I found the tension pairs exercise reflected upon in my previous blog incredibly valuable for identifying my starting point and creating this plan. David White explains the exercise in this video.
Goals and Purpose
My overall goal for cultivating my digital presence and identity is to become a positive and impactful member of the virtual spaces I occupy. I look forward to enhancing my digital presence and connecting with individuals and communities that I will learn from and grow with. This will happen if I set up my spaces and activities intentionally to find and follow the topics and people that I am interested in. Making digital engagement an integral part of my daily life will allow me to benefit from new learning opportunities (Hargittai & Walejko, 2008). It is important that I do this in a way that is inclusive and authentically represents my thoughts, research, and personality in alignment with my core values. My expectation is that developing a strong digital presence and identity will foster meaningful connections and learning, leading to professional and personal growth.
Approach
I have chosen a select number of platforms to be a part of and each one serves a specific purpose. I want to keep those instances limited to ensure I have the time to use these spaces to the full potential. My plan details my approach to using each platform.
Skills/Knowledge Gaps
I acknowledge my skills/knowledge gaps including:
- WordPress technical skills
- Twitter social skills
- Expressing myself through academic writing
WordPress I am learning as I go, I have resources available through RRU to fill the gaps. Twitter is a platform I will familiarize myself with and do not anticipate much of a learning curve, however, I will need to find the motivation to contribute as well as consume from this platform. I plan to find inspiration from my research and discussions with my cohort throughout the MALAT program. I will use the resources available through RRU and feedback from instructors to improve my academic writing skills.
Measures of Success
In six months, I will consider my plan a success if; I have increased my number of connections, am actively engaging in conversations, and learning through current online influencers and research in my field of study/work. In two years, I will consider my plan a success if; I am sharing resources, creating impactful content, and posting my work openly.
I have created a plan based on specific platforms I will be using. The platforms I use may change, however, the goals and purpose will stay the same. See my plan here.
References
Hargittai, E., & Walejko, G. (2008). The Participation Divide: Content creation and sharing in the digital age. Information, Community and Society, 11(2), 239-256
White, D. (2013, September 13). Just the Mapping (video).Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSK1Iw1XtwQ
April 29, 2021 at 6:07 pm
Hi Melissa,
I love how you organized your DIDP plan by platform, and articulated your goals, approaches, and measures of success for each. Planning on measuring your success six months, and then two years, down the road is a great way to evaluate your progress. Do you think you will have more ease with platforms that are related to school or work (MALAT blog, LinkedIn), as opposed to a platform that might connect more with the personal side of your life (Twitter)? Looking forward to connecting!
– Amber
April 29, 2021 at 7:44 pm
That is a good question! I will definitely find more ease in the work and school platforms. I am naturally quite conservative on the personal sharing side but I do want to try and infuse some personality into my work and school identity. If there is a such thing as balance that is what I am going for. When it comes to my digital identity I would like to keep my personal side somewhat professional and my professional side somewhat personal. How about you?
Melissa
May 7, 2021 at 11:45 am
Hello Melissa,
I found your perspective to be an honest and open look at yourself and your DIDP. I agree about the divide between choices. How much do we share? As myself? As a student in Learning and Technology? As a Prof? “While some people may only turn to digital media on occasion and for only a few activities, others may make it an integral part of their lives whereby they benefit from various opportunities regularly” (Hargittai, Walejko). You write about making connections and learning, personally and professionally. I too have decided to act intentionally, with purpose toward cultivating an identity that fits with what I do and who I am. I am going to keep the platforms I use personally. I plan to create another username et al as I move forward as a student, graduate and professional. I am excited about the millions of articles out there that I would not have thought of had I not registered for this course.