Aside from enrolling themselves in online courses, students and other internet users can use Personal Learning Networks or PLN to learn online. PLN is where users gather, collect, communicate, create, and share knowledge and experience to a group of connected people anytime and anywhere (Gutierrez). Internet users can use social media like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and blogs to create their network. For example, in building their PLN via Twitter, internet users can search and follow experts, professionals, and other people who they think can help them develop professionally through continual learning. Aside from following professional people in social media, internet users can also interact with them through asking questions or joining discussion threads. Through the use of social media, it is also important to note that the internet users have the freedom to orchestrate their own PLN. According to Rajagopal et al., in orchestrating their PLNs, internet users need to build, maintain, and activate connections. In other words, internet users do just create their PLN but they also need to actively engage in it and maintain it as well.
People become motivated to participate in networked publics like their PLNs because they can connect and learn from different people anytime and anywhere. To illustrate, when COVID-19 closed down establishments like universities and libraries, learners have no other choice but to utilize the internet in learning and in researching. This example proves that Rajagopal et al., were right when they said that PLN allows learners to find appropriate and constant support whenever the need arises. Another reason that people are motivated to participate in networked publics is because it can also make them have a sense of community (Gutierrez). PLN helps internet users to connect with different people whom they share the same interest. For this reason, it is just easy for them to join discussions on topics that they are very much interested in. More so, if they need anything, they can ask for help through their network and they could also offer help to other network members who needed help. Lastly, people are motivated to participate in networked publics because it hones their collboration skill (Rajagopal et al.). When internet users collaborate with their PLN members, learning comes naturally, it can boost their moral, and they can become efficient workers.
Despite the rewards that internet users can get from public communications, it would still be advisable for them to watch out for its possible risks. In the article titled Networked Privacy, Danah Boyd mentioned that the future is going to be more networked and interwoven (349). Because of this, Boyd warned that people can no longer rely on control of data to keep their privacy. Instead of controlling data, the author suggested to focus on usage and interpretation. This means that those who engaged in public communications should be aware of how their data are used and interpreted. Internet users need to be aware of how their data were used and interpreted so that they would be more mindful of what they post in their social media or PLN. Before posting something or before joining discussion threads, internet users need to ask themselves the following questions first: How would other people interpret this? What can other people do with the stuff I am posting online? Am I giving away information that are too personal? Despite the risks that public communications can pose, internet users are still encouraged to actively engage in their PLN. They just have to be aware of the risks so if they encountered any problems concerning their privacy, they would know how to deal with it.
Works Cited
Boyd, Danah. “Networked Privacy.” Surveillance & Society, vol. 10, no. 3/4, 2012, pp. 348-350.
Gutierrez, Karla. “What Are Personal Learning Networks?” SHIFT E-Learning Software | Authoring Tool, 21 June 2016, www.shiftelearning.com/blog/personal-learning-networks.
Rajagopal, Kamakshi, et al. “Understanding personal learning networks: Their structure, content and the networking skills needed to optimally use them.” First Monday, vol. 17, no. 1, 2012.