This semester is coming to a close and now that I reflect back on it, I’ve come to realize how much I have learned about social media!
One of the main things I had to do was build up my personal learning network! This project encouraged me to take my learning outside of class and learn about the world of social media on my own.
As I developed my personal learning network, I added experts that specifically provided information that helped me develop my training session for the Foundation for the Education of Young Women Alumnae Network. The PLN helped me stay continuously updated with information from experts that pertained to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
It was such beneficial too because I learned things about social media that I did not know before. Some of those things were learning how twitter works and receiving advice from individuals such as Kim Morrison, a marketing and social media specialist. I learned about the importance of lists and how to engage your audience.
Even though the semester is over, I definitely see myself building a personal learning network for a different project. Since I now know what a PLN entails and how to effectively create one, I will definitely be continuing my network outside of school.
You might be wondering how I’m going to do this? Well to be specific, I’m interested in working in the non-profit sector. As my years here at St. Edward’s University continue and I develop my work experience through internships, I’ll be adding experts in my job field-which is Social Work-to my personal learning network. My PLN will help me stay updated on what is going on in my career field and skills needed to be successful!
Also, a project I’m super excited about is one with an individual that wants to create a clothing line that is specifically targeting a particular audience. One way I now know how to help them effectively is by creating a PLN for them. It is their first time creating a clothing line, and having a PLN will definitely be beneficial to them!
Lastly, having to work with a real world client was a crucial part in actually putting into play my PLN. I saw how effective my PLN actually was and it helped make the research process a lot easier when it came down to finding material that my client needed. Having to build a workshop with a team was a great learning experience. It gave us all the opportunity to bounce off ideas one another, and I definitely learned things that I wouldn’t have otherwise!