Month: November 2021

In the interview with Mo Amir, he discussed how his podcast was built as a hobby and it wouldn’t have existed without the use of his Twitter account and the connections he has on that PLN. He discussed how he only talks about things he is interested in on his podcast as he feels that will keep his listeners interested as well. He described his podcast journey as a process in which if you land one big guest, people will become more interested and start to recognize you and want to be on the podcast. I thought it was very interesting to see how he basically started as a small podcast without many viewers and has since moved into being in the top 40 Canadian Politics podcasts and even has been in the top 20. His success was built on both his own hard work, but also the use of a professional PLN. 

I thought Mo Amir was the perfect example when thinking about how a PLN can be used for professional development post-course. He discussed how he has developed many relationships with people through twitter as you are able to have direct communication with a variety of people through the touch of a button. I am not very active on twitter, but after hearing about Mo’s experience, I think it is the perfect PLN to use for professional development. I will definitely try and expand my twitter and try to communicate with people who are interested in similar topics and build a professional PLN. Before this class I felt as though LinkedIn was the only professional development PLN, but I have since understood that twitter seems to be the go-to for many people. 

I think my PLN can be relied on for professional opportunities. Just like Mo described, he started to engage with his Twitter account and the people on it and this led to building his reputation and his podcast. I think if I start to put more effort into making connections and building my PLN for professional use that I could definitely use it. As of right now, I don’t think I use my PLN enough to have it open professional opportunities, but that is something I will need to focus on. 

References 

Miller, J. (2021, October 25). Mo Amir EDCI 338. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgoDet6pwaI

What is media literacy?

Media Literacy is the ability to assess, adapt and recognize different aspects of the media. Further, it is the about delivering and crafting the best messages in different forms such as print, graphics, animation, audio, video etc (Trilling & Fadel, 2012). 

Why is it important?

It is important to learn as media and the internet is always changing and evolving and you never know how much it will change in even one day. It also allows students to gain valuable skills in dealing with all different kinds of media. There is also a lot of misinformation when it comes to media so being competent in media literacy will allow you to decipher between the good and the bad information. Lastly, it is important that we learn about media literacy because there is so much value in the media if we know how to use it properly, there are so many people out there that you can connect with and learn from.

Why is it dismissed?

There is so much information when it comes to the media which can be a challenge when trying to find out what is true and what isn’t. There is a lot of fake news and fake people on the internet that it can be difficult for individuals to see through all of that and look at the positives. When you are trying to find something on the internet, you will get millions of results, so it is hard to figure out which is true information. 

Why should you aim for varied views but the factual consensus in your PLN?

It is extremely important for your PLN to be factual and not have any misinformation on it. You want to view and read many different views and responses on a particular topic and see which is the most accurate information, and then use that information. If you only look at one paper or one website on the topic, it is hard to know whether or not that is factual information or not. But when you are looking through many different papers or website about the same topic you are able to find the truth.

References

Trilling, B. & Fadel, C. (2012). 21^st Century Skills – Learning for Life in Our Times. 

Explore the video provided and reflect on the themes of a PLN in a professional capacity.

Brad Baker discussed how a PLN can be used in a professional setting. He outlined some specific areas about how PLN can be very useful and informative when trying to use your voice and discuss important topics. He discusses how he uses his PLN as a support system for people all over the world to build a healthy community where stories can be shared. Brad discusses how the sharing of information allows for individuals to support and challenge each other and have respectful and healthy dialogue.  He further talked about how building a professional PLN allows for people to become positive contributors to society through the sharing of stories. The last theme he discussed was how having a PLN can allow for the real story to be told. The example he used was regarding indigenous peoples voices and they can post the true, real story firsthand rather than having to hear it from a 3^rd or 4^th hand. 

Which social media platforms are beneficial in education?

In the video Brad Baker discussed how he uses Twitter and how that is beneficial in education as he can connect with other people as well as share stories together through Twitter. I personally think LinkedIn is another platform that can be beneficial as people are able to connect and network with other students, as well as other staff members and possible employers. In the article by Couros (2010) they researched platforms that may be beneficial when creating a learning environment and those included WebCT (Blackboard), Moodle, Ning, and Wiki. I think all social media platforms could be beneficial depending on the type of education you are focusing on and what context you are using them in. 

 Consider the equality that exists when all have the same platform to engage community dialogues.

I believe when everyone has the same platform, it means they all have the same opportunities to use the community dialogues. It is up to the individual to decide how much they want to contribute to the dialogue. One area to consider though is how different populations may use the platform in different ways. So even though there is equality, and everyone has the opportunity to participate, doesn’t mean that everyone will participate evenly, or even at all. 

References

Couros, A. (2010). Developing personal learning networks for open and social learning. In Velestianos, G., (Eds.). Emerging technologies in distance education. (pp. 109-128). AU Press. 

Miller. (2021, June 10). Brad Baker EDCI 338. YouTube.         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z8iHxW2n4