| Visitor | Resident |
| Searching the platform | Creating content and posting |
| Observing content from other users | Sharing content from other users |
| Watching videos | Commenting on others’ posts |
- What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
- Personally, my most-used digital platforms are Instagram and Facebook. Both mediums allow users to share their content with a large number of people. They can follow accounts that feature similar themes and messages, and in a way that allows them to customize the audience of their posts. They also both allow users to share content from others, allowing your content to spread beyond your own followers and ultimately to grow your network.
- What can you (as a student) consider to expand your professional learning network?
- One step that I think is important for me to make is to create a LinkedIn account. I know it is a very popular platform that students and working professionals use to connect with other people, and I have been meaning to make one for a while. I think I also need to be more active on my professional accounts, such as the PLN that I create for Instagram. I use the account to access the content of other creators, but it is important for my digital identity and my learning network to share content of my own. This way I can gain more followers and create new connections.
- In your network, how can you create a digital identity/reputation?
- One important part of creating a digital identity is interacting on the platform frequently and consistently. This involves communicating messages that align with the professional message and persona you want to present. For my own digital identity, I gain information from reputable sources and share them on my own account. I will sometimes summarize the information from the resources that I share, or just let the content speak for itself.
- Consider what a local employer would do if you applied for a job with them – can they search the content, is it of benefit to the career path, does it hinder the opportunity of employment?
- My social media accounts, both personal and professional, are public. This allows me to share content to a larger audience, but it also means that potential employers have access to the majority of my online activity. My PLN accounts are focused on implementing social justice issues into teaching methods, a topic that is relevant to the field I am in . I think this shows that I have an interest in learning from other educators and I have knowledge of the topic, which I hope would support my candidacy for the job.
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