes all the difference.
I am currently seeking out the first steps in getting to know more about local indigenous culture and how to properly honour the people through land acknowledgments and other cultural learnings. I have found several Facebook groups and physical sites that are designed to open up dialogue in the spirt of reconciliation.
In your professional setting of choice, do you think inclusion is actively embraced?
Inclusion is actively embraced within education in British Columbia, but there is always more work to be done. There are times when there are stark differences between meaningful realities and political slogans.
What is the learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?
As I have mentioned above, I have already taken a number of steps to broaden my PLN to specifically learn more about motherhood, community events, my profession, and indigenous culture in my area. To measure and/or track my engagement and involvement will take some consideration. Perhaps I will create some sort of schedule or calendar for weekly check-ins and commit to honestly recording whether or not I have honoured those commitments. It will be a challenge, as life can be hectic.
How has your thinking about inclusion and PLN evolved after reviewing the videos and readings
This week’s recording and reading has me considering how one makes use of their PLN within education, and further — how that PLN might be used to foster inclusion within an educator’s practice and/or even day-to-day thinking.
With perhaps a nuanced approach to networking while maintaining a positive, constructive attitude toward growth and learning, we can all be more inclusive educators and community.
• What does it mean to network using social media?
“Learning through our [Personal Learning Network] is something we can do throughout our lives – it becomes a tool for Lifelong Learning.” – Future Learn – What is a Personal Learning Network?
Whether one is maintaining relationships, looking for some feedback or guidance, exploring avenues of personal growth, or simply exploring interests — social media has enabled more individuals to seek out other individuals or groups that share some communality, some connecting credential, viewpoint, or interest. From these connecting points, relationships are shaped — whether they be temporary or longterm, professional or personal. This seeking out of others for specific functions and tasks is networking.
• How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?
“We define the activity of professional networking as the act of making connections with other professionals, with or without the intention of making long–term ties with them (Compton, 2009; Tempest and Starkey, 2004).” (Rajagopal et al.)
Motivations come from our needs and wants. The needs and wants of individuals drive our participation in networked publics. For example, to better understand the workings of the mind and theories on its development, I seek peer reviewed, scholarly articles online or through library sites. When I wish to learn more about current trends in literacy and early childcare, I connect to online groups of educators for feedback, insight, and guidance. To get help with my car, I typically join in a chat forum on the particular make and model of car I have, and then make a phone call to my dad to arrange a face-to-face chat and physical analysis of the car.
• What are the risks & rewards of public communications?
“… an ability to identify and understand other people’s work in relation to one’s own, and to assess the value of the connection with these others for potential future work. (Granovetter, 1983; Nardi, et al., 2000)” (Rajagopal et al.)
With the pandemic, exploring opportunities through one’s PLN is becoming more common as people are forced to reshape their lives. The rewards for personal and professional growth are boundless. For example, my partner enjoys editing and has been able to connect with groups and companies online during the pandemic, to help himself learn more about the field — even if only a quirky and occasional hobby of his. Since moving to our new home, I have also joined several social media groups that represent local interests and initiatives, ranging from topics of motherhood to gardening, and many other things in between. My partner has also reached out to former colleagues via Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, to discuss possible future employment opportunities in teaching, and to gather feedback and insight as to which Masters program he may choose to pursue.
That said, putting your ideas and experiences online is risky. Once something is placed online, it can be near impossible to pull it back offline. This is especially so if the platform is public.
One has to be fully aware of this before posting, while many are not. As an educator, I see more and more teaching toward digital literacy and citizenship in curriculum — to help students navigate the murky waters of current social media.
While many platforms have protocols and codes of conduct for users, they are not always followed by clients. There are also laws that must be obeyed to ensure safety and security online. One must be aware of these things, as they impact our personal and professional lives in negative ways.
• What is a digital identity?
How we are represented online and the access to those opportunities creates our digital identity. An identity creates a starting point, from which access can be granted or denied. The way we structure or build upon our identities should be done with care, so as to move forward in the directions we want.
• How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?
Right away, this question made me think about code-switching. I have always found the concept interesting. My partner is from the East Coast originally, and had that particular accent that comes from being raised in rural areas of Nova Scotia. We have spent the last number of years travelling and working and he has subtly, over time reshaped how he speaks; yet when he returns to his hometown to visit friends and family, his accent is as sharp as the day I met him.
How we behave online creates our digital identity. Just as in our lives offline, there are public and private (or more personal) elements. With online activity there is much more anonymity, which can enable users to feel more able or willing to behave in ways that they may not in their offline lives. This is where things may become murky when discussing the connections between personal (or what many may deem as private) and public interactions. They impact one another, but that impact is unique to the user and their values.
For example, my partner and I are both educators and have been working abroad at private international schools for a number of years. Many of our colleagues remain connected to us through social media like Instagram and Facebook. Some exchanges are personal and happen regularly, as we discuss our lives, the world, and our opinions outside of work. We also maintain many of our other professional connections on social media, as there is always the chance that we may one day work together again. Even though many of us call one another friends, this filters how we exchange and what we discuss to a point I’m sure. There are other, more professional relationships which are also maintained online, though with less frequency. These connections are sought out, for example, when a reference is needed to apply for work or schooling or guidance is necessary for a specific need.
My name is Daina van Rijt and welcome to my site. I hope you find this space welcoming, and feel free to leave comments on my posts or things I’ve shared. I would ask that we all keep our comments on topic and professional, to help one another grow and learn.
I have been working in education for much of my adult life, with most of my practice being in early years programs. With each passing year, technology and social media is increasingly a major role in my life as well as my work.
Working abroad, social media has helped me to maintain connections with people that matter most while being able to share what is happening in my life. Professionally, it has opened avenues of communication for professional development and effective collaboration.
I look forward to learning and growing with you all!
Recent Comments