Category: Blog Posts

Photo by seanlockephotography

My third blog post will talk about some topics that we learned in Module 3 in EDC 338. These include PLN spaces, privacy and ethics online, inclusivity and UDL in PLNs and diversity in digital learning.

PLN Spaces Through Social Media

A Personal Learning Network (PLN) is a network of connections that supports your personal and professional growth. Research shows PLNs give you instant peer feedback, exposure to diverse viewpoints, and “just‑in‑time” resources that traditional LMS forums rarely match (Edutopia, 2019). Having a specific PLN space allows me to stay up-to-date with new updates and information that I would otherwise miss without being on social media. I use several social media platforms to build up my PLN space that is tailored to my academic and career needs.

Privacy, Ethics, and Security in Digital Spaces

Photo by Allistair

Privacy, ethics and security are interconnected concepts that allow us to utilize the potential that social media holds while also staying safe and respectful online. I always keep my accounts on social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat on private. For digital spaces like Reddit and X, I use an alias username. I ensure that I always have Two-Factor Authentification turned on so that none of my accounts get hacked.  I also make sure to not share any private information online on any accounts like my address or banking details. I ensure that I have my location turned off at all times. For responding to comments and sharing my opinions online, I double check to prevent the usage of any ignorant language and words that might upset other users. I These practices follow Aliakbari, Barzan, and Maadikhah’s (2025) finding that transparent policies and privacy‑enhancing technologies—when paired with respectful user behavior—are critical for building secure, trustworthy learning spaces where people feel safe to participate and share ideas.

Inclusivity and UDL in PLNs

Challenges and Importance of Diversity in Digital Learning

Diversity in digital learning matters because it widens the intellectual lens. When courses bring in different cultures, languages, and ways of doing things, students see new ways to solve problems, question their own biases, and feel like they really belong. Diversity in digital learning can be promoted by designing content that offers multiple formats—text, audio, and video—so learners with different abilities and preferences can access material equitably.

Asif Sadiq’s TEDx talk, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Learning How to Get It Right, really hits home that being inclusive isn’t just about ticking boxes – it’s about really listening to those who aren’t always heard and knocking down the barriers in their way.

To ensure diversity in my PLN, I try to follow a new and niche creator or educator every week to make sure all opinions are absorbed. I also try to be friends with people from different walks of life to see the world in their perspective as well.

References

Edutopia. (2019, April 2). Using social media to build a personal learning network. https://www.edutopia.org/article/using-social-media-build-personal-learning-network

Aliakbari, M., Barzan, P., & Maadikhah, M. M. (2025). Privacy issues in online learning: A review of literature and suggestions for further research. Language, Identity and the Digital Realm, 1(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.22034/lidr.2025.722877

CAST. (2025). The UDL guidelines (Version 3.0). Center for Applied Special Technology. https://udlguidelines.cast.org/

In this blog post, I am going to go over some of the topics I learned in Module 2 of EDCI 338.

Digital Identity: Personal v/s Professional

Digital identity is the version of yourself that you show on online platforms. In real life, we have different identities for different avenues of our life like work, social circles etc. It works the same way online as well. I think of my digital identity as multiple layers. Some layers are only shown on my close friends story, others on my Instagram posts and some on my Linkedin account. It is extremely important for me to keep my digital identities separate as I only want certain people to see certain sides of me. I think of my digital space online as divided into two parts: Personal and Professional or Academic.

Some steps that I take to separate my digital identities seamlessly are:

1. Keeping my ‘Personal Spaces’ accounts private
2. Using my nickname on Personal accounts and full name on Professional accounts
3. Using a professional headshot on my Linkedin
4. Never adding colleagues and co-workers to my personal accounts

Digital Visitor and Resident Map

Digital visitors treat the web like a set of tools: they pop in, complete a task, leave little trace, and rarely worry about self‑presentation. They do not have a very public identity on the sites they visit. Digital residents inhabit spaces online: they maintain profiles, build relationships, leave data trails, and care about how they are perceived.

Below I have attached my Visitor and Resident Map based on my social activity:

Copy of Digital Visitor and Resident Map

What I interpreted from my digital map:

• I have a very private social identity. I am a Personal x Visitor on the sites that I spend my most time on.
• Professionally, I am only visible on my Linkedin account and this blog. Other spaces where I work professionally have a private identity,
• I am a Personal x Resident on some sites like Reddit and Facebook which I sometimes use for browsing and posting about my interests, and not my social life.

In the future, I see myself adding in a few more social spaces where I build my professional identity online. I see myself spending more time creating blogs and spending less time on photo-apps like Instagram and Snapchat.

Theories of Personalized Learning

Personalized learning is a style of learning that adapts to you- your pace, interests and study goals. I use a mix of constructivist (learn by actively building knowledge) and self‑directed (set goals, choose resources, evaluate progress) approaches that help me study smarter—not just longer.

Constructivist Moves I Use

• Start with what I already know before lectures.
• Work with classmates—hearing others views deepens understanding.
• Use examples from my life to help me memorize concepts
• Build artifacts: Quizlet decks, Notion tables, mini‑explainers I could teach someone else.

Self‑Directed Learning Cycle I’m Practicing

• Readiness check: How much time do I actually have this week? 
• Set mini‑goals: “Finish Blog 2 by the weekend” 
• Evaluate: Did I meet the goal? If not, what blocked me?
  

Privacy, Surveillance, and Digital Footprint Awareness

From my line in Post 1- The internet remembers. That’s because every click, upload, or account creates data traces. Even when we delete things, cached copies, screenshots, or third‑party archives can persist. This is why it is important to be intentional and careful with your activity online as every single move adds to your digital footprint.

I keep all my personal accounts private and sometimes search up my name on Google to see what shows up. From there, I remove posts that I do not want on the internet or change my privacy settings likewise. I also make sure to review if any of my passwords have been included in a data breach and then modify them as soon as I can.  Another thing that I am cautious about is my location. I do not let any extra apps or websites access my location unless needed. I also don’t post my location on my private accounts in real-time.

Here is an interesting article I found from Harvard that talks about how to secure your digital footprint:
https://college.harvard.edu/guides/proactive-steps-secure-your-digital-footprint

Additional Resources

“The Future of AI in Education: Personalized Learning Explained ”

This 8 minute video that I have linked below talks more about how personalized‑learning theory and will let you see how it works in action.

References

Aratek. (2023, May 30). Real identity vs. digital identity  [Illustration]. Aratek. https://www.aratek.co/news/digital-identity-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters-in-todays-world aratek.co

Harvard College. (n.d.). Proactive steps to secure your digital footprint. Harvard University. Retrieved July 21, 2025. https://college.harvard.edu/guides/proactive-steps-secure-your-digital-footprint