In my opinion, having Reddit as part of my PLN has helped me gain more information than I thought I would benefit from it. Reddit holds a community of people that come from different backgrounds and interests. With that in mind, for example, you have an interest in investing in the stock market, how Reddit helps is that it provides a space where an individual can get connected to other individuals who are also interested in the stock market and post comments/questions, etc gains traction and other people who are likely able to answer shares a comment and shares other resources that link that individual to another platform that may help is inquiry or such.
In that way, education is endless, updates and reinforcing information is endless and Reddit is a great platform to connect an eager user to that of interest. Giving room + the opportunity to know that there are more helps.
PLN in practice was something that came organically. I unknowingly was using PLN in spaces and platforms I was not aware I was actively doing so. The one example I would like to share is when I was posting my handwritten poetry on social media. As I posted and shared regularly, I attracted similar accounts that shared similar interests and content. The engagement on these posts grew exponentially that we connected in person, we performed and shared poetry in a setting outside of our screens. This showed more evidence, of our similar content does come together and how everything encapsulates the beauty of learning networks.
Secondly, I am also actively researching emotional intelligence. I used Google maps to locate emotional intelligence companies nearby, and reached out to multiple practices, and made appointments with CEOs and supervisors to discuss topics related. I reached out to a company called EITC who is situated in British Columbia. Initially in Vancouver and now they moved to North Saanich here in Vancouver island. How crazy is that? i reached out to David Cory, and talked about different opportunities and read through different blogs and am inspired and in awe of how as we use our learning networks not only do we get to learn about these different channels but also be connected to inspiring individuals. Links to their companies are referenced below. The material they shared explored more in-depth of how their blogs, social media and how they have used social media to their best advantage like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Google!
My current PLN shows diversity in terms of what type of application is used for what reason. In terms of professional and personal use, I feel I have evidently shown inclusivity for each application. This is shown in institutional, I chose Google docs, google, uvic, bright space, PsycINFO, web of science, etc. Each of these different applications is used differently for being a student in an institution. In terms of personal use, there is some overlap between apple books, interest, Reddit and Instagram, etc, which allows a social space not only for me to express personalization but also express individualism compared to the public. The opportunity to express individualism is also shown in a space where posting, shows personality, and how despite being a part of an institution my interest overlaps with my current career path. Lucky for me!
In your PLN, are you learning from a variety of voices or are you the loudest in the room？
I definitely feel in my PLN I am learning from a variety of voices and later inferring and finding my voice while using inspiration from these variety of voices.
Do you participate in a silo of information sharing (similar themes or wide range of interests)?
Similar themes really. Which is what is encouraging me to broaden this perspective. Allow this new area, to push me and build on the foundation I have and connect the different dots from these different areas and learning networks.
How can you use a diverse PLN to broaden your views of inclusion?
Accepting other voices, understanding the background, and later implementing with that inspiration a new branch of interest.
In your professional setting of choice, do you think inclusion is actively embraced?
In my current professional setting, I do believe inclusivity is embraced. Opinions and perspectives are equally valued among peers. I believe that that is key in ensuring inclusion is in place.
What is the learning outcome of your PLN and how are you ensuring your exposure to diversity and inclusion?
The learning of my PLN is the information I am constantly exposed to and fed. To ensure diversity and inclusion, I intend to not homogenize my palette to just one source but include LN from different sources of culture, and be exposed to more than those I am used to.
How has your thinking about inclusion and PLN evolved after reviewing the videos and readings?
Listening to Shelley Moore, and reading through Shelley Moore’s Stories through inclusion and diversity, has inspired me to stay patient and consistent. Shelley talked about how the sweet spot of where what you’re good at, how you contribute to the world, what you create/innovate, and what you can make money from is a sweet spot of where occupation lies. This is an example of a Japanese model called the Ikigai. Listening to the interview has reminded me how i/we have all it takes to make it. To prove to ourselves and be successful. The crazy but beautiful thing about being a teacher and a student is that you are always interchanging between roles. So much as you are as a teacher, you are a student.
