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Here is an explanation of how I met the following learning outcomes in EDCI 338. 

Examine the application of social media to support learning

In my Week 6 Wow and Wonder post, I discussed the negative impact of amplifying information through social media. In an online world, any participant can now shape perceptions and realities by having their ideology amplified through shares, likes, and comments of a mass audience. Through calculated posting and hashtag usage, one can completely alter or even take over a narrative. DiRestas coined the term explaining this phenomenon as ampliganda. Following this topic, Tianna discussed how going forward she will be mindful of the information she consumes in order to counteract the effects of ampliganda. Reflecting on this topic, I have been making a conscious effort to check the sources of the content I consume rather than just taking it at face value. Through social media, I am now able to support my learning more efficiently, rather than having my opinion influenced by an opinion post.

Explain personalized learning and its relation to learning theory

My knowledge of personalized learning and learning theories was very limited before this course. When reviewing course content, I learned from this article on Connectivism that the best way to achieve personalized learning is by connecting with a network of people through the internet to gain knowledge, sources, and opinions. I discussed this learning theory in my Week 3 Wow and Wonder post, where I identified TikTok as my personalized learning network. However, after reading Sam’s post, I have changed my mind about what I consider to be my personal learning network (PLN). Sam discussed how personalized learning networks consist of meaningful connections based on individual interests. This definition does not align with the TikTok platform since the app is not designed for meaningful individual connections, only short videos that are quickly reviewed. Most importantly, Sam discussed how it is possible to obtain unreliable information within PLNs. Considering that TikTok allows for misinformation to be spread, I no longer think it is a suitable PLN. Upon this reflection, I can now correctly identify my personal learning networks. In this class, my PLN consists of my classmates who are reading and understanding the same material as I am and explaining it in their own words.

Recognize that the Internet is not a neutral or equal space for everyone

Throughout my sociology degree, I have learned that society, in general, is not an equal or neutral space for everyone and I was not surprised to learn that the internet is not excluded from this. In my Week 4 Wow and Wonder post, I discussed this article by White and Le Cornu, which was explaining the notion of visitors and residents of digital spaces. However, I found it troubling how Prensky initially constructed the typology in order to map individuals’ engagement with the web. Prensky separated older people as digital immigrants and younger people as digital natives which is problematic and creates inequality in digital spaces. Tianna also discussed the inequality in this line of thinking, mentioning how this dichotomy is rightfully criticized by the authors. Reflecting on this topic, I think if Prensky learned about personalized learning in relation to learning theory, he may not have been so binary with his categorization. I think that Prensky should read this article by Veletsianos, which discussed how adults simply need to have their learning tailored to them by using the adult learning theory. In my opinion, if this learning theory is applied when teaching older adults how to engage with the web, I think they can certainly feel at home when using technology. Reflecting on the article by White and Le Cornu, I appreciate the new terms the authors created for Prensky’s categorization, which is now visitors and residents. Although I’m not sure if the authors intended for this impact, it has allowed for this mapping process to be a more equal space for everyone.

I have also met this course learning outcome in my Wow and Wonder week 7 post.

Apply social media to develop a personal learning network in support of your personal and/or professional development.

I met this learning outcome throughout the entire course and through multiple social media applications. Firstly, I have applied WordPress as a tool to learn about the course content through my peers’ blog posts & reflections. Congruently, Sam mentioned that building, maintaining, and activating connections within one’s personal network is a great way to improve one’s skill set by joining an online platform. I think that WordPress is a perfect example of a social media platform that enables personalized learning as it has supported my development within this course. Secondly, I have utilized Github to connect with other classmates and create a chapter in the coursebook. This chapter includes a detailed description of the TikTok social media platform, how to use it, and any concerns educators need to address. 

Identify privacy issues and practice online behaviours that are legal, safe, consensual, and ethical.

