Jiaying Wu

A network using social media means a new world for human beings. It makes information sharing and long-distance communication more accessible to people. First, people can have access to the latest and updated news through a simple click of  social media on electronic devices. Second, a social network provides individuals with a more convenient way to connect with family, friends and other people no matter how far they are away from. Third, it can be an interactive platform for people to equally and freely share unique ideas regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity and so on. Additionally, individuals can achieve a sense of belonging through browsing and communicating on the Internet. Therefore, these meanings could become major motivations for people to actively participate in networked publics.

A network could be of great use as a personal learning network provides is the one that meets people’s learning needs and creates different ties, allowing people to have collaboration on knowledge creation and resources for updated professional ideas (Rajagopal, et al., 2011). It is a powerful network because the measures these learning professionals undertake and the connections they establish, maintain and activate help realize the most professional, educational and technological achievements (Rajagopal, et al., 2011). The personal learning network model (Rajagopal, et al., 2011) perfectly illustrates how individuals can make the most of their attitude and intention to develop the skills of connecting with others, which is a crucial part for professional growth in a personal learning network. In addition, the nine factors that affect these skills are discussed from the contact’s level, the relationship between the learner and the contact, and the work environment they both situate in. The progressive analysis makes the whole networking model complete and comprehensive.

There are numerous rewards of public communications. Gaining a considerable number of relational and information resources is among the primary benefits. Public communications such as a personal learning network also help create a more technical environment for professionals to better discuss and examine their studies. However, there are two sides to every story. Public communications also indicate the existence of several serious risks. According to the article Networked Privacy, the gene results included the ones from almost all the family members of the author and even from the offspring he did not have yet when he tried to discover the secrets of his own DNA (Boyd, 2012). The massive advanced database could easily give away such important personal data, which reveals the fact that private information leakage could happen in any ways. Therefore, just as the author states, it is important for us to correctly and positively share information so that we can live in a healthy network environment.

References:

Boyd, D. (2012). Networked privacy. Surveillance & society, 10(3/4), 348. https://doi.org/10.24908/ss.v10i3/4.4529

Rajagopal, K., Joosten-ten Brinke, D., Van Bruggen, J., & Sloep, P. B. (2011). Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them. First Monday, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v17i1.3559