In this week’s assignment, we were asked to create a visual representation of a ‘network’ that we belong to. I chose to show my working community as a teacher.
I have represented two main areas of contact in my community: Digital (which includes mainly Google classroom and email, but also Zoom) and face-to-face interactions.
The blackboards represent me; all arrows originating from the blackboards are daily interactions I initiate (digital or in person, as noted). The arrows that arrive at these blackboards indicate the groups/people that initiate contact directed towards me. There are also arrows between groups that communicate with each other. The interactions stemming from other groups could represent face-to-face interactions, digital interactions, or both. All communications represent work-related discussions, although it is important to note that many work-centered talks often turn into personal conversations.
At first glance, it’s messy, as it is in actual reality. There are many people I interact with on a daily basis, sometimes digitally and in-person during the same day.
What was telling about this visual was how many people I interact with daily and the potential connections between interactions. For example, a discussion regarding a student with my vice principal (VP) turns into another conversation with the VP and the student’s other teachers. The VP may also contact the parent, and the student may talk with their parent. The other teachers may contact me and potentially the learning assistance team, counsellor, or EA.
Our daily conversations can have an extensive reach, indeed.