Month: April 2022

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Who Am I Online?

Digital Identity and Digital Presence Plan (DIDP)

  • Spider Web Gravity Well by Automania. CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0

Purpose

Digital networks are the language of our times. Each connection provides opportunities for learning (Dron et al., 2014). This blog post proposes a plan to develop my digital identity as an educator, master’s student, and future researcher. As a start, I mapped my use of technology with White & Le Cornu’s (2011) Visitor and Resident framework. I am a frequent internet visitor, a media creator and a collaborator or resident. I function as an invisible facilitator in the learning spaces to curate and broadcast student work. I develop and share open resources and promote my organization, but my identity is hidden. My Master of Arts in Learning and Technology (MALAT) experiences have influenced my thinking. As a result, I have a new understanding of the value of cultivating and exposing my digital identity. Students and faculty co-create online lives. I need to understand how to bring students into digital learning environments. And I must be willing to lead by example (White & Le Cornu, 2011).

Goals

My plan to improve my digital identity and presence aims to:

  • Provide a forum to reflect on my professional practice change journey.
  • Make new social contacts and build new networks.
  • Foster positive relationships.
  • Enhance my professional practice to design learning environments based on current theories and research.
  • Create engaging media contributions to influence learning communities.

Approach

To begin, I will apply an appreciative inquiry planning framework called SOAR. SOAR represents strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results (Gedak & Waddington, 2022, as cited in Sirois, 2022).. This strength-based approach leverages current strengths and social media platforms. Next, I will turn my attention to developing credibility. Boyd (2011) suggested that the architecture of networks matters. Common features help to build credibility. I will create a current profile and list potential connections and affiliations. Meyers (2013) recommended consistency so that ‘you’ are recognisable. Maintain the same picture, headings and profiles on all media sites. Engage, and keep interactions personable yet professional tone. Keep media accounts up to date (Meyers, 2013).

Rheingold (2010) described five media literacies: attention, participation, collaboration, networked awareness, and critical consumption. Rheingold (2010) asserted that attention is fundamental to all literacies. I will assess my lists of affiliates and media sites with attention in mind. The focus is on finding exemplars for networking, sharing, and learning. Focus will be essential to achieving credibility and time management.

Skills and Knowledge Gaps

To develop my digital presence, I bring design thinking and graphic communications. Also, I have teaching experience and completed the Vancouver Community College Provincial Instructor Diploma (PIDP). The diploma provided me with an overview of teaching and learning theory. My writing skills and confidence need improvement. I enrolled in an Academic Writing and Critical Thinking Course to improve my writing (starts May 2022).

Measures of Success

Success means maintaining a routine of regular media contributions and reading. For the next two months I plan to spend fifteen minutes daily creating and reading via Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Then, I will add one new social media platform bi-monthly until the end of the year. In the second year, I plan to contribute journal or blog posts (three or four over the year). In the longer term I would like to develop open resources. In particular citizens science habitat maps and data bases related to climate change and habitat conservation.

One of my goals is to engage students. Seeing students express digital fluency will be another measure of success. I aim to influence my learning community to co-create and be active citizens for social good.

References

Dron, J, & Anderson, T. (2014). Teaching crowds. Athabasca University Press.

Gedak, L., & Waddington, L. (2022, April 14). SOARing into Educational Change with Appreciative Inquiry [Video]. Zoom. https://bit.ly/LWLGMALATVS2022

Meyers, K. (n.d.). Manage your digital identity: inside higher ed. GradHacker. Retrieved April 29, 2022.

Rheingold, H. (2010). Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies. Educause Review, 45(5), 14.

Sirois, J. 2022. A MALAT virtual symposium reflection [Blog].

Watters, A. (2015, July 15). The web we need to give students. Bright.

White, D., & Le Cornu, A. (2011). Visitors and residents: a new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9).

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Technology Use Map

My digital technologies map

Mapping my digital use of technology was a helpful process of reflecting on my digital identity. My map illustrates that I am a frequent internet visitor searching for tools to enrich my personal and professional life. As a professional, I am a media creator and collaborator. I use social media for student projects and team-based learning case studies. As an instructor, I facilitate the construction open digital resources. I take part in building a community of practice by co-creating blogs and podcasts.

The personal resident part of my online life is sparse. This result is not a surprise to me as I perceive myself as a private person. On the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, I am INFJ. INFJ is Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging personality traits. I generally find social media exhausting and hard to keep up with. 

