Month: July 2023

My perspective on inclusiveness and Personal Learning Networks (PLNs) has developed dramatically throughout the course of my professional career and education. Inclusion is about actively promoting and appreciating diversity, not merely recognizing it. A diverse and inclusive PLN is essential for personal development and actively contributing to the professional community. As a strong communication tool, social media plays a critical role in generating messaging and themes that promote tolerance and diversity. It enables me to have open dialogues with a global network of professionals, establishing a culture of knowledge sharing and mutual respect. However, social media poses communication issues in terms of disinformation and polarization, necessitating monitoring in order to create healthy interactions. To ensure fair representation, ensuring an inclusive PLN entails elevating the views of others, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds. Understanding an employer’s social media communication regulations is critical for keeping a public profile and engaging PLN without risking professional standards. A varied and inclusive PLN provides advantages such as access to diverse perspectives, challenging biases, and supporting positive change, making it a powerful force in influencing the community and creating a more inclusive digital landscape.

With the advent of technology in the current era, it has been convenient and efficient to connect with people and build a professional network. Several different platforms are available such as Linkedin, Twitter, meetup, and even Facebook. Linked is a great platform that is used by students and professionals to build networks, join industry-specific groups and simply to connect. 

There are various factors that could be considered for expanding professional learning network. The easiest and most used is to join relevant online communities. Students can stay updated about industry trends and new jobs in their areas of interest and is a great way to connect and learn from people who are already in that field. Other ways could be attending workshops, webinars, and connecting with alumni. Data privacy and security limit can play a crucial role in limiting the effectiveness of PLN. People might be reluctant to share their personal details on online platforms fearing the misuse of their data. However, if data privacy and security measures are put into place, a safer environment can be built on these platforms and people could easily participate and benefit from these. 

To create a digital identity/ reputation in my network, one could take several steps such as-

 1) Curating content 

Sharing valuable content such as articles, posts, blogs, and insights can help in demonstrating knowledge and also benefit others in my network. 

2) Interacting and engaging with members 

3) Being consistent and thoughtful in participation 

I believe it is really essential to build and maintain a professional demeanor across all social media platforms. To no surprise, many employers these days review the candidate’s social media presence to gain insight into their personality and values. Speaking of myself, even I try to stay decent and professional across my social media platforms because I am aware that they could be scrutinized by the employer I would apply for a job with. We need to understand that it could be hard to maintain our personal and professional digital identity but just like a personal and social self, these are the identities that we need to present carefully to the people around us. 

Finally, I would say we should appreciate the convenience we are all born with and try to utilize it in the best ways possible. With this, I would like to end the blog. 

Social media networking is the process of establishing connections with industry experts, exchanging knowledge, participating in conversations, promoting one’s professional brand, joining organisations, and forming relationships. It entails growing your network, keeping up with market developments, and utilising internet interactions for professional development. People can interact with like-minded professionals, discover new possibilities, and improve their professional reputation by strategically using social media.

People are motivated to join in networked publics, such as social media, for reasons such as social connection, self-expression, information sharing, professional networking, and the chance to participate in topics and issues that are relevant to their interests. Participation is also driven by visibility, recognition, and influence inside these online groups.

Public communications via networked publics provide benefits such as broad reach, idea exchange, relationship development, exposure, professional progress, and advocacy. However, concerns include online abuse, privacy violations, reputational loss, content misinterpretation, and possibly negative impacts on mental health. Caution, privacy settings, digital etiquette, and critical content evaluation are all necessary in properly managing these threats.

The depiction of an individual’s online presence, as well as the collection of information and traits linked with them in the digital environment, is referred to as digital identity. It includes how people display themselves online, as well as their activities, interests, and interactions, as well as the information available about them on numerous digital platforms.

Individuals’ use of social media is influenced by their personal and professional approaches to digital identification. Personal techniques may place a premium on social relationships and casual encounters, whereas professional approaches place a premium on networking, knowledge sharing, and creating a professional reputation.

Individuals’ digital identities merge in networked publics when they interact online, resulting in different relationships, partnerships, and increasing exposure. This convergence provides advantages such as improved professional networking, access to varied perspectives and knowledge, increased visibility, and the capacity to raise voices on social concerns. It promotes collaboration, learning, and group action. However, there are worries about privacy, online abuse, and the blurring of personal/professional boundaries. Managing digital identities becomes critical for maintaining a favorable online presence and effectively navigating networked publics.