Personal Learning Networks and Digital Identity

Personal Learning Networks (PLN) refer to a network of learners who interact with each other for the purpose of learning. According to University of South Hampton (n.d.), the people’s means of learning is not only limited to being in a classroom setting with the presence of a teacher. People also learn when they do something together through social networks, video sharing sites, gaming communities, and forums. Learning in a digitized environment had been the effect of the intimate connection between individuals and their technology (University of South Hampton, n.d.). This means that learners can utilize social networks, video sharing sites and forums in order to create their personal learning network. In this regard, among the means mentioned previously, the learners should focus on how to social media in building their personal learning networks because it is popular and it is also accessible.

Learners can network through social media because social media allows its users to stay connected with others such as their friends, family members, teachers, and even experts in the field. To network using social media means intentionally using the social media to share information, ask for help, and connect with different people for the sake of learning. Even if social media was not originally created for learning, users can manipulate the way they use social media in order to learn in this kind of mediated platform. In fact, Rajagopal et al., (2012) explained that personal learning networks can be activated in social media through communality. This means that people look out for common ground with strangers and this common ground could be topics of interests, organizations, and other common connections. For instance, when the learner’s friends and family members cannot provide the information, social media allows learners to seek for help and connect with strangers who could be expert on the topic that learners is working on. Because the learners have various means to seek out information in the social media, they would not feel helpless and this would motivate them to participate in networked publics. Participating in networked publics may have its advantages but Boyd (2001) warned that learners should be empowered to share information in a way that cannot negatively affect others. Different kinds of people with different beliefs are present in a public network so learners should be polite and they should also observe cultural sensitivity.

In conclusion, social media can be used to create personal learning networks because it allows people to connect with other people and share information. When learners feel that they belong in a community that is made up of learners like them, they will feel that they belong and they would be motivated to participate. Hence, learning through PLN should be promoted because it is convenient and it could be used as a tool for lifelong learning. On a last note, learners should be aware that they need to remain polite when interacting in networked publics so as not to offend other learners.

References

Lyon, D. (2001). Networked privacy. In Surveillance society: Monitoring everyday life (pp. 348-250). McGraw-Hill Education (UK). https://ojs.library.queensu.ca/index.php/surveillance-and-society/article/view/networked/networked

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://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559

University of South Hampton. (n.d.). What is a personal learning network (PLN)? [Video]. futurelearn.com. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/learning-network-age/0/steps/24644