“Our challenge as educators is to use this opportunity in ways that make significant differences in the lives of our students, our communities, and our globe”
Dron & Anderson, Teaching Crowds
After completing the Visitor/Resident Map project for my Master of Arts in Learning and Technology (MALAT) program last week and reflecting on its alignment with my current and future goals, I realize there’s substantial groundwork ahead of me in these digital places and spaces. This realization leaves me grappling with the daunting task of navigating the next steps with precision and purpose. In our contemporary and future digital landscape, establishing a crafted online presence is important for both personal expression and professional advancement. However, within an educational context, I believe there is a unique, invaluable and sacred middle ground that heavily relies on vulnerability and establishing authentic personal connections with my students. While it initially seems to be safer and easier to keep the instructor-to-student relationship within strict professional boundaries, I have yet to find anything as powerful as fostering a bond that promotes belonging and trust, enhancing not only my students’ learning but my own as well. As I move forward to refining and designing my digital personas, this was the primary area on my map that seemed to require the most delicate and increasingly important attention. I am fueled by the aspiration to learn to craft a balanced blend of social and professional engagement, while I advance through my MALAT journey.
I was very fortunate this week to attend the inaugural Building Futures 2024 conference held at SAIT in Calgary; a truly remarkable experience. This conference was to bring together instructors and educators of Skilled Trades and Occupations from near and far to share thoughts, tools, and common messages about the massive shortage and importance of vocational education across this country and even the world. As the baby boomer generation, which dominates this market sector, continues to retire, we’re facing an unprecedented and accelerating shortage of skilled trades workers, compounded by the urgent need to transfer these crucial skills to the younger generation before these gatekeepers are gone. This challenge has become even more complex for both teachers and learners due to the conflicting dynamics present within these groups, lurking at the hidden intersections of EdTech Way and Digital Literacy Drive . With much of the last three weeks overload of information in mind along with an amazing conference inspiring boldness and innovation as a kicker, here is my Digital Identity Digital Presence (DIDP) plan.
Setting Goals and The Path to Achievement
My overarching goal is to establish a more distinct presence in new or new-to-me social software that will have a more dedicated and intentional purpose to reflect a clearer and more defined persona of both my personal experiences and professional pursuits. Instagram, a platform I have yet to utilize, will become a canvas for me to narrate and share my journey through MALAT as will this WordPress blog, offering insights and reflections that resonate or provoke curiosity within me. In this endeavour, I’ll strive to strike a balance between sharing stories that fit the audience and selecting and providing content that is more professionally aligned, whether it’s something I’ve read by others or something I’ve created myself.
From the resident-institution perspective, I plan to rejuvenate my somewhat neglected LinkedIn profile and to transform it into a professional hub. My goal here is to share my thoughts, ideas, and career aspirations while also seeking new incites from fellow professionals in the education and technology sectors. Furthermore, I aim to use LinkedIn as my primary professional networking tool within these communities. Regarding the sacred middle ground I mentioned above, as a vocational instructor, I have to work mostly within my institute’s chosen LMS, one that isn’t natively efficient or effective in this area of student connection. Here I chose to support students by offering my trust first and being more of a resident than visitor in their online spaces using new innovative ways to connect. I hope, not only to continue, but to elevate my ability to provide a balanced space for learners by leveraging new digital tools for creating image and video resources such as Midjourney and Heygen, which I have heard many compelling things about.
Where I’m Good, Where I’m Not, and The Gap
While I’ve honed my skills in creating basic images, explainer videos, and interactive slideshows using Windows Paint, PowerPoint, and iSpring, I’ve realized I’ve become too reliant on these familiar tools. It’s time for a significant shake-up in my toolbox to avoid stagnation in resource development, especially with the plethora of newer, faster, and more powerful options now available. However, I believe my greatest hurdle lies not in mastering new tools, but rather in improving my writing skills. Despite my natural inclination to read at a snail’s pace or to drift off into a hyperactive daydream mid-paragraph, I struggle to express my thoughts clearly and cohesively. As I venture into blogging and social media, I recognize the critical need to enhance my skills in this area to effectively convey my thoughts and experiences. While I’m confident over time I’ll improve this by doing the work and flexing the muscle, I must admit, it’s what causes my knees to quake the most at this moment. Additionally, if I’m to reach my goal effectively, I understand the necessity of staying informed about current educational technology trends and implementing new tools rather than relying solely on familiar ones and practices of the past.
