Tori's 338 Blog

As this course comes to an end, and I think about how I’ve learned from my Personal Learning Network. I learned a lot about how it works and how I can benefit from it. Before this course, I only thought I used my PLN for social media and personal use however, I know how significant my PLN is and how I use it for my profession and the potential for me to use it. This was discovered through the V&R mapping where I realized how I am mostly a visitor, but I use a lot different sources to help me in my job.

As an educator, I can use my PLN to expand and grow my knowledge. I can reach out to other teachers to learn or to share my own knowledge. I can use social media like twitter, Instagram or tik tok to reach out and create those relationships to help expand my learning and create those connections to people in similar fields. One thing I have learned and have experienced through this course, is that I don’t have to use my professional PLN to reach out to educators but also other people in different fields. Being able to take this course and others has provided me the opportunity to reach out and talk to others about their PLN perspectives or just different knowledge in different subjects. This has provided me the opportunity to create greater connections where I can use someone who is not an educator as a resource in my classroom or personally before I teach my students. In addition, it has provided me multiple opportunities to learn and collect more ideas for my future career.

In my groups final project, we discussed our own personal PLNs and how it has changed our perspective and how our knowledge has grown. We chose to do a podcast style because we thought it would get our point across and let us discover through conversation. Going through this podcast style, I looked at it through the eyes of an individual and what Brad baker said about individualizing stories so people can understand and get first-hand knowledge. We all shared our own individual experiences and I believe this was more effective, because the listeners could hear first-hand about our process where they might relate, or it will resonate with them when they continue/ begin to grow their PLNs. This was a great discussion that was natural, but also allowed for us to explore topics that I would not have reach just reflecting by myself. Overall, I have learned a lot throughout this course and my knowledge of all the possibilities of how I can expand and learn and teach through technology and a Personal Learning Network. Before this course, I did not really like blogging and media but seeing how beneficial it can be (with some precautions of course) and starting a path here in this blog, is a great start to continue because like me, it is always growing and developing.

Our Personal Learning Network can create power for individuals and community. Through social media, individuals can share their own story firsthand through video, or podcast, or a tweet. This is more effective because you get the story from the exact source. In his interview, Baker says how when stories are told by a 3^rd or even a second source, it could lose its meaning and power. How technology is now, gives us the power to reach out and tell our own individual stories. Especially right now in the Indigenous community where we can learn about the elders’ stories through media. As an educator learning through a PLN is very important, especially since Covid guests couldn’t come into our school physically, but we were able to integrate lessons where they visited online and through video. Although it is not exactly the same as in person, it led to us having the ability to have people share their stories and knowledge if they were far away. It also created a new outlet for the Indigenous communities to share their story without the pressure of having to be in a school.

I am someone who doesn’t mind using social media, but I prefer talking and collaborating in person. A PLN is a great way to connect with others and learn stories if you don’t have that community connection, PLNs can raise awareness. As an educator there is an abundant amount of resources that contribute to growth in my learning. I believe that creating a PLN through twitter or reading other teacher blogs is a great way to start or even continue a topic of conversation. In his interview, Jesse mentioned how he has learned so much through online sources about the Indigenous community and I agree. My experience in school I did not really learn a lot but through social media, I learned more and was able to hear stories from individuals and their firsthand knowledge. This realization how continuous learning is and how our opportunity for our knowledge to grow more accessible due to technology.

For true change, people have to be willing to be vulnerable.

Brad Baker

Social media is a tool to educate the masses and tell stories. Brad Baker said a phrase that really stood out to me “For true change, people have to be willing to be vulnerable” (Baker, 2021). This is a big take away for me because it shows how out PLN can be big and powerful in sharing stories, but with education, we have to be aware of those who think differently; to educate,  we have to be patient, listen and vulnerable about our own knowledge to have a open and honest discussion. What I have learned from last week is that people don’t want to learn what they already know, and everyone has biases, so it is important to know both sides but also be patient about your own side. When people are sharing their stories and knowledge, they are being vulnerable by sharing their experiences. As an educator this is always something that will be stuck with me because no matter if it is something I agree with or disagree, the person sharing is explaining a part of them with me so I need to be listener and patient through these experiences.

