Month: March 2023

Can your PLN be used to help professional development post-course? Can your PLN be relied on to open professional opportunities?

Use your professional network (PLN) to find colleagues interested in the same things you are and help you achieve your objectives. Your PLN can provide access to fresh viewpoints and ideas you might not encounter in your coursework and keep you updated on the latest developments. An individual’s PLN can be used to help professional development post-course. After this course, the PLN can help keep connections and grow. You can establish relationships with other professionals through your PLN who can recommend you to or introduce you to new career chances. You may boost your exposure and credibility by connecting with other experts in your industry through networking, and you can establish yourself as a competent and trustworthy resource.

 What is media literacy?

Media Literacy describes the capacity to see, comprehend, assess, and produce media material. It requires thinking critically and thoroughly comprehending media messages’ production, dissemination, and consumption. Media literacy is crucial in today’s digital world, where individuals are inundated with information from many sources, such as social media, news channels, and advertising. Being media savvy allows people to recognize how media messages are put together, who generates them, and what motivations can be at play, allowing people to understand the meanings and intentions underlying media material. This makes it easier for people to decide what material to consume and how to interact. Evaluate and assess media material: People with media literacy can critically analyze and assess media information for accuracy, bias, and relevance. This makes it easier for people to distinguish between reality and fiction and to base their judgements on solid knowledge.

Why is it important? 

Media literacy is crucial because it helps foster critical thinking, allowing people to assess and analyze media content and identify bias, propaganda, and false information. This makes it easier for people to make wise judgements and lowers the chance of being swayed by erroneous or misleading information. The ability to create and share media material responsibly while simultaneously respecting the rights of others’ privacy and intellectual property can be achieved through media literacy. This encourages a good and secure online community. The ability to navigate the complicated and continuously changing media world, make educated decisions, and practise responsible digital citizenship are all made possible by having a solid media literacy foundation.

Why is it dismissed?

Media literacy can be dismissed as some individuals might not understand what it is or how important it is, which causes them to write it off as useless.  Media literacy may question people’s preexisting worldviews and ideas, which may cause them to reject it as unneeded or even dangerous. Some individuals may have mistaken ideas about what media literacy comprises, which might lead them to believe that it is censorship or propaganda. Media literacy is an essential talent in the digital age and ignoring it can have significant repercussions, including the spread of disinformation and the decline in democratic participation. It is crucial to encourage media literacy as an essential aspect of responsible digital citizenship and to increase awareness of its value.

 Why should you aim for varied views but the factual consensus in your PLN?

It is possible to extend your perspectives and confront your presumptions and biases by having a diversity of viewpoints in your learning network (PLN). Exposure to many views may also aid in the development of empathy and understanding, resulting in relationships with others that are more fruitful and polite. It’s crucial to check that the information you are receiving is accurate and correct, though. Consensus among trustworthy sources can aid in determining the integrity of data and lower the chance of being duped by incorrect or biased information.

How does social media engage communications? 

Social media has completely changed how individuals interact with one another. It has altered how we communicate, share information, and discuss with others. Through the use of social media, we can contact others in real-time. We have rapid access to friends and followers and can share our opinions and experiences conveniently. Social media, unlike conventional media, enables two-way contact between sender and recipient. Conversations, criticism, and message responses are all possible. Social media has a worldwide audience, allowing users to interact with individuals from all over the world. It will enable people, companies, and organizations to connect with more people and create a community. Social media platforms allow users to communicate using various media, including text, photos, videos, and audio. As a result, there are more chances for people to express themselves and have dialogues. Users may customize their communication experience on social media by selecting who they follow, what they share, and how they interact with others. This fosters community and the development of relationships.

 How does social media challenge communications? 

Social media has transformed communication and brought forth numerous difficulties that influence how we interact. Information overload: It can be challenging to go through a large amount of information on social media to find factual and helpful information. Individuals are prone to feeling overloaded and may struggle to comprehend all the information. Social media algorithms frequently present users with material that matches their interests and preferences, resulting in “filter bubbles.” This restricts exposure to other points of view and may result in a dearth of diverse opinions. Lack of nonverbal clues in social media communication, such as tone of voice and facial expressions, can result in misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Cyberbullying has found a home on social media detrimental to people’s mental health and their capacity for honest and open communication.

 Is it inclusive? 

Social media platforms strive to be inclusive and offer everyone an equal chance to join and communicate. Nonetheless, there are still issues that might harm inclusion. Social media networks include accessibility features for impaired users, such as subtitles and assistance for screen readers. Social media may promote community formation by enabling people to interact with others with similar interests, experiences, and identities. Although if social media sites work to be inclusive, issues like cyberbullying, hate speech, and discrimination can still influence inclusion.

Does your PLN amplify the views of others? 

A person’s PLN helps spread other people’s opinions. A person’s network of contacts and resources that they rely on to learn and grow personally or professionally is referred to as their learning network (PLN). People can express their opinions and viewpoints while amplifying those of others by interacting with individuals in their PLN. A person may, for instance, share a post or article from a member of their PLN, which might then be shared by other people in their networks, expanding the audience and exposure of the original post.

Creating  PLN prior to engaging in a social media campaign can have a lot of great benefits. It can be beneficial when it comes to meeting other like-minded individuals, as well as staying up to date and learning new perspectives. I would start off by coming up with some goals that I had in mind depending on the topic of choice, this also includes determining a target audience. I would then choose what social media platforms I would want to engage with and use. Then I would proceed by engaging with others in the field and partaking in community discussions.  I would engage in conversation with others by using personal anecdotes to make connections and generate interest. I would describe my campaign and how it could benefit them and others. I would also highlight how it is different than others and the positive impact it could have.