Everything we experience is an opportunity to learn and grow. This evolving is healthy, it shows growth and being humble. This metamorphosis of how we grow and transform is evident in successful people around the world. Successful between how our personalized learning networks are part of a journey of how we look, the lens we use. The cookies that track, the material that we read and are exposed to are the skeletons of our opinions and paradigm. How our PLN’s act is like a mirror, how we view ourselves, what we choose to be involved with.
When Shelley talked about mentorship, it is indeed true, finding a good mentor is tough, finding someone that can help you through your journey of finding that voice is indeed tedious. A lot of shedding who you are before into what you can be. Always evolving, changing, and growing. In a way it is like always shedding layers of past versions of yourself, the less learned and the most vulnerable into someone stronger, more resilient, and holistically changing for the better.
MO AMIR (https://twitter.com/vancolour) connects his PLN to a global perspective in launching his podcast. He is a Podcast host on ThisIsVanColour, a commentator on CHEK NEWS, and a bunch of other fun stuff, however, his food on the table happens to be a general manager at a family business in Lumber with his family along with a lot of other business-related areas. His spectrum of PLN exists along a big Venn of how he uses these different platforms to extend his feet and dip into the depths of community and topics of passion.
How he indulges is intriguing, he does not track downloads and aims to keep the content of his podcast to be very personalized and not tuned to his online cookies or own biases. Further more, he also goes global in terms of iTunes. Being more accessible and reaching new heights on charts, has expanded his audience and allowed him to be recognizable in other countries/areas.
Additionally, vanity, talking about yourself, giving yourself a space in the world, and reclaiming that. Having almost done 100 episodes, Mo talks about how sometimes we should take credit and acknowledge how we have made it, and building healthy relationships among other social media was important to him.
He realizes how Twitter, is a big community with lots of local audiences. Creating this network, allowed him to be more involved and more access and connections he wants.
In time, being patient and consistent with passion allows space for him (us) and his audience to feed and create perspectives, added value, and opinions while creating a conversation piece.
Would I use my PLN post-course? would it allow me to pursue a professional career?
I certainly would. I have already begun using my PLN’s to help create awareness regarding Trauma. Trauma is a big topic that I intend to shed more light on as I navigate through my personal and professional career. I have begun using my social media platforms to write and share my perspective on it. Twitter, for example, is one of the PLN’s that I use currently to post a short thread on neuro-ception. The engagement from it has been growing and staying consistent with the little threads has shown how consistency creates an audience. Audience then creates an opinion/perspective which stirs more conversation. Looking at a podcast, book, social media influencer could be an option too. Being a student/immigrant diverse in a personal portfolio allows more people who can relate to coming together and feel more empowered.
What are the benefits of a diverse and inclusive PLN in social media sharing that understands where you are coming from with messaging that impacts the community?
Having a diverse Personalized Learning Network helps connect people from different communities of people that can come together for a similar component that is diverse in nature but inclusive in thoughts and perspective. An interview with Markiel Simpson highlights a very prominent ideology and approach to how he interacts with a social media platform like Twitter and Instagram. On Instagram, he has two separate accounts for himself. One where it is private where I believe he shares content within his circle of acquaintances and another account @TeamMarkel for public content sharing. In the interview, he shares with Jesse, how he has been developing his voice for over a year, and sometimes, the content resonates with people, and other times they do not. His engagements fluctuate between 0-200 followers per post/tweet. The constant message that he is “famous” for, is his use of a consistent hashtag of #strongertogether and #togetherwerise has expanded his inclusivity to people of color within British Columbia. This empowering move allows a great call to action. For example, recently he has managed to group a bunch of students to help speak up on a matter regarding education. Furthermore, these personalized hashtags and call to action prompt help highlight his needs and wants to especially to empower more people in the community to encourage their own thinking to stand up for what they believe in.
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