Tag: personalized learning

Digital Identity: Personal vs. Professional

In today’s world it is extremely important to manage our digital identity whether it be for personal or professional reasons. Digital Professional Identity (DPI) is defined as “professional identity that develops through internet-based social interactions by utilizing online platforms and communication tools.” This is to maintain boundaries between your work and personal life. For me I like to keep all non professional social media outlets such as instagram private, where I post stuff just for my friends and family to see. Where on the other hand my professional profiles such as linkedin I like to try and make it as available as possible for companies and employers to see. I believe this separation to be vital between personal and professional life, in order to keep a balanced life while being able to keep your privacy where warranted.  A well-managed digital identity can open career opportunities, for the rest of your life so it is extremely important to keep a well managed digital image whether it be Personal or Professional.

Digital Visitor and Resident Map

Introduced by David White and Alison Le Cornu, the Visitors and Residents (V&R) model describes a continuum of online engagement. The ‘Visitor’ mode allows individuals to use the web as a look to complete a specific task while leaving no social trace. While the ‘Residents’ can see the web as a place were part of their lives and lived, leaving a digital trace.

For me reflecting on this model, I find myself acting as both a ‘Visitor’ and a ‘Resident’. While I am using the internet to do research, accessing information, and accessing online databases on an everyday basis I am applying the ‘Visitor” approach of being able to access that information without leaving a trace. With programs like Linkin I find myself using the ‘Residents’ model. While on Linkedin I want people to see what I am saying and have to offer so it is beneficial to me to use this approach. As I grow in the business world I hope to have my ‘Resident’ impact to be higher than my ‘Visitor’ but as of right now I would say I am a ‘Visitor’ much more.

Theories of Personalized Learning

Personalized learning is an education approach that takes into account a student’s strengths, needs, skills, and interests aiming to customize the learning experience for each and every student. This provides an experience that allows students to get a learning plan based on how they learn best. Constructivist learning theory highlights the importance of actively engaging with material, allowing students to build their own understanding based on experiences while Self-Directed Learning encourages students to take action in setting learning goals and developing strategies that best suit themselves.

For me specifically this way of learning adopted in some of my classes I have taken has been extremely beneficial to me. Growing up I have always had a problem with my working memory so it is sometimes hard for me to retain all the information that is presented within a class. The flexibility in personalized learning keeps me motivated and engaged, fostering a stronger learning mindset essential for both academic and professional success.

Privacy, Surveillance, and Digital Footprint Awareness

Everything you do online will contribute to your digital footprint, making privacy and surveillance awareness critical. In today’s world where everything is done online hackers and security breachers run rampant, and it is more important than ever to try and sleep yourself protected. There are plenty of things you can do to help yourself try and stay protected such as using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and being cautious about the information I share online.

Because online actions are frequently monitored and personal information might be exploited for a varying degree of severity from cyber threats to personalized advertising , it is more important than ever to understand privacy dangers. Maintaining a secure online presence is ensured by adopting strong digital practices, such as confirming the reliability of sources before releasing information. It is always critical to be aware of what you are doing online.

Conclusion

Overall navigating the digital world requires a strategic approach to managing your digital identity, understanding online engagement patterns, embracing personalized learning, and protecting privacy. Being aware of how I interact with the internet can help me create a balance between my personal and professional life while also keeping me safe and secure. 

Hello Everyone!

My name is Justin Scott, I am from Vancouver BC and am currently a 4th year student in the business program at UVIC. Before I came to UVIC, I attended Saint Georges school in Vancouver for my high school education.

After my time in High School I decided to take a gap year to pursue playing hockey. My whole life my passion has always been hockey which has made me move and live in many different places such as Nanaimo, Merritt, Revelstoke, Melville, Humbolt and Parksville which has provided me a very unique experience of getting to live in a plethora of different places.

Personalized Learning: 

Personalized learning has been a big impact for me, growing up I have always had a problem with my working memory making it sometimes hard for me to remember everything a teacher says within a given class. But having media outlets such as Kahn Academy for my math classes that have a wide variety of videos and ways to learn that are not just in the class space.

Digital Literacie:

With Digital Literacy, it has become an essential skill for everyone to have, there is so much fake and un credible news outlets today that I believe it is now essential. Being able to assess credible sources, navigate the internet effectively, and communicate professionally online are skills everyone needs to know whether it be in Academics, in the workplace, or even just in everyday life.

Social Media and Its Role in Education:

Social media has changed how everyone can connect with one another, from News to Funny Clips you can see everything on the internet and social media.

In terms of educational content, Social Media platforms such as X, TikTok, and Instagram are amazing for spreading information such as study tips and career advice from experts in whatever field you are in. Another way social media can enhance education is by giving people a place to collaborate on ideas, create interactive discussions and share resources.

But not all is good when it comes to social media and learning. Misinformation, privacy concerns, and just the sheer distraction of all the apps. All these topics have their own challenges related to them:

Misinformation – Is everywhere, Information whether it be true or not spreads like wildfire on the internet, so you need to be careful of what you hear and not always take it straight for facts

Privacy concerns – Privacy is something you and companies always need to be thinking about when on the internet from people trying to scam or misguide you to people straight up hacking into your information.

Distractions – This is the biggest one for most people, social media is something most of us use every single day, and when you do something every day it becomes a habit the mixes with a big problem in our generation of procrastination.

There are certain aspects of it you need to be wary of but overall, I believe that Social media Can be a great asset and tool to both students and professors in an academic environment when used in the right way.