Month: March 2021

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

In order to answer this question, I would like to first explain my idea of understanding of the concept digital identity. Digital identity could be seen as the collective of information that a person leaves online. These information include ones that could be openly accesses – for example, a person’s Twitter posts, and ones that are only accessible to that person – for example, password to a person’s email account (Oliveira & Morgado).

Before engaging in this class, I only had a vague idea of what digital identity – it could be as simple as a pseudonym name used in online learning. However, throughout this course, I learned that my digital identity is not only the presentation of the knowledge and skills that I possess, but also my reputation online – whether I am a credible information source, whether I am a competent candidate for a job opportunity, etc (Oliveira & Morgado). The interactions and discussions that I have participated in throughout this course is a valuable element to my digital identity, as it presents my competence as an active learner and a team member. There are mainly two ways that I would like to use the PLN interactions throughout this course to further my digital identity. The first is to integrate these interactions, discussions, blog posts and projects into my digital portfolio as a way to demonstrate my online learning, and the second is to continue these interactions, strengthen the network that I have built throughout this course, as network membership is also an important element of one’s digital identity.

• What does it mean to have a digital identity in your industry of choice and can your current PLN be used to help professional development post-course?

This question is tricky for me because as for now, I do not have an industry of choice as I am still exploring different career paths. However, one thing I feel certain about is that digital identity will play a more and more important role in employment and professional development. Earlier in this course, I mentioned that people’s online presence could be condensed into a digital portfolio, which shows their personalities, interests, knowledge and skills, and the ability to network, among other factors. Additionally, having a strong digital identity indicates that the person is fluent with digital tools and platforms, which in turn suggests the person’s general competence as a citizen in this digital era. Thus, although I could not point any specific direction, digital identity definitely plays an important role in my industry of choice.

As I major in economics, I network a lot with students who major in the same subjects. Since it is more likely that we face similar job markets and possible career paths, exchange about these information would be a major way in which my current PLN helps with my professional development. Additionally, as I personally know a large proportion of the members within my current PLN, such personal connection would definitely help when I need to seek guidance and support from other people who understands my situation.

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

I major in economics, which is a major that has large potential for a wide variety of job opportunities, including business, finance, consulting and policy research, among others. Although I have not decided exactly which profession I would like to pursue, it is safe to say that although my current PLN could provide me with some opportunities, in order to effectively progress through my professional career, I would have to expand my PLN and build connections with people from professions mentioned above. Currently, my PLN is primarily composed of UVIC students and faculty members. Although I do have other people who major in completely different subjects or work in completely different professions in my PLN, since these people are also at the beginning phase of their career, it is hard to say that what opportunities could we bring to each other. However, I am confident that as we continue to explore our subject of interest and connect with people who share the same enthusiasm, we could have more and more opportunities along the way.

Reference

Oliveira, N. R., & Morgado, L. (2014). “Digital Identity of Researchers and Their Personal Learning Network.” Learning and Collaboration Technologies. Technology-Rich Environments for Learning and Collaboration, 469–475. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-07485-6_46

• What is media literacy?

In short, media literacy is the study that raises critical questions regarding media contents that people consume on a daily basis (Jesse). Such critical analysis incorporates several aspects of any information source: the producer(s) of the information, the audience that the information targets, pertaining interests associated with the information, what the information does not cover, etc. (Jesse). In a world where media heavily intertwines with how people view and understand the world, media literacy is a crucial part of media consumption.

• Why is it important?

Media literacy is important for both objective and personal reasons. Media literacy is important firstly because “media has its own language”, which means that there are certain rules that media outlets follow when presenting information (Jesse). Being familiar with these rules help us to better understand information presented to us by media outlets. For example, among the many styles of news reporting, I find biographical reporting particularly interesting, for both its factual value and its artistic value. Understanding basic rules of this kind of reporting helps me to better appreciate them. Second, media literacy is important also because it changes drastically over time, both in quantity and in quality. Compared with 20 years ago, now we have countless numbers of media outlets to choose from, and media outlets take on many diverse forms, such as public accounts on social media, blogs and Podcast, which are not known to people 20 years ago (Jesse). Knowing how to evaluate these information outlets help people to make wiser and more informed choices regarding their media consumption. Last but not least, media literacy is important also because thanks to the power of social media, now almost every one who have access to social media accounts could act as a producer of news by themselves (Jesse). Knowledge about media literacy could help people to check their own biases, to present information in objective and understandable ways, which in turn facilitates communication on social media.

