Category: edci338

As I have taken this course, I have also begun my first semester in the secondary PDPP teaching program. Most of my classes are discussion-based and they are with the same 30-60 people and it has changed the way I experience university. Being able to have a network of knowledgeable people in my life has made learning more fun to begin, but also so much more rich and engaging. Learning is most likely going to happen when the learners’ emotions are into it, this is why people learn best from people they respect and find easy engagement with. Here are a few reasons why I’ve found my PLN to be successful.  

Multiple Perspectives 

Throughout our elementary and secondary school years, we have been placed in classes with people who are the same age as us and usually, are growing up in the same neighbourhood as us. Students are only exposed to what they know and nothing more. The internet has changed this, kids are able to see what life is like in a different continent if they so wish, however, the difference is multiple perspectives are needed in the learning environment as well as the leisure environment. When we all came to university, it was the first time, for me personally, that I was in a room with hundreds of people with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives. Unfortunately most first and second, sometimes third and fourth depending on the subject area year courses are solely lecture-based. All of these people are learning only one perspective whereas in a discussion-based class, students learn less content, but they understand it from multiple perspectives. To me, in my Arts background, this is more valuable knowledge than the sheer amount of things I can know at a shallow level. Basically, quality of knowledge (quality being depth of processing, various perspectives learned) over quantity of information stored. 

In my program I am constantly learning from people who took different undergrads than me, grew up in a different province or country from me, have diverse abilities, have families, have already had a whole career, and the list could go on, but the point is, since most of my classes are discussion based, I am constantly learning so much from my colleagues as their perspectives are not something I could ever conceive of myself. This is why having a personal learning network is so important if you are someone who is committed to lifelong learning and growth. 

Emotional Connection

Think of all the stories you remember from your childhood or the weird science facts you still remember, maybe it’s the significance behind a famous painting or the unit that you failed in math, you remember these things because there was an emotion attached to it. When you learn something and have an emotion at the same time, the hippocampus (the memory part of the brain) lights up at the same time as the amygdala (the emotional part of the brain) making the memory more effective. This is why we remember things our favourite teacher taught us, or we remember the unit we struggled the most with in science. An emotional connection does not need to be deep, there just needs to be mutual respect and a safe environment. I have been lucky enough to get to know my colleagues outside of the classroom as well which has strengthened the connection. Teachers can also strengthen the connection they have with their students by creating lessons that represent the students’ interests, telling students we care about them and want them to succeed, and being reasonable with classroom rules and consequences. I once had a professor say that the three R’s of teaching are Relationships! Relationships! Relationships! 

In my situation, a large percentage of my PLN was handed to me through my program, however when creating a PLN you are given the agency to choose who you want to learn from. You can seek out people you enjoy socially as well. Just because you are having fun doesn’t mean you’re not learning! If you are seeking out multiple perspectives too you might end up becoming friends with someone you never suspected, an added bonus. 

Accessibility

The final reason I believe my PLN has been successful is because we are all accessible to each other. We have “multimodal and interactive way[s] of communication” (Giudice, Peruta, Carayannis, 2014) for example, we have in-person discussions, and we use online tools like Discord and Instagram to communicate and help each other out. I had never used Discord until this semester and one thing I really like about it is how there can be multiple different conversations going on for different topics. It’s like a streamline to learning. There is a chat for my humanities curriculum class so if I had an interesting thought or question about that specific topic I could throw it in the chat and either have a conversation with them through Discord or also arrange a time to chat about it in person. When building a PLN I learnt that both online and in-person communication are extremely valuable. 

Final Thoughts 

Overall, I found this class to highlight a lot of really important topics that I will hopefully be able to teach my students. I am glad that I understand what a personal learning network is and realize that I am able to learn from all of the people around me! I started off this course with a pessimistic view of how social media can be a useful tool in the classroom but I do feel like I have come around and seen a different perspective on them. I enjoyed having a mini PLN to discuss the week’s topics with and being able to read everyone’s blog posts. All of it contributed to my learning. 

Source: Chapter 5. From Information Society to Network Society: The Challenge

By Alec Couros and Katia Hildebrandt

978-3-319-02490- 5_5.pdf (springer.com)

Media literacy is an extremely important skill to have and as an educator, it is my job to teach students how to develop and strengthen their media literacy. According to Bernie Trilling and Charles Fadel, media literacy allows students 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” (2009). Media literacy is extremely important because, in the “age of knowledge” as Trilling and Fadel refer to it, people are being overexposed to information which can create a cognitive overload resulting in no information being processed, and can also lead to misinformation being consumed. In fact, this is such an important skill to have that it can be implemented into all three core competencies of the B.C. curriculum. 

