Blog Post #10

Consider how you can use the PLN interactions of this course to further your digital identity post-term. What does it mean to have a digital identity in your industry of choice and can your current PLN be used to help professional development post-course? Additionally, as you progress through the steps of your career, can your PLN be relied on to open professional opportunities?

Something I have learned in this course is that for years, I had been creating various PLNs and networking with many people online and in-person at my volunteering jobs. However, until I took this course, I did not know that the result of my action is that I am creating a ‘Personal Learning Network’. This course has taught me the definitions of my actions (creating a PLN) and made me aware of exactly what it is that I am doing and suppose to do, such as why creating a healthy digital identity is necessary or why its sometimes easier to understand a person’s personality via online compared to in-person (due to their digital identity being transparent and open).

Due to the awareness that this course has brought, I had elevated my engagement in my PLN whether it is on the matter most or in my club. Upon reading the various readings assigned in the course, I have realized that the most important thing you can contribute to your PLN is transparency, and the most important thing a PLN provides you is confidence. I practice these in all my interactions as I am very clear and direct with my classmates on matters such as how the project should be, and I am also very transparent about my experiences in my weekly blogs. The primary reason that is because my group mates and classmates provide me with positive feedback and agree with my narrative, which provides me the validation that my understanding is accurate. Furthermore, upon doing the readings and connecting the readings with the week’s topic and my experiences, I have been very confident in my narrative and writing as well, which is furthered by the positive reinforcement I receive from my classmates as well.

Having a digital identity in your industry means that one should have an online persona that highlights facts or attributes about you that are in line with the industry/job. This is very important because having an online identity where all you share is highlights of various video games will not attract a scientific prof who is looking to hire an undergrad student for research assistance. It’s like a blend of the two famous sayings, ‘fake it till you make it and ‘when in Rome, do as the Romans do,’ which in this scenario would mean have a digital identity that follows/supports the needs of industry and follow the actions as well as digital identities of those that are already in the particular industry.

Thanks to Twitter, I have networked with various profs and built a digital identity which highlights my desire for doing scientific research. Furthermore, by engaging in various forms associated with medical students and premeds (career goal is to be a physician), I have created a PLN that supports my learning that is associated with my future career. I strongly believe that my PLNs, one associated with professors and others with premeds and med students, will help my professional development post-course.

Lastly, I strongly believe that my PLN can help me obtain new professional opportunities because I have obtained various research and volunteering opportunities thanks to my PLN. For example, my premed discord club told me about a tutoring opportunity and since last year, I tutor English to a student in Mexico and I absolutely love it! Furthermore, as mentioned in my prior blogs, following various professors on Twitter and commenting on their posts highlighted my presence to them which aided me in obtaining various research positions.