The Finale Wrap-Up – (Final Assessed Post)
And so it’s time for the blogging adventure to come to an end. The legacy lives on in the skills I have acquired during my exploration into the various topics proposed in this module. When I started this module, I was curious as to how such a learning experience could be implemented solely online. The result has been a thoroughly enjoyable virtual community of fellow bloggers, debating the big questions regarding online usage and identity. Until now I had never blogged before, let alone used it to complete a university module!
The experience has been a novel one, and one that distances itself from the conventions of ordinary university teaching methods. The blogs we have created have allowed us to learn from each other, sharing our ideas and findings to further ones understanding. Collective learning has undoubtedly helped to improve my competence with the various skills associated with online networking, security and identity. The self-test I completed at the beginning and end of this module demonstrates this progress:
In Topic 1, the first blog discussions enhanced my understanding of the concept of the digital ‘resident’ and ‘visitor’. Before this module, I thought I was a competent resident, however I now believe I have developed an even greater understanding of my own online presence and security.
Topics 2 and 3 encouraged me to consider my own online presence in greater depth. As a student who will be graduating in two months, I was inspired to create a LinkedIn profile (an ongoing work in progress). This is so that my professional presence online is as positive and accessible to employers as possible.
The screenshot of the suited-and-booted LinkedIn profile shows that it is almost complete, however a profile is always evolving with new jobs, achievements and connections. I have updated the profile to show my previous experience, however I have yet to add my achievements and responsibilities in each job. I have also chosen to join my old school/college’s alumni group on LinkedIn, so that I can improve my networks and seek new work opportunities.
The next process is to ‘spring clean’ my online presence, by removing or clearing up old profiles, posts and media. For example, I have begun following potential future employers, businesses and organisations on Twitter, so that I can follow the industries closely. I still have work to do in professionalising my Twitter account. As discussed in Topic 3, old Bebo profiles and posts should not appear on Google search results, higher than professional profiles like LinkedIn or Twitter. Additionally, as someone with a genuinely unique, artificial surname from
my family’s foreign origins, I have had to be particularly careful about where my full name appears online. For this reason I have chosen not to use my surname on all of my online profiles, as this allows me to take some control of my privacy. Inconspicuous usernames are also proving useful.
As a final note, the topic which has had the greatest impact on my online professional profile, is the debate regarding multiple online identities. The next immediate step for me, is to create an AboutMe page with all my identities in one location. This is to help employers find the relevant information about me, as well as promote my professional online presence.
It’s been a pleasure writing these blog posts, and I take with me many important lessons and thoughts from my own research, as well as those from the other module bloggers.
Word Count: 571
