The emergence of digital technology has brought about a noteworthy transformation in learning and knowledge-sharing methods on social media platforms. These platforms possess distinctive characteristics that make them highly advantageous for personalized learning. This discussion’s primary goals are to make clear the fundamental characteristics of social media, establish the connection between PLNs and social media, and stress the importance of social media in fostering the success of PLNs.
Critical Characteristics of Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms have revolutionized how individuals access and interact with information in the digital era. These platforms have crucial qualities that are advantageous for individualized learning. To begin with, accessibility and multimedia features enable students to access online materials whenever they want and from any place, liberating them from the constraints of traditional face-to-face training. Second, these technologies offer varied learning experiences that meet individual needs thanks to incorporating different media types, including images, videos, and audio. Thirdly, social media platforms must-have elements like real-time updates and social engagement. Using multiple communication channels, users can connect and enable collaborative learning.
Last but not least, social media information is continuously and instantly updated to reflect the most recent trends and changes. This makes it possible for students to stay updated and learn about developing issues and global advancements without ever leaving their homes. In conclusion, social media platforms provide social interaction, accessibility, multimedia capabilities, and real-time updates that enhance their effectiveness in promoting personal learning by giving users access to a wealth of resources and a variety of learning opportunities while enabling social interaction.
Features & Characteristics of Existing Media Technologies Affected PLN
Media technologies have many benefits that increase the effectiveness of individualized learning. First of all, accessibility and multimedia capabilities give students the freedom and convenience to access online materials whenever they choose, which is especially useful in a post-pandemic period. According to Moore’s interview, finding a virtual reading group during the Covid period gave her a sense of community once more. Additionally, learners can revisit previous materials at their convenience, thanks to the ease of access. Integrating multimedia components such as visual aids, audio recordings, and interactive features improves student engagement, motivation, and overall satisfaction with the educational process. As a result, it enhances the quality of their learning experience. Second, social connection and ongoing information are essential components of personal development.
Students can cooperate with others, trade ideas, and share learning experiences through social interaction. Real-time updates ensure students know the latest news and developments, encouraging lifelong learning and adaptation. In his 2017 book, Dreher explores how the media influences and promotes social justice topics. The author emphasizes the need for appropriate media coverage of such issues and the significance of public participation and critical thinking. The author also emphasizes how social media may extend one’s perspective and make it easier for different ideas to come together. With its accessibility, multimedia capabilities, potential for social interaction, and real-time updates, media technologies substantially contribute to individual learning experiences. Utilizing these tools provides students with diverse resources, facilitates their engagement with peers and experts, and ensures their awareness of current research developments. These factors collectively contribute to a dynamic and enriching learning atmosphere.
How does technology allow you to enhance/develop your digital identity/reputation?
Social media technologies are critical in forming and growing one’s online reputation and identity. By offering a platform for showcasing skills, exchanging views, and participating in pertinent debates, these technologies give people robust tools to enhance their online profile and build a solid reputation. Learners can position themselves as credible experts in their fields of interest by showcasing their knowledge. Social media platforms also provide opportunities to connect with thought leaders, professionals, and experts. Establishing a network of contacts improves one’s exposure, encourages teamwork, and creates prospects for new educational and professional opportunities. Social media interaction allows students to learn more, obtain insightful information, and develop connections that foster their personal and professional development. Active engagement in social media groups also enables people to participate in ongoing discussions, exercise thought leadership, and position themselves as industry experts. Learners can develop a robust digital identity and establish a reputation based on competence, credibility, and positive interaction by constantly sharing helpful content, offering perceptive viewpoints, and actively connecting with others. Social media technologies offer individuals a robust platform to enhance their online persona and reputation. This is achieved through the ability to share their expertise, engage with like-minded individuals, and actively participate in discussions that culminate in a formidable online presence.
Social Considerations to be Aware of When Participating in PLN
When participating in a Personal Learning Network (PLN), there are several social considerations to be aware of. Firstly, disinformation and unreliable sources. There is an abundance of disinformation and misleading content on social media platforms. For example, a professional account may offer false knowledge or false opinions. Therefore, when building a PLN, we need to cultivate critical thinking and be able to judge the obtained information. We may consult credible news outlets, academic sources, or content certified by authoritative organizations to ensure we get knowledge and resources from trusted sources.
Furthermore, active social interaction is the core of PLN. We can participate in discussions on social media, comment on other people’s posts, and post our opinions. However, be careful to follow good social etiquette. Avoid malicious speech, offensive language or racial discrimination, etc. Instead, we can ask constructive questions, share our perspectives, and engage in meaningful discussions. This promotes deep thinking and shared learning experiences.
In addition, self-control is also an important social factor. Social media platforms like TikTok have powerful pulls that can easily lull us into endless browsings. We can set time limits and create study plans and priorities to use our time effectively. For example, we can set time slots each day dedicated to PLN and avoid over-reliance on social media, among other essential learning activities.
Benefits of Technology Tracks and Uses Your Data
There are specific examples to consider when evaluating how technology can track and use our data and make it beneficial to PLN. First, social media platforms can provide personalized learning recommendations by analyzing our interests, browsing history, and interaction behavior. For example, YouTube recommends relevant learning videos based on our viewing history and preferences. This helps us discover valuable content related to learning objectives and improve learning effectiveness.
