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I mapped my online and offline networks as a visual network exercise. The visual network shows the social media platforms I use to manage friends, family and colleagues. The direct connections between me and my friends, family and colleagues are the offline connections. Those connections that go from myself to a social media platform, then to friends, family and colleagues are how I connect with them online.

Veletsianos (2016) states that “Different networks exist for different purposes and their dynamics and qualities vary” (p. 244); for my network this holds true. In reviewing my network, it is fairly small. The majority of my network interactions are in person. Whether they are with colleagues at work or in professional settings, such as conferences, workshops and events, or with friends and family in social settings. The two rarely mix.

Online my connections are separated as well, where Facebook represents the only online connection with family and Instagram and Facebook for friends. Twitter and Linkedin holds connections for colleagues and professional connections. There are very few exceptions of crossover. Veletsianos (2016) states that “individuals within networks have both strong and weak ties to each other” (p. 244). Interestingly the online ties that are considered weak are my most robust interactions online, while those that I see mainly in person fall almost into a category of obligatory online interaction. The weak connections fall into a category that consists of acquaintances; some I have only met once in person, but they have active social media presences which allows me to interact with them. This category of connections fall mainly in professional realms but some in the social as well. I believe this is what (Dron & Andreson, 2014) meant when they said “every connection, direct and indirect, comes the opportunity to learn, and learning happens in many of these interactions” (p. 4).

 

Reference

Dron, J, & Andreson, T. (2014). Teaching Crowds. Athabasca University Press. doi:10.15215/aupress/9781927356807.01

Veletsianos, G. (2016). Digital learning environments. In N. Rushby & D. Surry (Eds), Handbook of Learning Technologies (pp. 242-260). UK: John Wiley & Sons. Retrieved from http://www.veletsianos.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/digital_learninig_environments.pdf