Blog Post 3! (EDCI 338)
Before taking this course, I did not spend much time thinking about the relationship between social media, media literacy, and PLNs. I mainly used social media to stay connected with friends and essentially “scroll”. I have now started to recognize that social media can be much more than a source of entertainment. It can be a powerful tool for networking and learning.
In today’s digital world, knowing how to utilize social media effectively is a crucial skill. Social media offers opportunities to share ideas, connect with others, and establish a professional online presence. A public PLN can help individuals learn from others as well as share with others. Having an online presence also comes with responsibility. We have heard a lot about the spread of misinformation, which can have a significant impact. For this reason, media literacy is very important because it helps people evaluate information critically and make better decisions about the content they consume and share.
After completing the reading, I came to understand media literacy as the ability to think critically about the information we see online and decide whether it is trustworthy. Since anyone can create and share content on the internet, it is important to check where information comes from before believing it. Conversations about media literacy can sometimes lead to disagreements because people have different experiences, opinions, and sources of information. Social media can make this even more challenging because algorithms often show us content that matches our existing interests and beliefs, which can limit our exposure to different perspectives. This became very prominent to me during the pandemic because everyone I talked to had seen different information online, which would influence their opinions based on their algorithms.
This is why I think a strong PLN should include more perspectives while also being based on reliable information. There is a difference between learning from different opinions and believing misinformation. Hearing from people with different experiences can help us learn and grow, but it is also important to make sure the information we use comes from trustworthy sources. Having a PLN that values media literacy helps people make more informed decisions and better understand the world around them.
As a future educator, a good social media presence is important to me. Teachers are seen as role models for their students, so what they post online matters and can easily affect their careers. Students, parents, colleagues, and employers may all view an educator’s online presence as Dr. Miller mentioned in class. Because of this, it is important to be professional and respectful on social media.
This week’s learning helped me understand the importance of building a PLN that values both diversity and media literacy. As I continue working toward becoming a teacher, I hope to create a PLN that helps me learn from others and improve my professionalism and become a more informed and inclusive educator.
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Hi Evelyn!
I enjoyed reading your post, especially your point about how the pandemic highlighted the impact of algorithms on the information people consume. I had a similar experience where it felt like everyone was getting their information from completely different sources, which often led to very different conclusions about the same topic. I also agree that there is a big difference between being exposed to diverse viewpoints and simply accepting misinformation. One thing that stood out to me was your discussion about professionalism as a future educator. I think social media creates an interesting challenge because teachers are expected to maintain a professional image, but at the same time, students often value authenticity and being able to connect with their teachers as real people. Finding that balance can be difficult, especially when personal and professional identities overlap online. Thanks for sharing!