I have a high personal and social footprint using social media apps such as Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.
I am still using Reddit and Netflix for my personal use however, I am not creating interactive networks.
Since my gmail is used professionally for school and work, it belongs in the institutional and non-social side.
I use my personal hotmail account to socially connect with others but not as much as the social media apps so it belongs in the middle of personal and institutional.
I use Facebook socially to expand my professional network.
What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
Personally, I think that Facebook is a great source for expanding professional networks. For Uvic, there are tons of networks already established, easily searchable, and open for anyone to join. You have the ability to join groups with other students in the same program and others with similar professional interests. There is also a group for Uvic textbook exchange and for students only in 1st year, 2nd year, etc.
With these networks, you have the opportunity to reach out to other students at uvic in similar positions and can get some professional inspiration at the same time.
Facebook has really helped me connect with other sociology students who are also trying to figure out what to do with their degree. This particular group also shares open job positions in Victoria which is extremely helpful.
What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?
Students could consider filling out their Facebook profiles accordingly so future employers can easily see who you are, what you like, how you present yourself and how you could be an asset to them.
Students could also consider making a “finsta” account on social media which creates a balance for users to decide what information they want public and kept at limited access. A finsta account is all about privacy and is mainly used to communicate and interact with a selective group of people. This could limit a PLN because what you are sharing is not public and can’t be assessed by most users; however, it can also promote a PLN because when focusing on a specific group of people, you can build strong and personal relationships which is extremely valuable to have! Read this interesting article about finsta accounts being misunderstood.
Additionally, while Facebook is an excellent tool to use to expand your professional network, it is important to realize that everything you post, share and comment on can never be deleted. It will always be circulating somewhere and one should post with the realization that employers, family members and friends may see what you are sharing.
First off, digital identity is how you choose to present yourself as on the internet.
This includes everything you post, share, engage with, and comment on (Es, Vanhaecht & Wyatt, 2021). With that being said, this footprint can’t be erased and will always be somewhat searchable and traced.
Therefore, looking at personal and professional approaches to digital identity, it is important to be aware that family, friends, and current and/or future employers will be able to see everything you post, share and comment on.
So whether what you are posting is inspiring, professional or controversial, it is essential to be aware that your social media use is not just seen by you.
Your digital identity doesn’t have to seem scary though, it can bring you major opportunities and online connections with people and different accounts that have the same goals, passions and interests as you (Es et al., 2021). You can also show employers you are someone they want to hire based on your identity you choose to portray online.
Having an online presence is getting more common and an advantage since most consumers and the average person is active online.
So what does my digital identity look like?
At the moment, I have made several different accounts on Instagram, each focusing on a different topic such as music, sports, and tv shows.
My intention is to generate feed and ad revenue specific to the topic of each account.
Therefore, each account will assemble networks and personalized information for me and I will be able to easily learn more about my specific interests and interact with other users who have similar hobbies.
Not only do these online spaces provide entertainment, digital leisure is key to constructing a sense of belonging and identity (Spracklen, 2015).
Advantages to digital identity:
You can build a sense of self
It is a place to be creative, be your full self and spread endless imagination and passion
You can easily connect with others who have similar interests and posts
Disadvantages to digital identity:
The digital world can be addicting and I sometimes get sucked into an artificial reality
Spending long periods of time on social media makes me unproductive and tired
You can never fully delete anything that you post on the internet as it will always be circulating somewhere, exchanged, surveilled, taken out of context, and taken advantage of.
To learn more about how to keep your digital identity safe, check out these websites!
Spracklen K. (2015) Identity-Making and Social Media. In: Digital Leisure, the Internet and Popular Culture. Leisure Studies in a Global Era. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137405876_6.
Social media has revolutionized networking. We no longer have to rely on encyclopedias, our parents, and what we learn in school for up-to-date knowledge and skills. Instead, we have the ability to form networks using social media on our devices to share a wealth of information from everywhere around the world in ways we choose to control and learn from (Richardson & Mancabelli, 2011).
