Thoughts on the video

The conversation between Dr. Miller and Brad Baker was an interesting conversation on PLNs in a professional capacity that gave me some insight into how educators use their platform and their cautions within it. I really resonated with the point about often times people are lambasted online for making a mistake rather than allowing the person to own up and take accountability for their mistake and learn from it. I think this is very much the case for anyone with any sort of influence using their PLN in a professional capacity. I also liked what Mr. Baker had to say about being cautious and thinking before you post an opinion online as it can be misconstrued and reformed into something you never intended. I think about that possibility quite frequently so I tend to be very mindful of how I form and present my opinions in my professional PLN. I mentioned my thoughts In a previous weeks blog but I truly think with PLNs in a professional capacity its important to be cautious but genuine. Don’t take a stance you don’t believe in but always be mind full of how it can be construed.

Which social media platforms are beneficial in education

This to me is an interesting question because I think almost all social media platforms can be used in some way or another for education. We use YouTube in the course to witness guest talks and gain insight into new perspectives from people we would otherwise not be able to hear from. We use matter most to communicate with our peers in ways that Brightspace doesn’t allow. Twitter could be useful to exposing new perspectives As well and enriching our education but that’s not something we have used in the course. Really it depends how the social media is used and which circles you are in on those sites. Social media is vast, its applications for education are only limited by which PLN’s you involve in your education using the sites. Social media can either be a tool for misinformation or truths and new perspectives. All just comes down to how you utilize it. The reading points out the importance of immersing yourself in various PLN’s and that it comes down to ” Use and understanding of social media in the formation of human networks” (Couros 2010) meaning that it can be an amazing tool for education should it be understood and used properly as I said above.

Consider the equality that exists when all have the same platform to engage community dialogues.

It goes without saying that when all have the same platform to engage in a dialogue, nobody loses. Often times barriers are put up to stop certain groups from engaging in a dialogue. All this does is narrow are perspective and worldview and cause misunderstanding and negative views to proliferate. Understandings about one and other can almost always be reached by having a dialogue. We are all human and all part of a community at some level and so we should all be able to have our voices heard in these dialogues.

I also am glad that we were asked about the vulnerable sector and social media as I work in the vulnerable sector so I can give some perspective on how social media fits in. Confidentiality is very important, there is certainly an extra layer of professionalism that must be kept and many times your opinions are better left out of the equation. I think those who work in the vulnerable sector as well would agree that social media use in the professional capacity needs to be kept minimal and neutral to many degrees. Threes always a lot of strong opinions when it comes to things like the homeless population, corrections, education or other parts of the vulnerable sector and its important to remember how polarizing some opinions can be. Hence my care in using social media in the professional capacity in that sense.

Refrences

Developing Personal Learning Networks for Open and Social Learning / Alec Couros- Chapter 6 https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120177_99Z_Veletsianos_2010-Emerging_Technologies_in_Distance_Education.pdf