V&R Map:
- What digital platforms are students currently using to develop their professional network?
Digital platforms are not only designed to enjoy digital leisure, but also a useful tool for students to develop a professional network with others and seek a career path. Linkedin is a great and widely-used platform nowadays. People are able to create their own professional profile, including their demographic information and photos, education and work experience, and other professional achievements they achieved lifetime. Employers and recruiters can then based on the profile to reach out to people who have competencies and values they want, while people can also add potential employers as their connection and start to communicate with them. Thus, currently when students would like to find a co-op or internship, they choose to build a lindekin profile to show their professional background and competencies, and connect and network with ideal employers for potential career paths. Also, networking with people who have stronger professional background allow students to learn knowledge and gain more industry information to prepare for their careers after graduation.
- What could the student consider in expanding their professional learning network?
Due to the rapid development of technology nowadays, networking starts to exist in the form of not only in-person but also fully online. For example, social media such as Linkedin allow students to connect with people from all over the world to share information and learn new knowledge. Social media has the power for students to develop learning network with all the people who share similar professional backgrounds from the same city, or even from different countries. As a result, they could consider how to properly use this characteristic of technologies and social media to maximize the opportunities to network with more professional people from the industry, and extend their professional learning network group.
- Thread Discussion: How do data privacy and security limit and promote a PLN? In your network, how can you create a digital identity/ reputation?
Data privacy and security may limit the professional learning network that if people want to keep their privacy, they may not be willing to share their information or knowledge with others since it must reveal some of their personal experience. For example, their career details. Also, people who worry about privacy may not trust and use digital tools for PLN, which reduces many opportunities to extend professional networking. However, data security can also promote PLN that if a social media platform respects customers’ privacy and engages in building data protection, people are more willing to use it to develop professional communication with others as they know their data is protected well.
Creating digital identity resembles ‘role-play’, which means showing aspects of an individual to make up a role on digital platforms, for personal leisure or developing a professional network. As more communications and networking are conducted, this individual may be known by more people in the particular field or area. Thus, digital reputation is built up.
Comment:
Hi Qinjiang, After reading your blog it gave me a lot of new insights. I agree with your article about students being able to build their information on digital platforms so that employers and recruiters can find people who meet their requirements. I think this will be a big trend in the future as well. It will save a lot of time and employers and recruiters will be able to get to know the student’s resume in a very short period of time. I also noticed that you can consider connecting with people around the world and networking opportunities with professionals around the world as students expand their professional learning networks. The rapid growth of the Internet has really made it easier and faster to communicate with people. I think another thing that could be added is that expanding your professional learning network could be considered for your own job search. Students can search online for people near them that fit their professional studies and share their ideas with them.