I am thinking about the importance of attention after reading Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies by Rheingold. Rheingold (2010) explained that how we direct our attention leads to how we become active citizens for social good. I am reflecting on how I will focus my attention and nurture meaningful relationships. I appreciate the tone of Dave White’s Just the Mapping video (2013). That is fostering a digital identity takes time and a willingness to be vulnerable.

References

Rheingold, H. (2010). Attention, and other 21st-century social media literacies. Educause Review, 45(5), 14.

White, D. (2013). Just the mapping. [YouTube].

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MALAT 2022 Virtual Symposium Reflection

Networked (Pixabay, n.d.)

                I attended the Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Learning and Technology (MALAT) 2022 Virtual Symposium last week. The Learning Technology in Turbulent Times: Our Students’ Stories presentation offers a perspective relevant to my teaching practice. One presenter, Chad Flinn, is a Trades educator. According to Chad (2021), Trades educators deliver theory as lectures. Chad felt that lectures didn’t connect with trades students because they were familiar learning how to construct, trouble shoot, build and maintain (Flinn et al., 2021). I also teach in Trades, and I have also observed traditional lecture strategies. Dr. Sally Vinden (2020) examined Trades and Vocational Education Training. The author investigated instructors’ perceptions of their role as a teacher. As well as students’ capabilities, and future needs. Vinden found that “old vocational thinking influencing instructional roles” (2020, p. 3). This perception underestimates student capacity and needs for the future.

                Chad Flinn explored open pedagogy to increase learner engagement (Flinn et al., 2021). Dave Cormier’s Virtual Symposium presentation supported Chad’s approach. Cromier (2017) stated that learners need to take responsibility in learning beyond receiving content. “Open for learning has openness as a pedagogical necessity” (Cromier, 2017). “Open pedagogy is gaining popularity as a method for increasing student engagement and motivation” (Werth & Williams, 2021). Catherine Cronin’s symposium presentation emphasised the necessity of open education as motivation. According to Cronin, the current participatory culture is a lived student experience. Cronin’s presentation described how open pedagogy prepares students for life (Cronin, 2017).

          The MALAT Virtual Symposium has influenced my thinking and led me to reflect on my practices as both an instructor and administrator. My learning journey echoes the trends identified in the Top Trends Emerging in Learning and Technology presentation by Boyce, et al., (2021). I build digital literacy, integrate formal and informal education, and support change management. Also, I am exploring new tools and looking for ways to plan with wellness in mind (Boyce et al., 2021). Examples of open approaches in my practice include building shared databases and collaborative assignment artefacts. I mainly use a learning management system (LMS) with discussion forums and email for communications. My use of social media and networked communication is limited. So, I will now apply my new understanding of networked learning to enhance my digital identity. I will develop my cyberinfrastructure as a way of role modelling for learners to invite and guide learners into new digital environments. Open pedagogy is part of digital fluency that is needed to prepare learners for their future (Campbell, 2009).

References

Boyce, C., Carson, B., & Flinn, C. (2021). Learning technology in turbulent times: Our students’ stories. [Recorded conference session]. Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Learning and Technology April 11 – 15, 2022 Virtual Symposium. Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia.

Boyce, C., Jones, C., & Palachicky, S. (2021).Top trends emerging in learning and technology. [Conference session, recorded]. Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Learning and Technology (MALAT) 2022 Virtual Symposium. Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia.

Campbell, G. (2009). A personal cyberinfrastructure. Educause Review, 44(5), pp. 58-59.

Cromier, D. (2017). Intentional messiness of online communities . [Recorded conference session]. Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Learning and Technology April 11 – 15, 2022 Virtual Symposium. Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia.

Cronin, C. (2017). Open culture, open education, open questions . [Recorded conference session]. Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Learning and Technology April 11 – 15, 2022 Virtual Symposium. Royal Roads University, Victoria, British Columbia.

Pixabay. (n.d.). Dandelion. [Photograph]. https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/08/08/20/34/dandelion-2612639__480.jpg

Vinden, S. (2020). An exploration of British Columbia’s TVET instructors’ perceptions that influence their curriculum choices . [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Simon Fraser University. Burnaby, British Columbia.

Werth, E. & Williams, K. (2021). Learning to be open: instructor growth through open pedagogy. Open Learning: The Journal of Open, Distance and e-Learning, DOI:10.1080/02680513.2021.1970520.