Hi Ben, thank you for your detailed post! I liked how you explained the roles that LinkedIn, Reddit, and YouTube have in your PLN. I especially appreciated how you listed the specific subreddits you like to frequent. I’m also in the HINF program and those look like really awesome resources, I’ll definitely it make a point to check them out! Your tips on data privacy and ethics are also very strong as well and I find them practical and easy to follow. Additionally, your point about confirming resources before sharing is so important. In an era of rampant misinformation online, it’s imperative that we make sure we aren’t contributing to the spread of misinformation. I wonder if you could further add on to your post by explaining your approach to building a PLN through social media, specifically what criteria do you have when deciding if an online space is trustworthy/valuable/worthwhile? Overall, you do a great job of touching on all the prompts and blending together your own personal tips, reflections, and real-world applications. Great work!
I personally use a variety of social media platforms to develop my Personal Learning Network (PLN). The ones I use most frequently are Instagram and Reddit, and I sometimes use LinkedIn as well. I’ve found Instagram really helpful in meeting others in the HINF (Health Information) program as a lot of students have their major in their bio and I also follow the HINF course union Instagram which frequently posts about seminars and events they host. On Reddit, I follow the UVic subreddit where students post a variety of questions ranging from course selection and professor recommendations to housing tips and mental health resources. I actively try to participate in this community by posting “AMA” posts about HINF, which are “Ask Me Anything” threads for any prospective students entering the HINF program and are looking for advice! I’ve met a couple friends this way and it’s helped build my PLN by fostering connections with peers who share similar academic interests. These interactions have also allowed me to reflect on my own experiences, offer support to others, and feel more engaged with the UVic student community. LinkedIn makes it really easy to follow and connect with people in the Health Informatics field as I am able to see who is a UVic alumni of the HINF program and what they are currently doing with their degree.
Screenshot of my own Reddit post in the UVic subreddit via Melissa Liao
Privacy, Ethics, and Security in Digital Spaces
I try to be careful with what I post online because I understand the importance of protecting your own personal information and also the importance of having respectful online interactions. For starters, even though my accounts are public I don’t post anything that tags my location and I make an effort to avoid sharing any identifiable details like my workplace or phone number. To secure my accounts, I make sure I have two-factor authentication turned on when given the choice and I try to not reuse passwords. I also try to think critically before engaging in discussions (like making sure I don’t spread misinformation) and I make sure that my comments are respectful and constructive. I believe that creating a safe and trustworthy digital environment starts with being mindful of how we present ourselves and how we treat others online. This is especially important in educational and professional PLN spaces as we should strive to make a space where everyone feels comfortable expressing themselves and learning from others.
I’ve included a short YouTube video below that I found very helpful as it gives a quick overview of what a PLN space is on social media and it offers tips on how to get started!
Inclusivity and UDL in PLNs
Ensuring that my PLN is inclusive is another important goal for me as I want to ensure that I am learning from individuals with different backgrounds and experiences. To build inclusivity, I intentionally follow creators from diverse communities, especially those who offer perspectives that differ from my own. Doing so also encourages me to reflect on and expand my understanding of the world. Because I’ve grown up in a very multicultural country like Canada, I want to showcase that same diversity in my online learning spaces.
When I reflect on the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and how they can support inclusivity in digital learning spaces, I think about how they emphasize flexibility and accessibility for all types of learners. Multiple Means of Engagement focuses on creating different opportunities for students to get involved in their learning. In digital learning, this could look like online quizzes, discussion forums, polls, or interactive activities that encourage participation in various ways. Some students learn best when they can have a discussion with their peers while others may not feel the same way, so it’s important to cater to all learner needs. Multiple Means of Representation focuses on presenting content in a variety of formats to support understanding for all learners. In digital learning, this could look like making sure course materials have accessibility features like alt text and headings, and that videos have transcripts or closed captioning available. Multiple Means of Action and Expression focuses on providing students with different options to demonstrate their learning. In digital learning, this could look like having an online oral presentation rather than a traditional written midterm and final. By applying UDL principles, we can design digital learning spaces that are more welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of all diverse learning needs.
Chapters 1.4-1.6 of the online textbook from the University of Saskatchewan I’ve linked below provide a clear overview of the three UDL principles. I found them extremely helpful in developing my understanding and I encourage you to give them a read!
Diversity in digital learning spaces is important because it ensures that all learners feel seen, heard, and valued regardless of their cultural, socioeconomic, or educational background. When digital learning spaces lack diversity, they risk overlooking learners whose perspectives and experiences also deserve to be included. To promote a more inclusive digital environment where all voices are represented and respected, we can:
Engage respectfully in discussions by listening to others with an open mind
Use inclusive language that avoids stereotypes and is respectful of all groups
Be open to feedback and be willing to learn from others
I also found this post that lists a few other great ways to promote a more inclusive digital environment. Please consider giving it a read!
