DIDP

I found the idea of creating a digital presence daunting and was apprehensive about sharing myself online due mainly to privacy concerns, the permanency of articles uploaded online, fear of cancel culture, and my lack of knowledge on how to begin to cultivate this ‘online me’. Reading Kelly Schryver’s (2013) blog about who we are online and what questions we should ask ourselves as we intentionally develop an online persona helped me to focus on my goal, and where I can draw boundaries and align with my personal values when it comes to a professional web identity. Starting with the simple question of “are you the real you online? If not, who are you?” (Schryver, 2013) allowed me to reflect on where I wanted to end up.

I started by defining my goal. I wasn’t surprised to find that my intention with building an online presence is to build connections. I don’t believe I’m in a place (yet!) to share my professional knowledge with those around me so I will not be building a platform with which to promote myself, my opinions or thoughts. Instead, my goal is more about building relationships and networks to further my professional reach and increase my knowledge.

With this relationship and network building goal in mind, I plan on actively joining appropriate “networked publics” (Boyd, 2010). The key here is ‘actively’. I have profiles on social network platforms I consider professional tools, such as LinkedIn, but I am not tapping into the possibilities the sites can afford regarding connecting with like-minded professionals. This is due partially to a lack of motivation to put myself out there, a lack of bandwidth to dedicate the time, and a lack of knowledge on what specifically I can harness on these platforms. The DipLAT program has provided the motivation, and since I am prioritizing the program, I have freed up some bandwidth for this activity. Google and YouTube will help close the knowledge gap.

To address the privacy concern, I will need to be cognizant of privacy settings on any platforms I choose to join and any pages where I post online. Limiting those who can view my information may sound contradicting if networking is the objective, but I do want to be selective to start as I can always increase the viewing of information as I become more comfortable with my digital identity while dialing it back later would be challenging. Remaining mindful of who is the intended audience, who can view what I post and what type of information is appropriate since “technologies and techniques have been developed to capture moments and make them persistent” (Boyd, 2010) will also be considered to ensure what I do post aligns with my goals and values.

The most challenging part will be interacting and engaging online, something I have until now reserved for friends and family. I understand engaging online is necessary, and that I will need to share thoughts, opinions, and otherwise be vulnerable (to a certain degree) on occasion to create these connections. Therefore, to measure success and to hold myself accountable I’ve created tangible action items that will meet the goal of cultivating an online presence that broadens my social network within my community and my field of professional interest.  I will find one professional blog that I will read and post a productive and reflective response to weekly. I will develop my LinkedIn profile to a place of residence (White & Cornu, 2011). I will research and if appropriate become a member of the Institute for Performance and Learning.

I understand that by developing my online presence as outlined above I will further myself professionally, and while there remains some apprehension around the privacy and cancel culture nature of digital participation I feel better equipped to meet my goal of creating a broad and rich network that’s benefits far outweigh the possible detriments.