PLN & PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

Most of us have our own personal learning networks. From waking up and watching the breaking news on YouTube, to speaking with friends online about personal philosophies, the modern learning experience rarely stops at the door of a classroom. As technology has evolved over the past two decades, so has many first world individual’s resources for learning. Today there are 2.7 billion Facebook users many of which use their social media accounts to network everyday. Whether to educate, entertain, or professionally develop, we learn and teach through informal and formal networks using social media. Many of these networking interactions can be conducted with short or long-term achievements in mind, but the process of managing these networks remains the same. Successful networking embodies three quantifiable aspects. Building community, maintaining relationships, and activating change through online medians are the fundamentals of having a social media network.

People learn and engage on these platforms by using an array of strategies. Much of the learning comes from strong, weak, and very weak ties between contacts within an individual’s network. Some mediated platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook all encourage users to share their thoughts amongst other community members. A central location such as news feeds or comment boxes allows for an environment that facilitates this engagement. The volume of user inputs in these spaces gives host to hundreds of diverse perspectives and insights which allows for individuals to participate in learning.

The rise of technology has allowed people to easily congregating around a central idea in a networked public. It is my theory that the major motivator for participation in this realm is human connection. People want to feel like they have a voice that can influence others. They also look for support amongst their network, which can help to stabilize and grow their ethos. As cited in Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them by Rajagopal et. Al says, one participant stated that she gained utility from the connections with her peers by asking specific individuals about their experience on a subject. This deliberate choice of an individual well suited to a certain subject shows how people today use networked publics to their advantage. Ultimately, this human connection allows for continuous learning on these platforms.

For many active social media users, the rewards outweigh the known risks with public communication. The chief rewards are like those which motivate people to use networked publics. The ability to expand your social network and feel like you are bringing value to those around you can be addicting to some. On the other hand, your digital footprint can present a risk. A corporation which operates from selling individuals’ data to global companies can construct a portrait of you solely based on your online habits. The compounding nature of privacy infringements can amount to having a vast influence on your perception, purchasing behaviour, and even your political stance. Unfortunately, many of these risks are hidden from social media users in the “fine print” of registration contracts, and it is still not fully apparent to us how this can affect our long-term usage.

References:

Boyd, D. (n.d.). Networked Privacy. Retrieved from https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/networked

FutureLearn. (n.d.). What is a Personal Learning Network (PLN)? Retrieved from https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644

View of Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them: First Monday. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131