The first core competency is Communication. Much of our communication in the 21st century involves technology. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in online communication and professionalism becoming a required skill to have a job. Just as we learnt how to behave in the classroom in schools, students are being taught about how to behave in Zoom meetings. In order to fulfill the communication competency students should know how to communicate information effectively online, and how to build and maintain professional online relationships. 

The second core competency is Thinking. It is split into two interrelated sub-competencies, creative thinking and critical and reflective thinking. Media literacy falls under both of these. Technology and media have loads of capacity for creativity, you just need to understand how to use the resources efficiently and effectively. In order to get students to tap into their creative sides, educators should be able to teach students about resources like Twine, Procreate, Coolors, Screencasting, and so many more. Students should both be taught how to work efficiently with these tools, but also be offered the time to explore the tools for themselves and learn how they best work with these tools. Media literacy and critical thinking go hand in hand. Students need to understand that no text is neutral. Everything they see on the internet has an author and it has a purpose. Critical thinking skills will allow students to ask questions like Who is posting this? What is their source? Do they have a bias? What perspective are they coming from? Do more people think this, if so do they have anything in common? These lines of questions are often taught in English classes when analyzing a text, however students need to start incorporating these skills into their daily lives as texts are constantly all around them. 

The third core competency is Personal and Social. It is split into three interrelated sub-competencies, personal awareness and responsibility, positive personal and cultural identity, and social awareness and responsibility. This is where students are learning the more subtle skills they might not necessarily pick up on or categorize as learning. These are things like learning Zoom etiquette through observing others or drafting school / work-appropriate emails and texts. Students should also be taught about how media affects their personal lives in regards to targeted ads, cookies, having an online image, and many other nuances. Students have a responsibility to themselves, and to their community to only share information they believe to be true and to not spread misinformation. Being personally and socially aware also means being able to stand up for yourself and others, so understanding the exchange of information that happens when you sign up for things. Something as benign as Google Classroom can take students to search history once the teacher has accepted the terms and agreements. 

Overall, media literacy is a very important skill for educators to be teaching their students. If we do not, we are not successfully following the core competencies. Students need to be taught the skills they will need in a life that is saturated with information. 

Source:

21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times

Bernie Trilling; Charles Fadel

The idea of using social media as a learning tool is great in theory. Social Learning Theory says that we learn better with and from others. According to Vygotsky, knowledge is socially constructed, therefore, social media should be a gold mine in creating knowledgeable students. Social Media has gotten a bad rep in the education world due to the lack of knowledge surrounding it in early years, as well as the lack of regulations for kids and students. Cyberbullying became a massive issue as students were able to hide behind usernames and screens. There was also no reprieve from the bullying, as social media was a constant between home and school. Because of these consequences,when social media was first introduced, educators and school admin were adamant that it was negatively affecting not only the learners, but the learning environment. In my personal experience, the wifi at my highschool had all social media apps blocked from the server. This was the school’s attempt at stopping students from using social media, but as you could have guessed, it did not work. Students used VPN’s to get around the blocked servers and social media use was still going on outside of school hours. Based on what we know about social learning theory, hopefully there is a way in which educators can use social media to their advantage. 

The BC curriculum has 7 Core Competencies that teachers are required to teach their students. Of the seven, 3 fall under the Personal and Social branch. These include, personal awareness and responsibility, positive personal and cultural identity, and social awareness and responsibility. Before using social media to teach these 3 competencies, we need to dial it back a bit and teach students what it means to have personal and social awareness. We need to teach students how to use social media responsibly in a way that engages their personal and social awareness. One way that I would suggest doing this is having your students create a twitter or instagram account specifically for this class. For the duration of the semester, students are only allowed to have the class follow them, making the accounts a class community. There could be mini-assignments throughout the term like asking students to create a post sharing their opinion on the short story we read in class, or creating an online activist poster for an issue that resonates with them. This way you can teach students the benefits of using social media as a learning platform while also being able to monitor it. By the end of the term students will also have the beginnings of their own personal learning network! I am excited to try this out in my classroom one day! 

Overall, social media definitely has its pros and cons when it comes to using it in schools and for educational contexts’, however, if we are able to teach our students how to engage with social media in a responsible way, the pros can outweigh the cons. Students need to be taught about their personal and social awareness as well as how to engage critically with what they are being shown online. If students can grasp this, then the possibilities are endless for learning through social media! 

