Click here to view my visual map: Visual Network Map

I was quite surprised at how much more dynamic my network is than I had originally anticipated. I noticed that my main networks act as gateways into further sub communities (informal/formal) that I have decided to be apart of. I have organized my visual representation into 3 distinct clusters:

Orange – represents personal networks
Blue – represents my professional development/school networks
Green – represents my professional networks through work

According to George Veletsianos, “different networks exist for different purpose and their dynamics and qualities vary” (Veletsianos, 2016). That statement holds quite true to how I view and interact within each of the networks. As you can see, the orange clusters include Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. They all act as a platform for me to follow and connect with communities based on my own personal interests. I also recognize that this is an informal, and sometimes passive means of staying connected to people and things that are occurring around me.

The blue clusters represent my participation and involvement with the MALAT Program. It shows how I have been building my digital capacity within a learner profile type of framework. I interact with my peers, instructors, and even the course material in a way that is building upon a network from a creative creation, participation, and collaboration standpoint (Beetham, 2015).

Finally, the green clusters represent my professional networks that I manage at work. This is where I take on a leadership approach to managing my interactions with our municipal members and various stakeholders. I look for ways to interact and engage with new professionals within the sector. I leverage opportunities to use flexible technology like Twitter and LinkedIn to provide alternative solutions for collaborating and knowledge sharing (Veletsianos, 2016). The various clusters on the visual map summarizes the connections that stem from my current responsibilities and interests. It is a snapshot of how these digital platforms play an integral part in fostering the communities that I have chosen to be a part of.

References

Beetham, H. Internal Control Guidance and Thought Papers. (2015). Retrieved May 3, 2019, from https://www.coso.org/Pages/ic.aspx

Veletsianos, G. (2016). Digital Learning Environments. In N. Rushby & D. W. Surry (Eds.), The Wiley Handbook of Learning Technology (pp. 242–260). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118736494.ch14