Humans are network individuals where they live and learn in a network society. These individuals interact with people, digital devices, information sources and services through this network. Individuals mainly start looking into personal learning networks (PLN) through the pandemic. They use PLN to learn professional learning and derive knowledge. The PLN was developed by building and maintaining connections that allow the person to learn from other resources and help develop their own personal learning network.
- What does it mean to a network using social media?
- As humans, we are network individuals. We learn and live in a network society. People use networks to interact with people they prefer, digital devices, and gather information. However, the network can also be used to develop our network skills and digital literacies (website). This can be achieved using social media, where technology offers some support in developing relationships through connecting with people on social media such as networking on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
- How are we motivated to participate in networked publics?
- Networked publics allow people from different expertise to interact with one another. This type of networking allows for the possibility to ask advice from people who have experience and are knowledgeable. Nevertheless, reflecting on work in a broader perspective than day-to-day help to be motivated. This can be achieved by participating in networked publics where individuals can communicate with people in the network through networking platforms. Furthermore, remaining in touch with these people in the network further enhances the relationship. Also, these continuous searches to network with people can help find hidden people and experiences that allow the individual to develop their PLN. The benefit of networking is the motive to participate in the network public.
- What are the risks & rewards of public communications?
- Public communication has its pros and cons. Interacting with people and sharing personal information or events you want to share with others is very rewarding. Public communication can be a way to connect with your ancestor, such as using 23andMe to learn more about your origins and where you come from. However, this type of public communication can reach beyond the people you want to connect with and, nevertheless, has its cons regarding the individual’s information being online. It is challenging to achieve privacy in a network setting.
- The risk of public communication is that there is no information privacy. It is very challenging to achieve privacy in the network public. This invasion of privacy has risks in terms of being judged by what you posted from long ago. Individuals may share their thoughts about a certain topic online, then realize this opinion was not fully accurate. It would be hard to remove the original thoughts from the internet, and individuals might be judged later on in life based on that thoughts. Colleges may reject people based on the information they read about them that is found online. Moreover, risks can include digital identity theft. If an individual shares personal details about their life, digital identity theft might use personal information illegally.
References
- What is a personal learning network (PLN)?. FutureLearn. (2022, October 25). https://www.futurelearn.com/info/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. View of Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them | First Monday. (n.d.). https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/3559/3131
- View of networked privacy. (n.d.). https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/networked/networked