Sources: 

Chapter 9 Designing for Open and Social Learning

by Alec Couros and Katia Hildebrandt

https://vut.oer4pacific.org/id/eprint/12/1/Emergence_and_Innovation_in_Digital_Learning.pdf#page=159

https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies

As a future teacher, I have thought a lot about what my social media presence will be. One of the caveats of teaching is that you are no longer a regular member of society with all of the freedoms that come with it, you are a civil servant whose reputation matters. We are held to a professional standard both at work and outside of work. As for many professions, you need to be wary of the reputation you are creating for yourself as this might affect your job. I would like to share an anecdote to further prove my point. This story includes a teacher who we will call John and a student who we will call Jane. 

The year is 2020, John is a teacher at a Catholic High School. He has social media including facebook and Instagram, but they are all private because he was taught during his B.Ed that as teachers, our social media presence needs to be limited and private. Jane, his student, works part-time at a restaurant in town and has become friendly with her co-workers. Jane learns that one of her co-workers knows John personally and Jane asks to see John’s Facebook profile on her co-worker’s phone as John and the co-worker were friends on Facebook. Jane scrolls down the Facebook to many many years back, she specifically lands on a post John had made when HE was in high school, from 2010. The post is making fun of the catholic school system as he was upset he was being forced to go to church in 10th grade. Jane screenshots this post and sends it to her own phone. The next day she goes to John, shows him the screenshot of his own post from 10 years prior, and attempts to blackmail John by threatening to show the principal the post. Luckily, John had some personal relationships within the school board so he was not fired, however, he was told that if it weren’t for those relationships it would have been a fireable offense if it got out because it would reflect poorly on the entire Catholic school district. 

This happened to a teacher friend of mine and this story has certainly stuck with me when I think about my social media presence. There are three big lessons i learnt from this: 

Go through your social media with a fine-toothed comb

As teachers, we need to go through every single social media platform we have created and make sure there is nothing that could be held against our professional standards. This is much more of a task now as many of us have grown up with social media so it’s possible that we have documented the majority of our lives. In John’s situation, something that might have received laughs from his peers in grade 10 is something that could get him fired as a professional. 

Cut down your “friends” or followers to people you really trust

Growing up in the age of social media has resulted in many many “friends” on Facebook and followers on Instagram. Before I went through and “purged” my lists there were people following me whom I met at a tournament in middle school, coworkers from high school, and of course, the random people you meet one time and never again. Although this is fun and creates a large network for yourself, as a teacher this can become a problem. In the past year, I have been very conscious of who I allow to be in my social media world. I like to use social media as authentically as possible which sometimes means not everyone I know can be a part of it. Even posting something like your political views or opinions can get you in hot water as a teacher if it ends up in the wrong hands. 

Remember that your posts and actions don’t only reflect on you, but also on your employers 

As stated before, teachers are civil servants, meaning they are big players in the community and are more so recognized through the profession or union rather than through an individualistic lens. In other professions, your actions might only reflect on you, whereas in teaching your actions represent the school you work for, and the district as a whole. It is a good idea to get to know your school’s and district’s values so that you are aware of the level of professionalism they expect from you on social media as well as in the community outside of working hours.  

Overall, having a Personal Learning Network can be extremely helpful as a teacher since we subscribe to the notion of lifelong learning. If your learning network is online through social media platforms it is very important to keep professionalism in mind. Furthermore, if you plan on having personal social media accounts take extra care of how they could possibly be perceived by students or members of the public. 

For this week’s blog post on community engagement I would like to focus on how PLN’s and social media can contribute to reconciliation in Canada. For years the atrocities that were committed against Indigenous peoples in Canada went unknown by non-Indigenous folks. When considering the question, “how does social media engage communications?” I started to think about how social media gives a voice to those who are otherwise silenced. Since the Truth and Reconciliation Report was published in 2015 there has been more awareness of Indigenous experiences within Canada, however, social media has expanded the audience of folks who are learning more about the real history of their country. 

 A misconception within Canada is that all Indigenous communities and peoples all fall under the same umbrella, which could not be further from the truth. As I discussed in my week 5 blog post, everyone is at a different intersection in life so one Indigenous person’s experience can be completely different from the next, meaning there is so much to learn from every individual. This is why social media can really benefit us as learners because we are not being subjected to a single voice to represent marginalized groups, as we often are within news media or government organizations.

