Blog Post 1 – EDCI 338
Curating Ourselves Online: Digital Identity and Personal Learning Networks
When I think about social media, I usually think about entertainment first. Apps like Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube are part of my everyday routine. Before this week’s readings and videos, the idea of how social media affects the way people learn, communicate, and present themselves online never felt significant.
What Does it Mean to Network Using Social Media?
Before this course, the term Personal Learning Network (PLN) rarely came up, but once I had a better understanding of the concept, I realized I already have one. A lot of the accounts and communities I follow online influence how I learn and think about different topics. Whether it is learning something from a YouTube tutorial, reading discussions on Reddit, or following professionals online, social media has become a huge part of how people share information.
The FutureLearn article explained how learning today is becoming more connected and collaborative rather than only happening in classrooms (FutureLearn, n.d.). This is very prevalent in today’s society, as people now learn from communities and experiences online just as much as they learn from textbooks or teachers. Online platforms have the ability to adapt to new information easily and quickly, whereas textbooks and the education system may take longer to adapt.
Why Do People Participate in Networked Publics?
One thing I found interesting from the readings was the idea of networked publics. Networked publics are online spaces where people communicate, interact, and share content with others (Rajagopal et al., 2012).
Platforms like LinkedIn are designed for professional networking, but even apps like Instagram or Reddit can help people connect with others who share similar interests. I think people participate in these online communities because they want connection, entertainment, recognition, or support from others. Likes, comments, and followers encourage people to interact and share more online.
The reading also talked about how online content is persistent and searchable (Rajagopal et al., 2012). Something posted casually can stay online for years and end up reaching people it was never intended for. Have you ever searched your full name on the internet and seen what comes up first? That made me think more carefully about how public social media really is.
Risks and Rewards of Public Communication
I think social media has a lot of benefits. It helps people connect with communities, share ideas, and even create professional opportunities. Platforms like LinkedIn show how online networking can help people build careers and professional identities.
At the same time, there are clear risks too. Privacy concerns, misinformation, cyberbullying, and the permanence of online content were all ideas that came up in the readings. Eric Stoller explained that everyone has a digital identity, whether they actively manage it or not (Stoller, 2017). Even old posts, tagged photos, or comments become part of how people are viewed online.
Personal vs Professional Identity
Something I found especially relatable was the discussion around personal and professional identity online. Social media makes it difficult to separate the two because so many different audiences can see the same content. In networked publics, personal and professional identities often merge because multiple audiences can access the same online content at once. A post meant for friends could also be seen by employers, instructors, or coworkers.
I think this creates pressure to think more carefully about what people post online. At the same time, social media also allows people to show personality and authenticity instead of appearing completely professional all the time. Looking through my own online presence made me realize that digital identity is something people are constantly building, even when they are not fully aware of it.
Final Thoughts
This week’s content changed the way I think about social media. I used to see it mostly as entertainment, but now I understand how connected it is to learning, networking, and identity.
Personal Learning Networks give people opportunities to learn from others around the world, but participating online also comes with responsibility. What people post online can shape how others see them long into the future. I think understanding digital identity is becoming more important as social media continues to blend into education, careers, and everyday life. Especially important for younger children using media, who lack understanding of how permanent it can be.
References
Rajagopal, K., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., Van Bruggen, J., & Sloep, P. B. (2012). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday, 17(1). https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131
What is a personal learning network (PLN)? (2022, October 25). FutureLearn. https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/learning-network%20age/0/steps/24644
Stoller, E. (2017). What is your digital identity? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/u0RryRbJza0
Digital identity can be difficult to navigate in my opinion because like you have mentioned in your blog, social media is a place where individuals can express their interests and be authentic however, we have to be very careful with the content we share based on other peoples perspectives. Digital footprint can sometimes be daunting because it follows us through our employment and finding a balance between professional content and enjoying the app can sometimes be hard. I like how you mentioned looking yourself up online to see what comes up. I have been trying to be more mindful as to what I post or share on social media because I want to be a teacher one day so I have to be careful about parents perspectives and if my content represents my true character. I also agree that there is a lot of risks and benefits that comes with social media. Taking courses like EDCI 338 should be more mandatory in my opinion because digital footprint, cyberbullying, or false news(especially with all this AI) is growing and some people are unaware. More people becoming aware of these risks and how to navigate networks safely can hopefully create more benefits and positives to connection online. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Rita, thanks for your post. I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts about the shift in your perception of social media. I’ve always tended to see it more as something ephemeral that passes through and disappears.
At the same time, even when I was young, I had some awareness that data was being collected and that there were risks involved. Growing up, it felt like there was much more caution around putting personal information online. I remember being very reluctant to type in my credit card information for the first time, and we were generally told to avoid sharing personal details online at all. Now, we’re at a point where we have our credit cards saved on our phones and are constantly networked and connected.
I think it’s important to recognize the way this can operate underneath the surface as well. I don’t have many old pictures, videos, or pieces of writing associated with my real name because I usually used pseudonyms online and did my best to remain anonymous. I don’t even know whether a lot of that content is still out there. Still, I sometimes feel like the data collection behind old LiveJournals, MySpaces, forums, and chat rooms has probably been connected back to who I am today through archived information and networked data.
So even though I feel relatively safe and hidden, there’s still this underlying sense that the connections exist somewhere. Anyway, thanks again for pointing out this change in perspective!