Blog post #8

With having a PLN, I have gained a lot of knowledge, developed my understanding of certain social issues such as systemic racism, and learned just how much impact online presence and sharing can have within your group as well as others. My PLN powers me to message because during the pandemic, many important things have happened and their relevancy, as well as the support of people, spread like wildfire on social platforms; an example of this can be the Black Lives Matter movement! People used Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms to bring light to issues present in our society but also shone a light on their own experiences, understanding, and opinions. Doing so has no developed a snowballed effect where many people, including me and my PLN, are using social media as the primary outlet to voice our opinions and understanding of a concept! PLN (mine being predominantly online), to me, is not just a circle of friends and colleagues that I can learn from and share my knowledge with, PLN is a safe space where all thoughts and beliefs can be shared without any judgment. Thus, my PLN breeds a safe space, which gives me the power to message individuals or a community. For example, this past week, I have been extremely busy with school and work, doing nothing besides writing quizzes, papers, and studying. On my club’s discord, which is one of my PLN, I shared about how I am overwhelmed and about 15-16 of my club members responded with positive reinforcement and support. This was amazing but what makes this more special is that doing this, sharing your emotions with people you haven’t met face to face before the pandemic would seem super weird! But thanks to social platforms being a place to express oneself safely and my PLN creating a judgment environment, I am empowered to share myself and my feelings!

Social media is extremely beneficial for education as well. As a science student, I have read numerous scientific papers and always used google scholar to find primary sources. But nowadays, there is so much research happening across the world that is impossible to stay on top of a specific field. Therefore, how do I learn about what is occurring right now in reaction mechanisms research? I follow the chem professors that are researching in the field of mechanisms, on Twitter and the accounts with whom they regularly interact. Thus, every day, I read a tweet by the professor(s) I am following, about something new being published or discovered in the reaction mechanisms field of study. Therefore, not only am I connected with recent findings, but I am also furthering my education and using social media to do so. As highlighted by Veletsianos (2010), PLNs can be used to elevate open learning and open education, which can easily be supported by using social media since social media ensures open-end sharing and conversing.

Education, to me, is essentially a compilation of various accepted notions that are passed down to understand, converse, and agree upon or refute. Using the interview between Miller and Baker, both of them are linked by their practices as they both are educators. Baker emphasizes in the interview that how he wishes to understand various points of view associated with various individuals across the world. This goal of Baker’s is very similar to that of a community as members in a community are interconnected based on their views, opinions, and similarities. Baker states this over an interview with Miller, who is also a part of an online education community, and who every week reads various points of views of various students. Their interview is highlighting community communication, 2 different communities, represented by Miller and Baker, communicating with each other and understanding as well as agreeing with each others’ perspectives. Their interviews act as a PLN as they are learning from each other and discussing their understandings. This exemplifies how PLN promotes education discourse as two members converse on topics that are derived/associated with their field and education, as a way to further their and others’ learning and impact their education in a positive manner. Another way PLN helps promote education discourse is by making education and communication of education more universal. Two PLNs represented by Miller and Baker, who are situated in different places, we’re able to come together and learn. This highlights how education is not simply what happens in a classroom or in a building, education can literally be conducted with anyone on the planet.

However, with PLN, assessing the credibility of the source(s) shared in/by/with the PLN need to be assessed. Sharing and understanding false information is nothing short of unfortunate. PLNs in my opinion are something that is often treated like a close, semi-professional, semi-casual friendly circle from which you learn various things. Now, what is shared is false or inappropriate, which will hinder education discourse. Associating with an untrustworthy PLN can now hinder the educational discourse of a different PLN. And as we all have witnessed in our lives, sharing something, especially on social media, has the potential of being spread like wildfire. Thus, sharing untrustworthy material in a PLN is a sure way to hinder educational discourse.

Ultimately, PLNs should be open and diverse. They should welcome new thoughts, understanding, and always have the goal of interacting with new members and the community. We are living in a time that is dominated by online presence and most of mankind is connected with each other in some way through a screen and a social media platform. We must adapt and use our environment for the advancement of our education and PLN, and social media has the capabilities to support this with ease.

References

Emerging Technologies in Distance Education, by George Veletsianos, AU Press, 2010, pp. 128–138

Miller, Jesse. “EDCI 338 – BRAD BAKER.” YouTube, uploaded by MILLER, 04 Mar. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy63SmEpvCw