Hi Bailey, thank you for your thoughtfully written post! I’ve definitely noticed how when I click on one ad I start to see it everywhere. Also, I’ve noticed that when I search one thing up (either on Google or TikTok), I start to get recommendations for it everywhere as well and it feels like I can’t escape it. It’s crazy to think about how much of our data is harvested to tailor our search feeds to exactly what we want to see.
The study you linked by Regan and Jesse also brings up an interesting point as I can see why there’s difficulties in definitively saying who owns the data collected by the EdTech companies. Something as small as how long a student takes to answer a question is something I never considered as data that could be collected to predict student learning patterns. It really does show much data we unknowingly give away and how it can be used to shape our educational experiences. I wonder if you could expand on what role schools and educators should play in making students more aware of these practices?
Your list of recommendations at the end was also super helpful and I will definitely be more mindful of what privacy measures I take to protect my personal information online after reading your post.
Hi Ben! Thank you for your thoughtful reflection on your personal learning experience and how you’ve navigated managing your own digital identity. The tips you shared to protect your personal privacy online are very helpful and are steps that I also try to follow in my own digital privacy routine. If I were to add another step to your routine when using new social media websites, I would suggest managing cookie preferences as well by not accepting optional cookies and only allowing strictly necessary cookies. This can limit the amount of data that platforms collect on you for advertising or other purposes.
I also like the way your website is organized and how you mention the various hobbies you’re interested in on your “About Me” page. Additionally, you make great use of different types of multimedia in your blog posts and I found that the videos you linked greatly contributed to my understanding of what the differences between personal and professional digital identity are.
Hi Bailey, I really enjoyed reading your post! I like your point about the role social media has in an educational space as I’ve also used Instagram to connect with my group members before. I find it much more convenient than waiting for a response back from an email or coordinating with everyone’s schedules to discuss in-person. I also find the point you make about separating your personal and professional identity very smart! Having your personal accounts set to private is a good way of filtering who you want viewing your posts, and having a public professional profile on LinkedIn is a great way to control exactly what you want future employers seeing. Your blog post is already great as is but one thing to possibly consider would be to add different multimedia like photos or videos to further strengthen the points you want to make!
Hi Carson! Thank you for your well-written post on how social media and technology have reshaped our shopping habits and how we consume media online. The point you make about Gen Z is interesting to think about as we’ve grown up not really knowing a world without these technological advancements, compared to the previous generations. I really liked how you mentioned COVID-19 as a key contributing factor that has affected online sales/engagement. Personally, when COVID-19 hit, I remember I was spending an insane amount on food delivery services and online shopping out of pure boredom. I also remember spending an ungodly amount of time on my phone, my screen time had to have been at least 15 hours a day at times. I wonder if you could further build upon the point you make on online sales becoming more popular and normal. One factor I think that greatly contributes to this is the rise of online influencers who are constantly posting “hauls” about items they’ve bought, which encourage consumers to purchase the same items as well.
Hi Ben, thank you for your post on your experience with social media in education! I appreciate how you addressed both the benefits as well as the challenges that come with using social media in education as it can be a tricky area to navigate. While social media definitely can be distracting, I agree that it can be very useful when communicating with peers about course work. I also found your discussion about misinformation online really important as that’s something I touched on in my blog post as well. Misinformation spreads especially fast on social media platforms when people parrot things they’ve seen/heard without verifying it first. Especially with the advancements in AI, it can be really hard to distinguish what’s real and what’s fabricated. I wonder if you could also discuss another strategy that students can use to evaluate the credibility of sources they find online, beyond just looking for sources that utilization citations. Overall, great job! I can tell you have very strong writing skills.
As we continue to learn about digital spaces online, I’ve taken the time to reflect on my own digital identity and how I present myself online. For my personal digital identity, my accounts are public and use my full name but I don’t post anything I wouldn’t want someone linking back to me. I’m very cognizant of the fact that if someone searches up my name they’ll come across things I’ve posted before. I often post the places I’ve been to on vacation, or my friends that I hangout with often. Currently, I don’t have much of a professional digital activity as I haven’t taken the time to develop one yet. I have a LinkedIn account but I only have my school and program of study listed on it. Once I progress more in my professional and academic career I’ll have more to put on there, but right now I have nothing worthwhile to mention on my profile. I believe it’s important to keep these aspects separate because something I might want my friends seeing on my personal profiles could be completely different from what I want a future employer seeing.