To elaborate on personal reasons, first, media literacy largely facilitates learning. Knowledge about the “rules” helps people to access information more effectively because not only do they know how to evaluate and select credible resources, they also know how to locate the information they need from specific resources (Trilling & Fadel). In addition, knowledge about different information channels helps people to initiate discussion and deliver message more effectively (Trilling & Fadel). For example, if someone intends to initiate a discussion about social media consumption in young people, the most ideal channel would be platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, as it will be easy to locate young people who are already experienced social media users. To give another example, there is a social network platform created specifically for medical professionals called Doximity. If someone wants to locate medical professionals either for discussions or for inquiries, they would have much better chance on Doximity than on any other platform.

Media literacy also helps to build a high-quality PLN. In a PLN where people are familiar with media literacy, although it is very likely that people have different standpoints on certain issues, people could still expect a meaningful discussion because as people are able to select objective, unbiased information to support their opinions, everyone brings valuable information to the table. Having a PLN where people are familiar with media literacy also helps to ensure that people have access to diverse sources of information despite language barriers. For example, since I live in China, when engaging in discussions within the PLN that I build in UVIC, I often refer to information that I have learned on Weibo, which is the biggest social media platform in China. Although Weibo is not particularly known for high-quality social media interaction (issues such as heavy advertising, polarized opinions and attitudes, cyberbullying and misleading information prevail on Weibo), for someone who has basic knowledge regarding how to evaluate information sources, I am still able to extract useful information that could be used in discussions, which is something that my Canadian schoolmates do not have access to. Additionally, despite the issues mentioned above, Weibo is still a valuable information source that has its root deep in the Chinese societal and cultural background.

• Why is it dismissed?

Ironically, media literacy could be dismissed by media itself. The primary goal of media outlets is to make profits, which means that in order to attract and maintain its audience, media often “tailor” its contents and the ways in which it presents its contents to suit its audience (Jesse). Such biased presentation of information from the media, combined with people’s innate tendency to confirm themselves, could result in a self-perpetuating circle where people only listen to voices that already corresponds with them and refuse to engage in critical analysis of those voices (Jesse). In my opinion, in such cases, it is safe to say that media takes advantage of this innate “weakness” of human beings, where people only care about what sounds “good”, instead of what is right.

Media literacy could also be dismissed by other more powerful forms of information presentation. As mentioned in this week’s class video, image could be a powerful medium that determines people’s opinions and attitudes towards certain issues (Jesse). Take Donald Trump for an example, part of the reason that Trump won the election is that Trump was able to make a prominent appearance on media (Jesse). Compared with other candidates, his deviation from conventions and his “outspokenness” result in powerful public images, which somewhat convinces people of his legitimacy. In my opinion, in toady’s world, we should try our best to be cautious about this kind of influence, as it could well be an attempt to distract us from issues that are of real importance to us.

References

EDCI 338 (2020, Nov 1). A01 Smith, Julie [Video file]. Retrieved from YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_T9RghwJlI&feature=youtu.be

Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2012). Digital Literacy Skills. In 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

• 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?

A PLN could give power to messaging for an individual or a community in that a PLN could make these individuals and communities more visible to the public, as well as allow them to control their own narratives. As the example given by Brad Baker about how the Inuit girl approaches social media illustrates, her social media use allows her to share information that may be exclusive to a small group of people (eg: How Inuits live; the way northern lights look like) with the world (Miller). And since she is the producer of these knowledge, she has control over how she wants to present herself and her community. This is particularly important for both the Inuit girl and people outside of her community because as for the girl, the use of social media allows her to raise awareness about her community in ways that she feels comfortable with; as for the rest of the world, it provides people with an opportunity to gain authentic, first-hand knowledge and stories.

To apply this example to education and learning, a PLN gives power to messaging for an individual or community first by connecting and organizing these individuals and communities into a network. Although it is unlikely that people all come from backgrounds as unique as the Inuit girl, each individual and community has its unique stories and knowledge to offer to the table. By touching on these topics, people expand both the volume and the richness of their knowledge base. Also by touching on these topics, people could start conversations regarding various issues that are critical to certain individuals and communities but may be foreign to people outside of those communities, which creates opportunities to raise awareness.

Here, I would like to take my personal experiences for an example. I interned for a company that specifies in online education for K-12 students. My job was to create and maintain an online community where students could share their learning outcomes and communicate with each other. In essence, I was working as a facilitator of their PLN. There was a student who is a national minority living in a rural area that none of my students has ever visited. Her appearance stirred great curiosity within our online community. For the next several months, this specific student shared a lot about her life – the way she and her families live, traditional holidays that they celebrate, the way they commute to nearby cities, to name just a few. It later became a little ritual within our online community that she would share a couple of pictures or a short video clip of herself and her families almost every day and the rest of us would watch them with great interest. It was a valuable experience for all members within our community because not only did me and my students learned a lot from her, she also gained a great sense of pride in herself and her nationality from educating us about it.

