Blog Summation
At the beginning of this course, I thought of my digital identity as simply a “portfolio of my creativity, my curated posts, [and] my lived experiences” (Turner, 2026). I had no concept of a Personal Learning Network (PLN) nor did I ever consider using social media for more than just a digital diary and a good ol’ reel scroll.
My goal for this course was to learn how to use my PLN to make myself a better educator by expanding my network. Back in July, I had only ever used social media for posting and scrolling, so it was important for me to learn how I could also use social media to support my career.
Growth & Reflection
One of the biggest ways I have grown so far through this course is in my understanding of using social media. More specifically, understanding of my relationship with social media and how I influence my digital identity online.
This growth in understanding came from the week on Personal Digital Identity vs Professional Digital Identity, where I was tasked with creating a Visitor and Resident Map. This assignment forced me to come face-to-face with every social platform I use and consider my intentions behind using it (is it personal? is it professional?) as well as my familiarity with the platform (am I actively creating on the platform or using it for a task?).
This made me think deeper about my social media accounts and my intention behind every post. As the course went on, my understanding of digital identities grew deeper, especially when learning about the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Media Literacy Week.
Along the way, I have also grown my teaching toolbox, as I now have a variety of resources and initiatives/lessons (like the MediaSmarts video) that I can use to teach media and AI literacy to my future students.
Lastly, I have grown my PLN through peer-to-peer interactions, ranging from a group project to weekly comments on each of my blog posts. I really appreciated both giving and receiving constant feedback to ensure I was creating the best content I could. This rang especially true for the Collaborative Reflection, where I got an in-depth blog audit from Priya!
Forward-Looking Goals
My first goal for continued learning and professional development is to continue building my PLN, or as Qualman (2012) put it: “Network before you need the network.” I am heading into my last year at UVic in September, which means I have one year left in the most networkable place to find likeminded young professionals. Going into this school year, I plan to take charge of my PLN and build my network through connecting and collaborating with peers, and staying in touch through platforms like LinkedIn!
My second goal is to make more of an impact regarding AI in education. I’ve mentioned before that I think a great first step to taking AI out of the classroom is by getting rid of AI overview in school chromebooks. I haven’t found a fix exactly, but I did find a way to bypass AI overview on Google. This is just a start, and I want to continue learning and finding out ways to make education human again.
Lastly, I want to continue learning about laws and policies regarding AI, with a focus on limiting the amount of AI we use. One step toward this goal is protesting data centres in my community and Canada as a whole. We live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world, on Indigenous land, and I will not see us dry up the world for the sake of AI. Take a cue from the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation.
In sum, this course has allowed me to investigate my intentionality online. From the source of the information I’m sharing to the content I choose to like, comment, and post. I see now that I can never fully separate my digital identity from my “real-life” persona or professional identity. I am leaving this course with many more skills in navigating online than I began with. I am leaving as a stronger digital citizen and a better educator.
Thanks for reading everyone. Don’t hesitate to reach out 🙂
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