Networks are often formed by individuals who share common goals and interests which establishes mutually benefitting relationships (Gutierrez, 2016). An advantage to these networks is that you are able to see information from a new perspective and can share different points of views. We can have as many different networks as we want both online and offline. For example, we can form work, school and home networks and use them where, when, and how we choose. Ultimately, we learn what we want to learn using these resources and the people in our networks that can help us learn it.
How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?
Personally, I am motivated to make use of my networks because it is so fast and easy. Additionally, there are so many different kinds of portals other than mainstream social media to gather information from like blogs. If I ever have a question I can easily ask through my PLNs and get the most relevant and insightful answers.
These networks not only grow my knowledge base but help me not be afraid to ask questions. I am a very introverted person so having people in my network who continue to motivate and assist me in reaching my goals with one simple click is a nice feeling to have.
The rewards of public communications
Networking is a key skill to have not only in your personal life but in your professional career. Our data grows with every keyboard click and everything that we post and share on social media tells a lot about who we are as individuals. It also has the opportunity to be portrayed by other people in a positive light.
For example, I work at a restaurant and we recently started using social media to advertise our food. I was able to showcase my ability to create, share, and make use of specific networks to help the restaurant grow in business and reach other restaurants to form connections. We now have the ability to communicate with anyone who interacts with our social media pages and talk to other businesses for advice. Forming these public networks was the best decision the restaurant made and they are continuing to flourish and grow their online fan base.
The risks of public communications
Though there are many positives to public communications, we are living and learning in a growing networked society so risks including privacy and security measures have to be considered (Gutierrez, 2016). Firstly, every social media user should be aware that you can never fully delete anything that you post on the internet. It will always be circulating somewhere and personal data is being exchanged, surveilled, taken out of context, and taken advantage of all the time on social media. To prevent this from happening, we need to be careful what we post and post with the realization that employers, family members, friends, and future employers may see what you are sharing.
The digital world can be addicting and sometimes users can get sucked into an artificial reality.
Spending long periods of time on social media can make people unproductive and prone to distractions.
What is a digital identity?
Digital identity is how you choose to present yourself as on the internet. This includes everything you post, share, engage with, and comment on (Es, Vanhaecht & Wyatt, 2021). With that being said, this footprint can’t be erased and will always be somewhat searchable and traced. Therefore, looking at personal and professional approaches to digital identity, it is important to be aware that family, friends, and current and/or future employers will be able to see everything you post, share and comment on. So whether what you are posting is inspiring, professional or controversial, it is essential to be aware that your social media use is not just seen by you.
Your digital identity doesn’t have to seem scary though, it can bring you major opportunities and online connections with people and different accounts that have the same goals, passions and interests as you (Es et al., 2021). You can also show employers you are someone they want to hire based on your identity you choose to portray online.
““Digital Identity is important because over 60% of the global GDP is expected to be digitized by 2022.”
mANJU george
What are the benefits of digital identities in networked publics?
Social media shows who is learning, growing, and who is able to adapt. With the presence of “fake news,” those who showcase digital critical thinking can differentiate what is real and what news is not. This is an advantage because if someone in your network believes fake news, you would be able to correct this misunderstanding and help your network stay 100% accurate.
You can build a sense of self and spread endless imagination and passion.
You can easily connect with others who have similar interests and posts.
Additionally, businesses and companies are starting to become more present online since you can easily interact with and reach consumers more efficiently online.
For example, I have been seeing a tremendous amount of political campaigning for the Canadian Federal Election on social media. I believe this is because these politicians benefit from going online because they are able to get the attention from a specific niche i.e., young voters. This is a very smart tactic and by spreading their presence off-line and on-line to their different networks, they are reaching more and more people and potentially more and more votes! If you have Tik Tok, have you perhaps seen any politicians?
Richardson, W., & Mancabelli, R. (2011). Personal learning networks: Using the power of connections to transform education. Solution Tree Press.
World Economic Forum. (2019, February 5). Davos 2019- Press Conference The Value of Digital Identity for the Global Economy and Society [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/1-V7lyxrOmw.
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