A potential threat associated with such information share is that people could be under attack or risk compromising their privacy for being vulnerable and sharing their personal stories. However, just as Brad Baker mentioned in the video, the fact that some people are uneducated and biased towards certain individuals and communities are part of the reasons that sharing information and raising awareness are important (Miller). Although these experiences could be less than ideal, they also provide opportunities for personal growth (Miller).

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

According to connectivism, learning depends on connecting different entities (people, groups, ideas, devices etc.) and that the capacity to learn largely depends on how diverse one’s PLN is because diversity is what generates knowledge (Veletsianos). In that sense, thanks to the power that social media has in reaching a large number of people, social media becomes an essential tool that connects people, expands and enriches the diversity of one’s PLN. Also, because of social media, learning expands beyond the classroom and could happen almost anytime anywhere.

Social media also changes how educators work. In the typical teacher network model, the teacher largely acts as a relay station for information coming from all sorts of sources (Veletsianos). In my opinion, in such case, the teacher acts as the sole disseminator of knowledge within the classroom and there’s little communication and connection happening between the students and sources other than the teacher. With the help of social media, especially how social media connects people and shares content, educators are able to create a network of incorporates multiple sources, including social media platforms and tools, colleagues, students and their families, and so on (Veletsianos). Instead of the sole disseminator of knowledge within the classroom, the teacher now acts as a facilitator of a learning network.

References

Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, by George Veletsianos, AU Press, 2010, pp. 114-115, pp. 123-124.

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 – BRAD BAKER.” YouTube, uploaded by MILLER, 04 Mar. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy63SmEpvCw

• How do notable individuals use social media?

The answer to this question depends on the nature of that notable individual’s “business”. For someone like Jody Vance who “is paid for her opinions”, appearing authentic on social media would function as a way to present her credibility, which in turn would help to establish her brand as an authentic commentator (Miller). For people whose occupations require high levels of professional input such as lawyers and government officials, social media use may be constrained, as their comments and behaviors online are under serious scrutiny. In a word, since social media is a channel that represents us for both our profession and our personal qualities, people have to gauge their social media use that best reflects the qualities that are valued by their professions.

Also, for notable individuals, since they could reach a large number of people, it is also possible for them to harness the wisdom of the collective. People could turn to their followers for ideas and information, as well as engaging with their followers, which could be valuable information sources in themselves (Hirst).

•  What are the benefits of being in the public eye and having a PLN?

One of the major benefits associated with being in the public eye and having a PLN is that people would have more available opportunities presented to them. Just as Jody Vance explained in the video, as soon as she was laid off, a new job opportunity was presented to her by someone she had not even met in person before (Miller). Being in the public eye makes it possible that people could and would form connections with you, and being in the public eye also makes information more available, which in turn makes it possible for other people to identify opportunities that are suitable for you. And just as mentioned in the last answer, being in the public eye and having a PLN means that you have more opportunities to harness information from other people (Hirst). Being in the public eye indicates reputation, which in turn means possibly heavier influence on social media. Heavier social media influence would transfer into a larger base of followers, which means that people could connect with more people, who are potential valuable information sources.

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

One of the major perceived restrictions is that when building community with online tools provided by the employer, people often have to prioritize the goal of making money, which could limit discussion and communication. Take journalists for an example. Journalists engage in social media largely because they have to harness contents that could make news and generate profits (Hirst). In these cases, there is little real communication and engagement happening between these journalists and the people (Hirst). Another major restriction is that when building community with online tools provided by the employer, people do not only represent themselves, but also represent the employers that they work for. In that sense, anything they say could be associated with their employers, which makes it necessary that people be extra cautious with their presence online. Just as Jody Vance said in the video, she is able to be vocal on social media largely because in addition to her employment, she has a business herself, which makes it possible that she could represent herself authentically as her own brand (Miller).

One of the major benefits associated with using online tools provided by the employer is that it helps to prove one’s credibility. Take journalists again for an example. Journalists would appear more professional and credible on social media if they are verified as journalists working for a major news agency, which in turn would make people more willing to listen to them, and to share information with them.