Not only does it allow non-Indigenous folks to learn more about Indigenous experiences within Canada, but it also can create a community for Indigenous peoples who have been displaced due to colonialism. This is exemplified in Jessica Clark and Patricia Aufderheide’s book, A New Vision for Public Media Open, Dynamic, and Participatory when they say “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” (2011). 

Another topic I wanted to discuss was how the burden of teaching non-Indigenous folks about the grim history and continued colonial state of Canada should not fall solely on Indigenous peoples. It is up to non-Indigenous Canadians to learn from other more knowledgeable non-Indigenous peoples as well as some self-directed learning. There are already so many resources out there on social media and on the internet to conduct valuable learning! When it comes to the PLN and being able to offer insight to others, this is where I feel I have been able to teach many of my classmates and peers. During my undergrad I took a minor in Indigenous Studies as I felt it was my duty to learn more about the history and current events of the land I live on and its First Peoples. Being able to teach others and broaden perspectives on Indigenous issues within Canada is very important to me, because as I said before, it should not be the jobs of Indigenous folks to educate us non-indigenous Canadians. More specifically, within the realm of education, decolonizing is a common and daunting word being thrown around. I feel comfortable with this topic as I have a background in this knowledge and so I really enjoy offering decolonized lesson plans or my ideas for creating a decolonized classroom. Overall, social media can be a great tool for Canadians to educate themselves on topics like colonialism and hear perspectives of Indigenous experiences. 

Since taking this class I have started to be more conscientious in making decisions about my Personal Learning Network. Prior to taking this class, I think I was unconsciously seeking out a PLN for myself in many of the conversations I would have. I did my undergrad in English which created personal learning environments for me consistently. I love to read and I love to hear other people’s perspectives on novels and short stories so being in classes that were designed to hear everyone’s opinion was awesome. I would learn from classmates and hopefully my classmates also benefited from my opinions and perspectives. Since graduating I have really missed these discussions with peers. It might be time for me to seek out a book club! 

If I were to look for a book club or create my own, I now know that I would be seeking out dynamic, reliable, and participatory individuals. As I transitioned from my English degree to my PDPP Education program, I am realizing the multitude of  benefits a PLN offers, other than book club type engagements. One of the most important lessons we have learnt thus far in our program is that to be a teacher is to be a lifelong learner. This is an easy task for me as I love learning, so why would I ever want to stop? However I have noticed that there are some individuals who seem resistant to the knowledge our teachers are passing on. The people I tend to discuss and learn with can see the benefits of life-long learning and are also always seeking new ways of thinking or looking at a concept. To me this is what I would call someone who is dynamic. Someone who is not stuck with the idea that they already know everything and are open to hearing various perspectives on a topic. 

When looking for reliable and participatory individuals to include in my PLN I tend to observe while simultaneously trying to be my authentic self to let people know that I am reliable and enjoy participating. I am lucky to be in a class setting with my peers so it is easy to spot folks who are reliable as they would show up to class and group meetings eager to learn. Same with participating, it is easy to observe those who enjoy sharing their perspectives in class and actively listening to others as well. These are the people I am keen on making connections with for my PLN! 

After reading “Building your own PLN: seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network” by Bianca Woods, a few more thoughts came to mind. More specifically, I was intrigued by Woods’ description of how PLN connections are reciprocal. One quote that stood out to me was, “The relationships that form your PLN often aren’t the teacher-student structure you remember from school” (Woods, 2013). In the past, students have been viewed as an empty vessel for teachers to impart their wealth of knowledge, however this way of looking at learning has been changing in recent years. For me, I believe that I am going to learn just as much from my students as they will learn from me. This opens up the question of whether or not my students will be part of my PLN. I wonder if there are any limitations to this because as a teacher we do hold positions of power. Does this affect the ability to create an effective PLN? I am not sure but it is something I will continue to ponder and learn about! 