References:

Miller, J. [Miller]. (2021, June 10). Brad Baker EDCI 338. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z8iHxW2n4

Media literacy is great for open dialogue when there is interest in a common topic, it allows for people to connect with others about a similar subject, learn more about it and see build a Personal learning network. However, it can create conflict when it comes to factual information and people’s perspectives. In her interview, Julie Smith says that when we are online “we are more interested in what we believe than what is true” (Smith, 2021). This is true because our PLN it attained to us to what we search and what we interact with online, it can show in ads or from similar people we have connected with. This can create conflict because everyone has a bias and sees things differently. With an open dialogue people can speak freely about their opinion and then back it up with news articles or things they have read online that was attained to their beliefs. Even if it is from a news station, we now know that news is a business and not a public service (Smith, 2021), so even if it is thought to be a news site for a credible source, it generates news that would please their audience. This makes things tricky when learning about media literacy and wanting to be objective as a teacher. However, I believe teaching how to analyze can shows students there are many perspectives and to be critical about what they read online.

As an educator it is important to be aware of media literacy and public discourse. Technology is all around us and difficult to ignore so it is important to teach students how to properly use it when accessing information. With today’s digital tool, students have more opportunity to amplify their ability to learn, communicate, collaborate, and create their skills (Trillings, B & Fadel, C. 2009). technology is wonderful because it can provide more information for students and teachers and make lessons more inquiry based where students have ownership of what they want to learn, and the teacher go use technology to access more information for the students. However, we need to teach students how to analyze media by understanding bias’s, the reason why it is constructed and apply their use of technology effectively. There can be fake and very biased news out there, so it is important that students are reflective and critical about where they get the information.

But does this lead to an even greater question? Where the debate with fake news is who gets to define the truth? (Hirst, 2018). There is information everywhere, so it is important to do your research carefully and understand both sides of whatever you are researching.

References:

Hirst, M. (2018, November 2). Navigating Social journalism: A handbook for Media Literacy and Citizen Journalism. https://doi-org.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/10.4324/9781315401263

Miller, J. [MILLER]. (2021, June 6). EDCI 338 – Medica Literacy with Julie Smith. [Video] Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57r3-aEnci0

Trillings, B. & Fadel, C. (2009) 21^st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our times. Jossey-Bass.

It is important to use internal and external communications tools for inclusion and community engagement in education. Through online communication, it provides a platform for people to meet, learn, exchange information, and discuss solutions (Clark & Aufderheide, 2011). Having a wider range of accessibility to public networks have given people the opportunity to communicate and connect and build relationships. Having this access is very beneficial for educators when wanting to connect to others with a similar experience, sharing their experience or learning new ones. In addition, using publics provide opportunity for inclusion of students where teachers are not familiar with a student if they have a learning disability or need another form of support, educators can use public networks to learn more about how they can help they student learn to their best ability and how to provide meaningful learning opportunities for them.

Even when you think you know everything, there is more to know.

Shelley Moore

In her 20 Moore minute interview with Jesse Miller, Shelley explains how everyone in a community is a teacher (whether online or in person) and learning is reciprocal between both parties where we need to learn from all perspectives (Moore, 2021). This is important to keep in mind when being a teacher when thinking about inclusion in the classroom. Every student is diverse and has strengths and we should be seeing them as wavy dots, but instead their own individual pattern (Moore & Schneller 2017). As teachers, we need to understand not everyone learns the exact same and need to provide multimodalities like video, hands on activities, partner work or individual to provide our students the best opportunity to help them learn. With this in mind, social media is a create way to connect for educators and learn a variety of ways to teach lessons and behavior strategies to use in the classroom.

As a teacher, creating a PLN needs to be diverse and have purpose whether you are advocating or learning. I think my PLN is quite small, I use social media like Tik Tok and Instagram as more of a visitor when looking at teacher related content. I know when I am ready I can expand my PLN and I know it can be very beneficial when wanting to learn or to reach out to other people in the same field as me. My PLN is slowly growing where I am learning through new creators and people who have shared their experience, in a field of teaching, I think it is easier ensure diversity and inclusion in my PLN because there is a lot of content out their for me to look at and interact with, the education system is continuous and there are always opportunities to learn so much more.