How I will judge my Success
If you were to look up “imposter syndrome” in the dictionary, you might just find me peeking out from behind the page because I often struggle to believe I’m even qualified for that accolade! However, success, for me, varies depending on which aspect of my spectrum and which metrics are considered. In the resident-institution space as a student-centered educator, success might present itself to me as improved retention of class materials, higher grades, and more accurate assessment outcomes. On the other hand, within my resident-institution professional realm, success could be a digital Swap-Shop measured by the extent of exchange and adoption of pedagogical practices, passions, and thought-provoking ideas on my LinkedIn or other platforms, likely paralleled by an increase in my network connections.
When’s the best time to plant a tree?
The answer is 20 years ago! However, the next best time is now. So since there’s no time like the present to put into effect some of these thoughts; all the images in this post came from me playing a little with Midjourney. My prompts all contained different usages the words Bold, Deconstruct, Evolve, Vulnerable and Innovate.
References
Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2014). Teaching Crowds: Learning and Social Media. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781927356807.01
Great Post Darren! Imposter syndrome is a real thing ,I venture many people suffer from it, even in our cohort. However, from our interactions thus far., you’re not an imposter and have tons to give to this program!
When consider success using LinkedIn or Instagram, perhaps look at the metrics you get for your posts , comments, reach, likes etc. this would be a great way to quantify the growth of your presence e in the digital space.
Agree 100% with Allie. I too suffer from impostor syndrome and it can feel like the learning curve is impossible. However, remember the challenges you’ve overcome and the successes you’ve achieved to get where you are now. You’re not an impostor, you’re just adapting to a different challenge.
And if it’s any consolation, I too am a slow reader with a mind that likes to wander, so you’re definitely not alone.
I will join my own voice to this chorus. Despite much hard work and even a few accomplishments, I too share that sense of not being quite “there” yet. That said, I belive that is fairly common amongst those involved in education – it would make for an interesting study. Hopefully we can all gain some confidence together duign this course!
On the topic of being a slow reader, I’m also in that camp. However. I have found that the recent growth of quality text-to-speech tools have made a huge difference for me in being able to stay focused on long texts and move through them far more quickly than ever before. Right now I am using the Readwise Reader for both web and iOS (https://readwise.io/) and it has made a huge diferrence for me (though the monthly subscription fee is a bit high). I also use the new “read aloud” features in MS Edge and sometimes the Voice Dream app on iOS as it is aone-time purchase with no ongoing fees . These tools have been some of the most importnat educational technologies thus far in my own learning journey.
Educators have a profound responsibility in shaping not only the academic path of their learners but also their social impact. Educators must seize this opportunity to innovate various approaches that enhance academic learning and encourage social responsibility and honest engagement. By leveraging technology, embracing diversity, and promoting collaboration, we can create inclusive learning environments to provide learners with the knowledge and skills necessary to effect positive change.
It seems we share a common goal of enhancing our online presence by exploring new or previously unexplored social platforms, focusing on personal and professional aspects. I, too, am navigating this journey. While I may struggle with Facebook, I believe that with commitment, we can cultivate a distinct social media presence that effectively reflects our personal and professional identities.
Sharing your thoughts, ideas, and career aspirations is a rewarding goal that can help shape your thinking. I strongly believe that seeking insights from our peers adds a layer of richness to our journey. It exposes us to diverse perspectives and experiences, enriching our understanding and fostering collaboration. While I, too, have experienced the ‘Imposter syndrome, ‘I’ve learned to recognize and address these feelings promptly, as they are crucial for my personal and professional growth.
You’re ready to stimulate your toolbox to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology. I, too, am ready for a significant shake-up in my toolbox because it will help me avoid technology standstills and take advantage of the latest advancements.