Reflect on Digital Technologies and Identity:
Digital technologies are changing how we see ourselves and our communities in education in many different ways. We are able to create an image we want people to see. We only have to post and make public what we choose to and can meticulously create our profiles which gives us the ability to change and adapt our image overtime. Through social media people can choose to either be anonymous or known which can influence how they interact with others online based on if people know who they are or not. On social media people are exposed to a lot of different perspectives than what they would be in their daily lives. This creates a diverse interaction and conversation between others. As talked about highly is our digital footprint and how it follows us throughout our lives no matter if we delete something. Interacting with communities in education has changed as we can interact with anyone around the world through our social media platforms which creates global connectivity. We are able to have a blended learning environment and collaborative learning in education which enhances our knowledge by interacting with many people around the world. I can relate to this as I have been able to experience some online classes where my classmates were located in many different places and we were able to collaborate and interact with one another.
Digital Platforms in Education:
Using different digital tools and platforms keeps me engaged and helps me learn digital skills by allowing me to explore platforms in different ways to help me enhance my learning. A lot of digital platforms allow you to physically interact with them and others using the same feature. A digital tool I use frequently and really enjoy using is Canva. I have used canva for many different reasons including, flyers for work, advertisements, computer/phone backgrounds, and posters. This digital tool is so much fun and allows me to expand my marketing and editing skills. Down below is an example of a project for my photography class in which I used Canva to help me create. A common digital tool we are all using is an online learning platform to further ourselves in our education journey. We also have apps like Photomath which I used in highschool so it could help me break down a math problem so I could understand how to do it and be more successful at my next attempt.
Here is access to my whole virtual photo book using Canva:
Instructor and Social Presence in Online Learning:
It is very important for instructors to be present and social in online classes because it enhances classmates’ engagement in the content they are learning and creates a community. It is also really important for students to have support as they are completing the class on their own time through an online system. The students need to have someone they can reach out to to ask questions and for guidance on many different things. If the instructor is the one implementing themselves in the class and putting in the extra effort to have a relationship with their students and being supportive in their learning students would be more eager to reach out for help. Strategies teachers could use to improve their social presence is going the extra mile and checking in with each student individually. However, that is difficult when there are so many students so reaching out on a regular basis through the classroom is another way to effectively stay engaged and make sure they are there for their students. As well as, putting the option out there for zoom calls and meetings just for some extra guidance. Having an interactive instructor impacts students’ engagement and learning by motivating them and them finding the material more interesting. Having interactions with teachers and classmates will make it feel more like an actual class and less like a forced learning environment that is stale and boring.