References:

Clark, J. & Aufderheide, P. (2011) A New Vision for Public Media Open, Dynamic and Participatory. https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/content/pdf/10.1057%2F9780230119796_5.pdf Media and social justice

Miller, J. [miller]. (2021, May 30) EDCI 338- 20 Moore Minutes [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeSV0rUl1bA

Moore, S. & Schnellert, L. (2017, February 13) One Without the Other Stories of Unity Through Diversity and Inclusion (p 6-12). Portage & Main Press. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uvic.ca/lib/uvic/reader.action?docID=4832579&ppg=6

V&R is digital mapping is a way to provide information about digital platforms and how a person uses these platforms. When creating this map (picture below), I thought I wouldn’t have a lot of platforms to put on this map, but it turned out to be a lot. What I also found surprising is that for some platforms where I thought I only used for personal reasons, I found myself using for institutional purposes as well. As a practicing teacher, I am always looking for new ideas and new strategies to help my students and YouTube, Tiktok and Pinterest are great tools when looking for inspiration for ideas. I did not realize how much I used these platforms to help add to my learning and knowledge.

As a teacher, I have to be careful with what I post and always aware of what it is even if it is on a private and personal account. Even when settings are put to private, they are never really private because there is always a way someone can find information, or a photo can be shared that was only intended for friends and family to see. Employers could search up my name to see if any content shows up that can hinder my opportunity for a job or provide more. When working as a teacher, I am the one that represents the school, and it is important that my employer doesn’t fin content that can negatively impact my potential when being considered for a job. Digital platforms can be a scary thing, but also can be very beneficial when expanding my professional learning network. When doing this, I can share units I did with my students, ideas with other teachers and connect with like minded teachers around the world.

A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is how someone uses online technology to make connections to “support their life-long learning” (Rajagopal et al., 2012). A personal learning network is a tool supports learnings to build and connect with others of similar interests that can help expand their learning. How we perceive ourselves and what we take away is dependent on our Digital identity. Our digital identity is how we present ourselves online. Our digital identity is not just how we use social media but how we use our digital wallets to present ourselves in our economy. We are in the digital age and it is important to be aware of how we perceive ourselves in our professional and personal digital world.

As an educator it is important to understand the difference between professional and personal identity using social media. Using social media in a professional stance is beneficial when looking for inspiration or building new relationships to learn and expand your knowledge. Social media is a great tool when connecting with other educators or looking at learning resources where they can now Zoom call in and teach the class from a greater distance about a topic. Using public communication provides multiple new pathways for educators to gain more resources to learn and contribute to how they can educate their students. However even though social media accounts can be privatized, it is important for educators to still be aware of their personal uses of social media because there are still ways for people to access your account or a privatized account would not be so privatized. There have been instances where social media is very beneficial when wanting to establish yourself to be interviewed for a job but can also be detrimental if the user is not careful.

I believe using technology and social media is a great tool when creating your personal learning network. Knowing that there are many sources of support for our life long learning a motivator to why we want to participate in networking. However, we also need to be aware of how public our network is and how even though it lets you connect and learn, no matter if it is privatized, we have to be aware of what we are sharing in our online networks.

References

“View of Understanding Personal Learning Networks: Their Structure, Content and the Networking Skills Needed to Optimally Use Them: First Monday.” View of Understanding Personal Learning Networks: Their Structure, Content and the Networking Skills Needed to Optimally Use Them | First Monday, firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131.

Hello! My name is Tori and I just recently graduated with my bachelors of elementary education from UVIC. I am currently a Teacher on call for a district in the lower mainland. I took this course because technology is all around us and it is important to know how to utilize it in effective ways. I’m not much of a technology persons so I am excited to learn from this course in how I can use social media and other modes of communication to help my learning and use in my future teaching.