Social media platforms can also provide personalized feedback and advice by tracking and analyzing our learning data. For example, online learning platforms such as Coursera can provide personalized learning suggestions based on data such as our learning progress and answer accuracy, helping us understand our learning situation and improving learning effects.
In addition, social media platforms can also help us establish connections with like-minded people by analyzing our social relationships and interests, providing us with opportunities for collaborative learning and resource sharing. For example, LinkedIn can recommend relevant contacts and groups based on our professional background and interests to promote professional exchanges and cooperative learning.
Assessment of Privacy and Security of Social Media Platforms
Take Zhihu as an example to evaluate the privacy, security and acceptable use policies of social media platforms. Zhihu is a knowledge-sharing community with some strengths and weaknesses. Regarding privacy protection, Zhihu provides detailed privacy settings, allowing users to choose the visibility of shared questions and answers. At the same time, Zhihu has also taken security measures to protect the security of user information. However, Zhihu also needs some help with data collection and use. It collects users’ browsing history and interests to provide personalized recommendations but raises some concerns about data sharing and privacy. In addition, Zhihu also has some shortcomings in terms of anti-abuse measures, such as the lack of effective mechanisms to deal with malicious behavior and abuse. (2022)
Examples of Individuals Who Have Used a PLN to Become Leaders in a Field of Interest and Their Presence in the Platform/ How do they use social media platforms to build their reputation/presence?
From Youtube to Tiktok, many users have become internet celebrities by sharing what they have seen and heard or their knowledge; also, their activities contribute to the personal learning networks of others. High-quality, engaging, and novel information is always the fastest way to attract viewers, thus making disseminating knowledge more efficient.
Uncle Roger (aka. Nigel Ng) is one of my favorite YouTubers, a talk show host from Malaysia who is also an accomplished comedian. He engages his audience by playing this slightly stereotypical Asian character called Uncle Roger on the internet to tell jokes. But at the same time, he is earnest about pointing out the misconceptions or misappropriations of Asian culture by many non-Asians. (Yap, 2020) His most famous example is a reaction video about making Asian egg fried rice in a completely wrong way on a BBC food show. This video has made him an influential figure on the internet in the Asian food conversation. Hell’s Kitchen producer Gordon Ramsey even invited him to appear on the show.
There is another Youtuber I follow regularly named Wang Gang. Wang Gang is a video creator who teaches people how to cook Chinese food. Compared to other creators who like using complicated words or filming techniques to make food videos. Wang Gang uses the backroom of a restaurant as the most simple place to shoot and uses the most concise phrases and instructions to explain how to make Chinese home cooking clearly. His videos are some of the most effective I’ve seen, often showing the steps and essentials of a complex Chinese dish and how to do it in just four to five minutes. The efficiency and clarity of his tutorials have made many young Chinese people less resistant to cooking and more willing to try it and has turned him from a chef in a small town into a nationally known celebrity in China. (Li, 2018).
How will you know that your PLN is a success?
The success of a personal learning network is not fully quantifiable but depends more on how the PLN utilizes one’s learning network. A sizeable personal learning network may provide more resources and ideas. Still, filtering out the needed information may be challenging or cause information overload in a large PLN. So, achieving a relatively balanced size is crucial for personal learning networks. Diversity is also an important reference point, as an extensive and homogeneous personal learning network is likely to be just a repetition of ideas repeated in different ways, which is a complete waste of time for the learner. Ensuring the diversity of a personal learning network allows learners to understand perspectives from different backgrounds, ages, classes, and cultures. Often the critical determinant of the success of a personal learning network is the quality of interaction and learning outcomes. Frequent participation in discussions and research, exchange of ideas, or network group activities can significantly enhance the effectiveness of interactive learning. While learning outcomes are fundamental to building a personal learning network, an effective PLN will allow you to gain new knowledge, perspectives, and skills. Whether you learn through a PLN and gain a more comprehensive view of things, solve problems more effectively, or gain new understanding and insight into areas discussed in the PLN is an essential indicator of the success of your personal learning network.
Footnotes:
Yuchao Fang(V00043048): A great team member, responsible for the following three parts.
- Critical Characteristics of Social Media Platforms
- Features & Characteristics of Existing Media Technologies Affected PLN
- How does technology allow you to enhance/develop your digital identity/reputation?
Linke Chen(V00954307): Team Leader, responsible for the following three parts and the format of the whole project.
- Social Considerations to be Aware of When Participating in PLN
- Benefits of Technology Tracks and Uses Your Data
- Assessment of Privacy and Security of Social Media Platforms
Xinyi Liu (V00850820): A great team member, responsible for the following two parts.
- Examples of Individuals Who Have Used a PLN to Become Leaders in a Field of Interest and Their Presence in the Platform/ How do they use social media platforms to build their reputation/presence?
- How will you know that your PLN is a success?
Reference:
- Dreher, T. (2017). Media and Social Justice. Polity Press. Retrieved from https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/book/10.1057/9780230119796
- Miller, J. (2021, May 30). EDCI 338 – 20 Minutes Moore. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeSV0rUl1bA
- programer. “Privacy Policy and Support.” 知乎专栏, 09 Mar. 2022, zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/478592362.
- Yap, A. C. (2020, August 19). How comedian Nigel Ng became the internet’s favorite Asian uncle. Variety. https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/nigel-ng-uncle-roger-fried-rice-viral-video-1234740100/
- Li, Y. (2018, July 6). Cooking up a storm. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201807/06/WS5b3eaca8a3103349141e1080_1.html
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