In the current digital age, the classroom is no longer the only way for students to learn, they use many digital platforms to expand their professional network (PLN).
Digital platforms used by students
- Zoom and Microsoft Teams： These are platforms for teleconference and collaboration through which students can have virtual meetings and discussions with mentors, fellow students, and industry experts.
- Twitter: Students can use Twitter to follow their favorite and interested experts, participate in discussions on relevant topics, and share their opinions. This will let them know more than the textbook knowledge.
- WordPress: Students can join blogs and forums in the field to discuss and share knowledge with other netizens and experts.
- LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a professional social network where students can create profiles, connect with peers, follow companies, and participate in professional discussions. This provides a professional platform for those students who need to find a job after graduation.
Data privacy and security issues
Students need to consider issues of digital privacy and security when using these digital platforms. They need to regularly check the privacy settings of digital platforms and consistently update their settings to ensure their private information is protected. When you want to post about very private topics you need to avoid if you are posting on a public platform which can lead to privacy leaks.
What can they consider when expanding their professional learning network?
Students while expanding their professional learning network should first be clear about their goals not blindly searching for them and try to share effective information on different platforms then make effective connections not just simple connections.
How to create a digital identity/reputation
- Share valuable content: Share valuable content about your field on your social media accounts, such as articles, opinions, links and photos. This helps you showcase your expertise and interests.
- Handle online disputes with care: Avoid getting involved in unnecessarily heated online arguments or disputes. If you don’t agree with someone else’s point of view, you may choose to express your opinion civilly, but avoid bad language. This can have a very important impact on your reputation.
- Create a personal website or blog: Create a personal website or blog to showcase your professional accomplishments, work, and insights. This is a powerful tool to showcase your level of professionalism.
If I were to apply for a job with an employer, my current digital identity would not be up to par because I post too many topics that are not related to my specialty, which would have a huge impact on building my digital image. So I would clean up inappropriate content and make sure my digital identity reflects my professional image. In conclusion, we can build strong professional networks and reputations by actively engaging on digital platforms, focusing on data privacy and security issues, and carefully maintaining our digital identities. This will help us to have more opportunities and success in our future careers.
Reference
Wikipedia contributors. “Digital Visitor and Resident.” Wikipedia, 31 Dec. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Visitor_and_Resident