Digital Visitor and Resident Map
I consider myself a digital resident of Discord, Instagram, and Reddit in the personal aspect of my life as as I frequently use these platforms to communicate with friends, stay updated on various topics I’m interested in, and engage in online communities that discuss activities I enjoy (like Valorant). I would consider these profiles highly visible as I have my name attached to them and can be found easily. In contrast, I would consider myself a visitor to a site like Google as I don’t engage with it often beyond quickly looking something up, and I don’t leave a lasting presence on others by doing that. I would say I use Google equally as much in my personal life as well as my institutional life. Creating my own digital map helped me more clearly distinguish the role each of these platforms have in different areas of my life. Additionally, I’ve noticed that this map can change over time depending on what I’m doing at school. For example, during exam season I may spend more time on Brightspace and other institutional platforms and less time on personal platforms, causing my presence to diminish.
Theories of Personalized Learning
Rather than focusing on transferring facts to a learner, Constructivist instruction encourages the application of concepts to solve real-world problems. Learning is seen as an active process in which students construct knowledge through inquiry and collaboration with their peers. I really enjoy this theory of personalized learning as it emphasizes the use of project-based learning activities, group work, and encourages students to ask questions, investigate, and draw conclusions from their findings. This makes the learning process more interactive and relevant, and I find myself feeling much more in control of my learning. I’ve found that when this approach is used, I feel much more connected to what I’m learning and more motivated to pursue my academic goals. I also like that the Constructivist approach encourages the development of collaboration and communication skills, as students often need to work in teams and share different perspectives.
I’ve attached a video explaining Constructivism below that goes more in depth with how it works in an educational setting. I found this video very useful when doing my research on what Constructivism is. Enjoy!
Privacy, Surveillance, and Digital Footprint Awareness
Lastly, this module reminded me of the importance of being aware of the digital footprint I leave behind. Every time I post to one of my social media accounts or leave a comment on a video I found funny, I am actively adding to my digital footprint. To protect my own privacy and accounts, I try to make strong passwords and avoid using the same password across platforms. It’s concerning how easily our data can be tracked or misused, so I’ve also started using ad blockers to block malicious pop-ups. While writing this post and thinking about the current steps I take to maintain my online safety, I found this helpful video listing other tips that may benefit others as well.
It is incredibly important to be aware of privacy and surveillance online, and developing good digital habits like the ones listed in the video above can ensure that you protect your personal information and navigate online spaces more safely and responsibly.
Social media has been helpful in keeping connections with others as I have a lot of friends that no longer live in Victoria. If it weren’t for social media, it would be much harder to stay in touch with everyone. It’s also nice that social media allows me to keep tabs on what my friends are getting up to without necessarily needing to text every single day. In education, I believe that social media has its place to make learning more engaging, but it’s important that it is used appropriately. For example, to make learning more engaging, teachers could make TikTok’s about topics they’re teaching or make references to certain niche memes that their students would understand and relate to. This would add a fun element to learning and make students feel more excited about learning. The benefits of using social media for educational purposes is that it allows students to access a broad range of accounts that post educational content. This can enhance their learning and allow them to participate in different online discussions as well. However, there are also challenges that come with using social media for educational purposes. Misinformation is rampant on social media and it’s important to equip students with the digital literacy skills required to discern credible sources from false or misleading content, so they can engage with information critically and make informed decisions. When these digital literacy skills are paired with critical thinking, social media can become a powerful tool in education.
Personalized Learning and Digital Literacies
Personalized learning keeps me motivated because it allows me to use the resources that best suit my learning style. I often use YouTube for visual explanations of concepts and sometimes I need to replay certain parts of the video repeatedly before it finally clicks in my mind. Digital literacy is important in today’s world because as I mentioned earlier, misinformation is very prevalent online. As I’ve progress through my studies at UVic, I’ve become more confident in my ability to evaluate information online. Learning how to spot credible sources, understand bias, and research different sources has been a key part in my education thus far.
For my digital identity and online presence, I try to be mindful of my digital footprint and how I present myself across different platforms. I separate my personal and professional/academic profiles accordingly and I am very intentional in how I maintain my online image. This is especially important as I prepare for potential job opportunities where employers may be running background checks on me.
Navigating and Using Online Platforms Ethically
In terms of navigating and using online platforms ethically, I believe it’s important to be thoughtful with the posts you make and the comments you leave on people’s content. I’ve noticed that people tend to be bolder with what they have to say when they interact with content online because they feel more anonymous behind their screens. We need to remember that the people we see online are real people with real feelings and that our words have an impact on these people. By practicing the ethnical consumption of media online, we can help make these platforms more inclusive and safer for everyone.
