Part of our ongoing foray into the realm of Digital Learning Environments, Networks & Communities is to create a plan to support the cultivation of our digital presence and digital identity.

In conjunction with my earlier post about the Visitor/Resident Digital Map, my plan will focus on enhancing my current online identity to now include an educational/learning technology angle as I am new to this industry and will need to become part of the social fabric in order to gain some traction for future employment.

My approach will be to utilize the following:

  • LinkedIn:
    • Ensure my profile is fully up to date and includes references to the Royal Roads MALAT program.
    • Connect with my cohort and industry colleagues to start building a base of education and learning contacts.
    • LinkedIn is a tool that I have historically used as a resume depository and job search function. I will need to expand my knowledge and usage by sharing industry posts and contribute meaningfully to discussions that revolve around the education and learning technology field.
  • Twitter:
    • To be honest, I have used Twitter sparingly as I feel it’s just a platform for a lot of noise with little benefit. However, Twitter has enabled me to connect directly with industry professionals and quickly dive into the various insights that these professionals offer.
    • Going forward, my goal is to contribute meaningfully in the Twittersphere and I will do that by following my cohort, industry professionals, and organizations plus ensure to engage actively in online conversations by sharing of insights that I learn along the way. It will be about building my presence within the Twitter community but doing so to where the contribution I make is a positive one and not just adding to the clutter.
    • Success can be measured by the increase in the amount of followers I have plus any retweets and conversations that ensue.
  • WordPress:
    • I have utilized WordPress in the past for my seasonal southern barbecue business website so I am familiar with the layout and functionality of this application.
    • My plan is to contribute content to my MALAT blog as required for the program plus start adding my own posts in order to build trust and a knowledge base within the industry.
    • Having access to our MALAT blogs after completing my degree will also be beneficial as I will continue to build upon the information that I place within it. This will also expand my digital footprint within the field of education and technology.
    • Success can be measured by the amount of traffic that flows through my blog and the comments that are left by people outside of the MALAT program.

I have to admit that I’m quite conflicted with the cultivation of an online presence. On one hand I fully understand that having a noticeable presence is the new digital currency yet I’m quite protective of my privacy and do not like to be the centre of attention. So it will be a fine balance moving forward in order to build my network but not lose myself in the process.