Bibliography: 

Woods, B. (2013, November). Building your own PLN: seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network. T+D, 67(11), 70+. https://link-gale-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/apps/doc/A348998538/ITBC?u=uvictoria&sid=summon&xid=1010abdf

 I have realized through this course that most of my learning network takes place in person and not online. I have reflected on this and have realized that I tend to retain and understand information better when it is delivered to me in person and when there is a meaningful emotional connection there as well. I am very lucky to be a part of a diverse PLN as I make my way through my Secondary PDPP program at UVic where I have made many meaningful connections that are extremely valuable to my learning journey. When it comes to diversity, I believe my PLN is very diverse as I have sought out various perspectives from people with different experiences from mine. Since I have been young I have always been so intrigued to learn how others experience the world, so building a PLN is something I’ve been subconsciously doing my whole life! My PLN encompasses people of all walks of life! For example, I have been learning a lot from people with diverse abilities, people whose first language is not English, people who grew up outside of Canada, people with spouses and kids, single individuals, people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, and many other people! It is important to acknowledge though, that as we expand our PLN and include diverse voices, that these people are not simply whittled down to what makes them unique to your PLN. Everyone has so much to offer and everyone is coming from a different intersection of life, to quote Kimberlé Crenshaw, but this alone does not create an entire identity. Also, it is important to gain many different perspectives from within a community. For example, I am part of the LGBTQ+ community, however it is still so valuable to hear from other members of the community on their experiences as they will have a unique experience within the community. 

There is no real learning outcome of my PLN. I am striving to be a lifelong learner and so I hope my PLN continues to expand my whole life. There will be steps along the way with specific goals that I would like to gain out of my PLN, for example my focus right now is to create connections with working teachers to learn about their skills in classroom management and creating lesson plans. My exposure to diversity and inclusion is entrenched within our cohort, however after I finish this program I will make sure to stay in touch with all of the wonderful people I have met and learnt from through online platforms like social media. I will also continue to put myself in situations to meet more people like attending conferences. Overall, creating an inclusive and diverse PLN is so important for personal growth and especially to become a lifelong learner!

During my time at post-secondary, I’ve noticed many students using Linked In as well as Instagram for professional purposes. This was not something I had ever considered before however, I have had many friends start online stores through Instagram to sell old clothes or their artistry. I think being able to create an online store for yourself with such ease is a great thing for young people to start getting into the professional world. It opens so many doors by taking away the roadblocks that inhibit people from starting businesses like permits and leases. On a personal matter, students use many other forms of social media as well that as they grow up and move through their degree, can sometimes pivot towards being used for a professional reason. For example, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, Tiktok, or Vsco. On the contrary, other platforms might always serve the purpose of a personal matter. For example, Snapchat, Bereal, Reddit, Tiktok, and others.  Equally important, students must consider who they want to see each of their online presences. For example, my friends who have started online Instagram stores have often advertised for these stores through their personal Instagram accounts. This is a great way to let friends and family know what is going on in your life professionally, but it would become more difficult to distinguish between personal and professional online presences. 

As my Personal Learning Network continues to grow, I’ve begun to think about what it means to have a network of people. Sometimes it seems that in the professional world, it is a competition to have the biggest network, and therefore have the most access to knowledge. To have the largest PLN, you would have to be very visible online which brings in questions of privacy and security. If you are someone who values your privacy more, over the size of your PLN, then you would have better security but fewer outlets for learning. One of the limits of creating a personal network online is the trade-off between growing your network and protecting your privacy. One solution to this is to teach students to create a healthy balance between the two. Being informed on how to stay safe online while networking is very important in this day and age!   Creating a digital identity/ reputation has a lot more nuances to it than creating your reputation in person does. One of the things about networking online is the assumption that everyone has the ability to re-read and think about what they are posting. Because of this, I  think that people take what you post online more seriously than what you might say in person. Everything you post online is permanent, it’s like writing with a sharpie on a dry-erase board. Maintaining and creating a reputation in person allows for more authenticity because we are seeing people as they really are. Whereas when creating an online identity and reputation there is the unspoken rule that everyone is controlling exactly how they want to be perceived. This can be a good thing as it can make you look more appealing to a potential employer. As for creating a good reputation in online spaces, I believe it is important to be authentic and share your values, what you do, and what your mission in creating this digital identity is. When looking back on my own “reputation” online from an employer’s perspective I realized the depth of what a simple search of a name can bring up online. I think that my employer would assess my social media presence as minimal, however, what they would see would show off my personality. This is something that is important to me, I don’t want to come off as disingenuous or like I’m trying to curate myself too much so I try to stay true to my personality on my personal and professional social medias. After looking me up, someone would know my work experience and education, and various hobbies of mine like painting, doing yoga, and dancing.

