In the modern digital environment, the idea of sharing resource over the internet provides a greater advantage to an individual as well group of people. Similarly, the PLN (Personal Learning Network) can offer a digital platform which lets the students, teachers, educator and intellectual to come together and share their ideas, opinion and critical evaluation on a certain topic (Woods, 2013). Hence, in order to build a strong PLN, the use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Mobile Applications on health & education and technology is necessary which helps the group of people to come together and learn together. I myself feel motivated to share my ideas and opinion with you all to refine my knowledge on the variety of subjects for research and additional information purposes.

In order to emerge as a leader for leading the space on a PLN and raising my profile. I will focus on a variety of benefits that PLN will offer to its participants. First, I

will like to educate my audience on the importance of PLN in the current digital education world. Second, the risk and rewards of using public communication while remaining in touch with a PLN. Last, how to unlock the greater side of PLN’s potential by engaging in terms of sharing and refining the ongoing debate on the platform.

References:

Woods, Bianca. “Building your own PLN: seeking new insights and ideas? Expand your personal learning network.” T+D, vol. 67, no. 11, Nov. 2013, p. 70+. Gale OneFile:Business.gale.com/apps/doc/A348998538/ITBC?u=uvictoria&sid=ITBC&xid=1010abdf.

• What is a digital identity?

Digital identity can be explained as the footprint of an individual or an organization over the internet. It can be related to their web activities including profile over social media, bloggers or over streaming services like YouTube (Stoller). Digital identity holds great potential especially for individual who create, design and share their creativity. One can also understand it as becoming a participant of the digital world in which everyone collaborates just like the real world in a way of sharing and creating information. In a way, one can approach by tracking the digital identity of an individual for providing work or hiring a professional on the basis of their online work.

Digital Identity Source: LinkedIn

• How do personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect social media use?

Social media offers a variety of options to keep or create differences in personal and professional digital identity. However, one can easily mix both and affect their digital identity in the long and short term as well. In terms of personal approaches to the digital identity, one can share their trips, likes or dislikes on the basis of their personal interest (Oliveira and Lina). While in the professional capacity one restricts itself to more vocal about their personal interest and focus on the professional approaches while framing their digital identity.  Hence, personal versus professional approaches to digital identity affect the way of interacting with social media.

• How do digital identities converge in networked public?

Digital identities certainly converge in networked public especially due to the search engine keywords. As an individual, when one create and share things on social media. It can easily be found on public domains. Although social media websites offer great help in restricting their user content for the public, still hiding everything on social media takes away the main objective of the platform. Therefore, digital identities mostly converge in networked public in a great way and changing the discourse of the general public by studying the digital identities of masses.

• What are the impacts and/or benefits? – Can a digital wallet provide trust in networked public?

In the modern digital payment system, the digital wallet is becoming important and providing a quick and easy way to the networked public for payment. There are many benefits of using the digital wallet such as quick and easy pay, low authorization, loading as per needs and also easily accessible through smartphone or wearables. However, there is a certain impact of the digital wallet as well which diminishing its benefits. Due to less security, it becomes an easy target for hackers to gain access to an individual backend personal information of their original payment method. Hence, one needs to remain careful while using a digital wallet in a public network.

References

Oliveira, Nuno Ricardo and Morgado Lina. “Oliveira, Nuno Ricardo, and Lina Morgado. “Managing the Presence and Digital Identity of the Researchers in a Distance Learning Community: Some Impacts.” Educational and Social Dimensions of Digital Transformation in Organizations (2019): 175-193. IGI Global.

Stoller, Eric. “Eric Stoller – What is Digital Identity?” YouTube, University of Derby, 25 November 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0RryRbJza0&feature=youtu.be. 01 February 2021.

What does it mean to the network using social media?
In the modern digital world, it’s become common to have a network using social media and the current pandemic situation due to COVID-19 also give a great boost to the same. Social media offers an internet-based platform which helps in getting connected with friends, family and relatives from anywhere in the world. It can provide a variety of purposes such as social and business (Hensel et al. 87). Networking through social media means a lot as one can search and relate to a group of people who shares a common interest or opinion on a cause. Thus, building social media networking provide a great feasible and more connectivity to an individual. However, it affects the relationship in longer terms.

• How are we motivated to participate in networked public?
In order to motivate towards participating in networked public, there is a variety of motivation to the general public. First, the independent platform for sharing information and opinion about any cause. Second, the less knowledge about the working of networked public and get motivated to use the free platform which connects multiple devices to a network without permission (Wang 662). Last, the networked public offers a large number of audience which seems attracted to the general public who are in search of the indirect public for sharing their information or opinion.

• What are the risks & rewards of public communications?
The public communication offers both risk and rewards due to wide implications over society. In terms of rewards, it offers a free- information sharing platform to the users and let them have a large number of the audience (Burris 851). While in terms of risks, one can take advantage of a large number of connected devices to steal information and data. Therefore, one should carefully use public communications as it can be rewarding and risky at the same time.

References

Hensel, Kyle, and Michael H. Deis. “Using social media to increase advertising and improve marketing.” The Entrepreneurial Executive 15 (2010): 87.

Wang, Xuequn. “How do people participate in social network sites after crises? A self-determination perspective.” Social Science Computer Review 32.5 (2014): 662-677.

Burris, Ethan R. “The risks and rewards of speaking up: Managerial responses to employee voice.” Academy of Management Journal 55.4 (2012): 851-875.

• What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?

In order to develop their professional network, students are mostly using to main social media network which is LinkedIn and Facebook. However, one can approach to building a network by utilizing the potential of another digital platform like YouTube and Instagram. Although, the most important platform is LinkedIn only which provides great help in building a network with people on the basis of your educational and professional details. In this way, one can, directly and indirectly, connect with an individual who once was in their physical network from school time to their college. Additionally, in their professional working space as well.

• What can you (as a student) consider to expand your professional learning network?

It is necessary to expand professional learning network and as a student one can utilize the potential of the available digital platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and even Twitter. However, the expansion of the professional network can only work when an individual knows the purpose and direction to network. After that, the student or even in my approach I will start connecting and adding myself to groups of people which eventually helps me in adding a new member to my professional learning network. Thus, to expand the professional learning network I consider utilization of digital platform available and also looking for an emerging digital platform which supports community-building process like YouTube as well.

• In your network, how can you create a digital identity/reputation?

The digital identity or reputation related to the digital footprint of my online approach to different platform or websites. Thus, I can create a digital identity on the basis of the application or websites which I use to build my reputation. For an instance, if I want to create a digital identity in terms of creating art or photography. I can start sharing images and photography related website material over Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Additionally, if I want to grow my network I can also make videos on YouTube and share with my subscribers. In this way, I can create a digital identity within my network.

• Consider what a local employer would do if you applied for a job with them – can they search the content, is it of benefit to the career path, does it hinder the opportunity of employment?

It is unlikely that a local employer for which I applied for a job started searching for my digital identity. However, if I share my own website address related to my digital identity. Then, they can search for the content. Yes, if my digital identity is similar to the job which I am applying with the local employer. It will certainly benefit the career path and does not hinder my opportunity of employment.