Looking at the current times of online social spaces, it is quite easy to note that social media and PLN’s play a critical role in sending messages out to the entire population which eventually enhance education through diverse forms of knowledge acquisition. A message sent online basically plays a role of information delivery, and with every form of communication, knowledge is passed across leaving the recipient in possession of new or refined pieces of data. In this blog, I will delve into the impact online spaces and public networks have on human messaging techniques and on overall education.
Themes of a PLN on a Professional Setting and General Impact on Messaging
PLN themes that are important for social networking include authenticity, and the need to build strong and positive relationships online without causing discourse among the people one connects with. What I mean is that as mentioned, social media has led to the improvement of messaging such that individuals are currently in possession of first hand information that are directly from the source and not through second degree information handlers which in this case are recognised media outlets such as television and radio. With this, a consumer of information is able to find actual information without any form of modification and standardisation based on an outlet’s standards of reporting. So unlike before, individuals have access to first hand and all information and not just a filtered form of messages considering that mainstream media only “report what they want to report” while leaving out information that does not meet or favour their expectations. In terms of first hand nature of info, Mr. Baker opines that when a message goes through a number of channels, it loses relevance a some point. This is very true because even if you look at different outlets reporting about one story, you can easily note the inconsistency such that each outlet gives a different version of the story despite a number of parts being similar. When sending our information on a PLN however, it is crucial to ensure that whatever one puts out there is factual and avoids leaning on one side out of personal favourism. This way, the owner and publisher of a PLN’s content is able to build a conducive relationship with the consumer of the content posted. This demands that when posting content even if true, the publisher reasons on the impact the content can have on all the social expectations of each and every reader. With such a strategy, one is able to avoid negative feedback which can be detrimental to his or her online public network.
Impact of Social on Education
Currently, education occurs way beyond the classroom setting such that even the environment where one resides in is often a source of a knowledge. For this instance though, we are looking at how social media currently plays a role in the education of its users. Firstly, online social networks have a large number of users which greatly vary in terms of age, gender, sexuality, nationality, income, professional backgrounds and so on. And as Couros pointed out, “learning rests and knowledge rests on diversity” (P. 114). Looking at how diverse social media platforms are, one is in a position to learn a lot from individuals coming out of various backgrounds. This is because of the basic knowledge that whoever you come into contact with knows something that you don’t know. Moreover, in order to effectively learn in a dynamic manner, it is important to connect with a diverse group of people using various programs and appliances that enhance education. Looking at social media, there are various programs and social groups that can efficiently boost knowledge acquisition just as mentioned above. Social media further widens the capacity to learn more in addition to the knowledge already in possession and this is quite important just as mentioned by Couros (P. 114). From the diverse networks facilitated by social media platforms, a user is also able to generate knowledge and this occurs through the various connections built. By learning from a diverse source of knowledge, gradually, a person is a able to change in terms of perception as his or her reality about a particular issue shifts. This according to Couros (P. 115) indicate a person’s willing to learn and eventual impact on individual forms of decision making.
References
Brad Baker, Education in a Connected Culture https://youtu.be/C5z8iHxW2n4
Alec Couros, Developing Personal Learning Networks for Open and Social Learning – Chapter 6 – Page.114-115 https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120177_99Z_Veletsianos_2010-Emerging_Technologies_in_Distance_Education.pdf
Hi Alan, thanks for your sharing. The inconsistency of information transition also caught my attention, and you are having the same concern as me. I was wounding how can we distinguish the “true” stories from the inconsistent messages and information. Also, although people can upload their first-hand stories and avoid second-hand sources, we still need to identify which one is the first-hand story from the sea of information. Telling the true stories seems to be the most precious exist on the internet, however, sometimes people are unwilling to trust the true stories even they are true. I think the social media platform are doing way more than just having people share their true stories and the forms of transmission will be the key element.