After doing this week’s readings, watching the videos and reflecting on last week’s readings, a few thoughts kept recurring for me. Firstly, I wonder about personal learning networks and the intersection of critical thinking. Specifically the potential negative side effects of a Personal Learning Network if a person did not possess the critical thinking abilities needed to navigate the internet. Next, I am very curious to learn more about how needing to professionally curate your online presence might affect authentic living and potentially mental health. Finally, I really loved listening to the press conference on “The Value of Digital Identity for the Global Economy and Society” and beginning to consider how a digital ID can actually help people who are living in diverse situations and create more inclusion globally. 

When learning about PLN’s last week the idea of an echo chamber kept surfacing for me. Someone who uses the internet to connect and expand their knowledge in practice sounds really great, however I do see how this could warp a balanced perspective if someone is only seeking out individuals or information that reaffirms their opinions and beliefs. Having your value system be reaffirmed is not a negative thing in itself, it can be very positive and offer a sense of companionship, however, if your beliefs and opinions are never being challenged this removes learning opportunities and a chance at a balanced perspective. I believe the echo chamber can be avoided as long as students are taught from a young age about critical digital literacy and the importance seeking out alternate perspectives has on our growth. 

Our readings have also had a strong emphasis on both a personal digital presence and professional presence, however I am still struggling to understand how we can differentiate between the two. And if we can’t, then I could see how social media may be stripped of its ability to create a meaningful community. From what I understand of my own online presence, my professional digital ID consists of LinkedIn and various websites and portfolios I have had to make for different classes throughout university. I also have Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Vsco, and Reddit. I would consider my presence on these apps to be a personal matter. I am private or anonymous on each platform except for Vsco as it is not an option. What I post on these apps is what creates my online community where I feel comfortable sharing thoughts and photos of my personal life. If there came a time where employers were required to see the entirety of your digital ID, including personal platforms, this would completely remove the sense of community created on these apps. I also wonder how discrimination comes into play when deciding to hire or interview someone based on their digital ID. I fully understand that if you are posting and behaving in a responsible and kind way then there should be no issue with employers seeing your entire digital ID, however, the thought of not being able to put my authentic ID out there still lingers for me. 

After listening to the press conference, I realized how western-centered my thoughts were on Digital ID and PLN’s. I never considered the positive impacts of digital ID for people from different countries and diverse backgrounds. When said aloud it does seem archaic for our only ID to be in the form of paper, especially when living in a world so infused with technology. Having a way for your identity to be reachable at any point would create a world with less metaphorical borders for those who are stuck in situations with no physical copy of their ID. Furthermore, it is awesome how the internet has provided a digital business space so that countries with lower GDP are able to target a global audience. This allows for more financial inclusion which may lead to more wealth distribution around the globe. 

Overall, I have enjoyed learning more about PLN’s and Digital ID’s and will keep my queries in mind for the coming readings. Cheers!

This class is the first time I have heard the term “Personal Learning Network” but when learning about it through this week’s readings I realized that a personal learning network is something I have. I have connections with people from all over, from yoga teachers on Instagram helping me become a better yoga teacher to my cousin who lives in Sault Ste. Marie who sends me cooking videos that will help me learn to become a better cook. In these instances, I am using social media as a way to connect and network with others as a form of learning. 

 In the “What is a Personal Learning Network” article I really enjoyed the example of Covid-19 being a time when everyone had to engage in lifelong learning and come together through online networks. I remember thinking that it would be absolutely insane for business to start getting shut down, and then two weeks later I was already adapted to the new norm. It is truly amazing how adaptable we are as humans. Similarly, the way University students adapted to online learning and workers started to work from home. I think this kick-started the tech revolution for those born before the 2000s, they couldn’t reject technology as an option anymore. I think this has also upped the ante for personal learning networks. 

In my opinion, people are motivated to network by their desire to get ahead in life, either personally or professionally. Prior to Covid-19, an online personal learning network might have been something only a handful of working adults had. In 2023, most people have some form of online presence whether it is linked in, social media, or something else. 

The rewards of public communications are vast, but the main one discussed in our readings and generally, would be ease of access to information. Prior to the internet, there were gatekeepers of information and knowledge. Now, you can search pretty much anything on the internet and find an answer. This brings me to one of the risks of online public communications. Just like we can look anything up, we can also post whatever we want. This requires us to become digitally literate: being able to critically analyze information that is posted on the internet. We need to learn to start asking questions like “Who wrote this? What is their purpose for writing this? Am I being convinced of something? and, Is there another side to this?” Information can be easily skewed and manipulated on the internet so digital literacy is a very important aspect for someone to learn who wants to engage with public communications or a personal learning network.