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

NowThis has provided a model that could be referenced to (Hirst). NowThis relies on social media to harness information regarding news worth covering, and would rely on professionals to produce new coverage (Hirst). Although the model is flawed, it has great implications as to how an effective PLN works. Just like NowThis, an effective PLN should have both enough participants so that it has multiple sources of information and professionals within the network so that information is researched and examined.

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

Just as Jody Vance said in the video, knowing the bottom line is the key on how to minimize the risk in sharing misinformation. Here, the bottom line refers to both the rules of the particular social media platform one is using, and personal standards that one sets for him/herself. Being familiar with the rules of social media platforms helps to prevent misconduct, one of which is sharing misinformation. Having strong personal standards helps one to make clear judgment regarding what to share and what not to share. Such caution would help to minimize the risk in sharing misinformation.

References

Hirst, M. (2018). Navigating Social Journalism: A Handbook for Media Literacy and Citizen Journalism (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.4324/9781315401263

 Miller, J. “EDCI 338 – 2021 – 03 – 21 JODY VANCE.” 03 Mar. 2021. doi: https://.youtube.com/watchv=dgZOJgJKdyl&feature=youtu.be

Community engagement is public communications – what are the benefits of a diverse and inclusive PLN in social media sharing that understands where you are coming from with messaging that impacts the community?

To begin with this topic, I would like to first explain my idea about what a diverse and inclusive PLN looks like. In my opinion, in terms of membership, a diverse and inclusive PLN is a network where people with different identities are fairly represented. Here, I did not use the word “equally” because just like we have discussed before, sometimes it is not only the right thing to do but also the necessary thing to do to assign more weights to people from disadvantaged groups. It should be a network where people could actively engage in the process of learning and sharing regardless of their identities. In terms of content, a diverse and inclusive PLN should be a network where people could have open discussions about sensitive and critical topics without fixating on preexisting prejudices and biases.

The benefits of such a diverse and inclusive social media sharing are that, first of all, open communication is effective in facilitating learning. Just like Markiel said in the video, “everyone is an expert in their own life experiences” (Miller). Open communication about one’s own experiences serve as valuable source of knowledge, which could in turn be taken in and reflected through other people’s learning.  Second, diverse and inclusive PLN in social media sharing help to expand the scope of the network. For example,  social media accounts and online communities that advocate for diversity and inclusion through both their demographic presentation and their contents are more likely to receive positive recognition, which helps to build its popularity.

•  How does social media engage in advocacy communications?

In my opinion, social media engage in advocacy communications mainly through two ways: education and raising awareness, and forming allies. The first way is self-explanatory: the innate power of social media to reach people and disseminate information makes it a great platform to educate people and raising awareness about certain issues. Also, as Markiel mentioned in this week’s video, he also used social media to build a network of support, which consist of people who have significant influence in certain areas (Miller). These people are crucial in facilitating information to reach more people, and it may not be possible without the help of social media. The second way is inspired by what Markeil said in the video, disadvantaged people could definitely use hashtags on social media to point out that they’ve had enough with the situation, but rather his approach is to reach people from different sides and go from there (Miller). These words have great implications. Sometimes people don’t realize that in order to effectively advocate for something, not only do we need allies from our own community, we also need people from outside of our community who have resources that could facilitate change. The power of social media to reach people definitely facilitates the process of forming allies with people from all kinds of lives.

• How does social media use in public discourse potentially challenge advocacy communications?

The effect that social media use has on advocacy communications is double-sided.  As mentioned in the book, the authors stated that unlike public communications, advocacy communications often come with a clear, concise purpose, and often try to shape things towards a certain direction (Clark and Aufderheide). However, since public communications are made up of people from all kinds of backgrounds who would bring their own opinions to the table, it is almost impossible to seek such an agreement in public communications. Thus, in that sense, social media use in public discourse almost has a “debunking” effect on advocacy communications, which means that certain interests behind advocacy communications may not be recognized in public communications. On the other hand, since public communications allows active participation and discussion of all kinds of critical issues, it definitely helps in advocating for certain issues . However, the probability that these discussions would go in the direction that certain advocacy groups have planned for is very low (Clark and Aufderheide).

References

Simpson, Markiel. “EDCI 338 – 2021 – 02 – 22 MARKIEL SIMPSON.”  21 Feb. 2021. doi: https://youtu.be/yCSpm1Lx8-A

Clark, J., & Aufderheide, P. (2013). A New Vision for Public Media – Open, Dynamic, and Participatory. In J. Pooley, L. Taub-Pervizpour, & S. C. Jansen (Authors), Media and social justice (pp. 55-67). New York: Palgrave.