In my Week 2 Wow and Wonder post, I discussed the privacy concerns that come with new surveillance technologies and algorithms. Previously, I have thought about surveillance technologies and algorithms solely on an individual basis. The author explained that we should develop models that center on networks of people as the unit of analysis. This is due to the fact that new surveillance technologies can now draw upon our social network, heightening the issue of privacy. Congruent with this discussion, Kayla mentioned that she has noticed how surveillance technologies have impeded her privacy. Kayla discussed how when she liked a picture of a hoodie on one social media platform, other social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram began pushing and promoting advertisements for hoodies. Although we consent to this monitoring when we agree to the long list of terms and conditions, I question the ethical implications of these surveillance technologies. Moreover, Miah has mentioned how after learning about privacy and surveillance, she has changed her thinking on how she interacts in the online world. Upon reflection on this topic, I am not sure if there is a way to continue using social media without being surveilled.

Recognize data ownership and licensing (Creative Commons, Copyright, Fair Dealing, and Public Domain) as a core practice when creating, sharing, or using resources online.

In my showcase post, I discussed the copyright concerns that surround creating videos on the TikTok app. After spending so much time on creating a video, if it gets flagged for infringing on someone else’s copyrights, the video can be deleted and educators could be faced with legal action. According to Gardoce (2021), a way users can avoid copyright infringement is by making sure the music in the video comes from the TikTok app. This is because of the license agreements TikTok has with various artists (Gardoce, 2021). Users should also be mindful of the images in the video as they may be protected by copyright too (Gardoce, 2021). In order to mitigate the negative outcomes associated with TikTok in learning, users should simply use original content. In relation to data collection, usage or disclosure, Leo discussed the two Canadian legislations (FIPPA & PIPA) that surround this topic. The two legislations surround the regulation of information and consent requirements. Reflecting on this topic now, I think that students and educators should be aware of these data ownership & licensing terms when dealing with social media or online networks.

Practice digital, networked, and open literacies in support of learning about social media and personalized learning

Throughout my wow and wonder posts this term, I have ensured that all of my articles are open literacies to support the learning of those that read my blog.  From this article, I learned that open literacies include content that is free and accessible for students and teachers. The need for open literacies stemmed from the open movement which identified the need for stronger collaboration and publication of work to favor flexibility in online classes. Congruent with this topic, Kayla discussed how the ability for sources to be open would allow her to have more time to explore new topics. In my Wow and Wonder Week 8, I discussed the adult learning theory which has influenced this author’s approach to include open literacies in online learning. Before this course, I did not know that personalized learning can be applied to adults just like it can be to kids. Reflecting on this topic, I appreciate the adult learning theory and will keep in mind the key points throughout my career. I can apply the learning theory when presenting PowerPoint slides to coworkers, which is something I most likely will do as I intend to work in the government.

I found that this week’s article really highlighted the course learning outcome: explain personalized learning and its relation to learning theory. What initially made me go ‘wow” after reading the article was the ways in which adult learning is different than child learning. This changed my thinking on the ways different age groups learn because I was always under the impression that the ways of teaching in university and adolescence were the same. When I transitioned from high school to university the courses and content were more difficult, but I did not find that we were taught using adult learning theory. According to the author of this week’s article, the principles for adult learning are the following: 1) adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their learning 2) experiences and mistakes provided the basis for learning activities 3) adults are the most interested in learning subjects that have immediate relevance to their job or personal life 4) adult learning is problem-centered rather than content-oriented. If these points are important for adult learning, which university students are infact adults, I wonder why adult learning theory is not really implemented? Throughout my degree I have not been involved in the evaluation of my learning, if I make a mistake I can’t easily evaluate my grade, most content I have learned did not have immediate relevance to my job or personal life, and my learning has been content-oriented.

After watching the two short films #tresdance and #Blaxites, I was confronted with the dangers that can come with our reliance on digital technologies. The more we rely on technology that is created and utilized by organizations that sell our data, the more detrimental it is to our society. What made me go “wow” after watching both films was how they both showed systemic marginalization. Both videos portray how the hegemonic system creates conditions where the Black women cannot succeed, and then offer them to be a trial in some new technology to gather more information on them. The new technology was marketed to them as helping their conditions when in reality it was just tightening the chains on their lives and freedom. Although I’m not sure if the point of the videos were to show systemic racism, I wonder if this was a deeper issue the authors were trying to weave in between the lines. The two movies changed my thinking on how much I should be relying on technologies such as “siri” who track your location and your voice. I have been attempting to lessen the amount of data that companies can gain off me such as turning my location off on many applications and not allowing them to track my data across apps. In a world where technology is evergrowing, is there a way we can lessen the impacts?