Digital Identity and Professional Learning Networks
As a computer science student interested in cybersecurity, I already use different online platforms for different purposes. I use GitHub to upload projects and code, while LinkedIn is mainly where I keep my education, experience, certifications, and professional interests. Before going through this week’s material, I never really thought about these platforms as part of my digital identity. I mostly saw them as tools for school, projects, and finding jobs.
Jawed et al. (2019) explain that a professional digital identity can develop through the way we present ourselves and interact online. This made me think more about how platforms such as GitHub and LinkedIn can affect how other people see me professionally. For example, if an employer looks at my GitHub, they can see some of the projects I have worked on instead of only reading about my skills on a resume. They may be able to see what programming languages I use, how I document my work, and the types of areas I am interested in.
LinkedIn is also important because it does more than display my experience. It can also help me connect with people working in cybersecurity and learn from what they share. This connects to the idea of a Personal Learning Network. Gutierrez (2016) explains that a PLN can include different groups of people we learn from, including friends, people with similar interests, and professionals or experts.
For me, a professional learning network could include classmates, professors, cybersecurity professionals on LinkedIn, developers on GitHub, technical YouTube channels, and online cybersecurity communities. What stood out to me is that building a network does not only mean adding people or trying to find a job. It can also mean following people in areas I am interested in, looking at how others approach projects, and learning from the resources they share.
Overall, this week made me think more about how my digital identity and professional network are connected. As I get closer to graduating, I want to be more intentional about the way I use LinkedIn and GitHub and how they represent my interests and skills.
What platforms have been the most useful for building your professional learning network?
References
Gutierrez, K. (2016). What are personal learning networks? SHIFT eLearning. https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/personal-learning-networks
Jawed, S., Mahboob, U., & Yasmeen, R. (2019). Digital professional identity: Dear Internet! Who am I? Education for Health, 32(1), 33–35.