For the unit 3 visual network map task, I have made an interesting illustration of my online activities and the corresponding interlocking connections. In order to facilitate this assignment I have used the website called Kumu, which I have not used before this point although I found to be rather easy to learn. There were several features that became evident in this assignment, namely the fact that many of the online applications that I use are very much interconnected providing numerous diverse interactions among my professional and personal life.
I know that I spend a fair amount of my time online and this illustration is a testament to this fact, however upon review it is clear that the majority of this activity time is spent mostly with personal communications and interactions with family and friends. One of the significant reasons that I am interacting so frequently online in this manner is due to challenges posed by large geographical distances. As I have been working overseas for some time, I have had a diminished ability to stay connected with friends and family other than utilizing online platforms. Moreover many of my friends have also moved away to other distant locations for various reasons and online interactions have become a consistent way to keep connected. As reflected in my diagram, I use a few different methods of connecting online to propagate my social interactions, however I tend to use the media platform Steam the most frequently.
While staying connected in my personal life online is important, many of the various online platforms I use are for work or school reasons.
In the MALAT program there are numerous online platforms and activities that have been brought to my attention, some of which I have never used before and am unsure I will again after the program. I can tell that I gravitate to a few network hubs and avoid having large network connections that will remain mostly un utilized.
In the case of work I use minimal digital social networking connections. I tend to prefer having work interactions being in person (when possible) and thus focus more on information gathering websites when online. There are several reasons why I limit online social networks within my work sphere, although the main reason I would say is that I am a proponent of the idea of ‘unplugging’ after a work period. I find the more minimal my work related social network activity is, the easier it is to accomplish disconnecting from my work environment.
Hi Vince,
While completing this activity, I noticed the same thing: that most of my interactions and time spent on the web are personal because my professional presence is somewhat strict. I look forward to MALAT introducing me to platforms and strategies I can apply to my professional development. I feel it is lacking and needs a major overhaul!
I also prefer in-person work interactions; however, I need to adjust this method to open up the possibility of connecting with various audiences outside of my community that extend globally. In the long term, it will benefit my personal and professional development. It’s hard to get out of the norm and venture into something I have little experience in. I am so excited about MALAT opening up my technology opportunities, and I am so engaged in exploring so much more that is available.