Author Archives: Julian Elorduy

I find it oddly comforting that if I want to discover information about a person, I can find a lot of it online. As a more introverted person with an innate curiosity of other people, the web provides as a wonderful means of attaining information and doing some people watching via the comfort of my own home. And I do not think I am alone. In many levels of interaction within society, we are compelled to google those people, with whom, we are fascinated. Whether it be a love interest, a colleague or a new friend, we tend to want to know all that we can know about that person. I am not sure this is fair, but it is the nature of our world. Fortunately or unfortunately, a great deal of information can be found in the world about virtually anyone. It is at once comforting and disturbing. But how comfortable should we be with the knowledge that anything that is written about us or content that is created by us can be found online? The internet is not a playground where we are immune from impunity, especially for those of us whose professional lives dwell online and in person.

As for my own digital footprint, there is a legacy of photos, videos and music that I have created since I was 19 or 20. I have been a part of indie, lo-fi music making for over a decade now. It has been a passion that I have carefully balanced with work and school. I believe that it adds a layer to my personality and life-experience and I do not regret it one bit. I only perhaps wish that I had had more time to devote to it more fully. Regardless, when you search for my name the first 4 or 5 results are related to my music. And that is ok! I love making music and I am not ashamed or embarrassed. It is a historical record of my time as a young person and I still continue to make music to this day. I look forward to, however, advancing my professional online presence and developing a digital footprint that will help me succeed in the future as a Religious Studies instructor and an Education Technologist.

1. Google Your Name Regularly (Kujawski, 2012)

Google is a top resource for all people on the internet. It is common knowledge that any potential employer, student or colleague may Google your name and find out anything they can about you. At my new school last year, I was embarrassed by students walking past me giggling and not understanding the nature of their extra attention towards me. It turns out they had found a couple of music videos that I had made for a band I was in several years ago. Luckily, there wasn’t anything inappropriate in the video and it was made in good fun. You might even call it art! However, it is a jarring wake-up call to realize that everything that I have ever left on the internet can be found by my students. Even the office staff confessed to having watched the videos I made. While this is was a relatively innocuous event, it made me very cautious of everything I put on the internet.

2. If Your Cant’t Find It on Google, It Might As Well Not Exist. (Lowenthal, 2012)

Again, Google is a top resources, so if you have some evidence of a professional or personal accomplishment that cannot be found on Google it might as well not exist. Strange that you can be sure of your accomplishments, however, to the digital world “pics or it didn’t happen” is a real force behind the court of public opinion. Be sure that your past employment, blog posts and any special awards or moments of recognition are documented and available online. I am seeing now how it would also be important to document your slideshows by posting them to SlideShare with relevant tags and posting your most accomplished projects and written works to a blog or personal website.

3. Create and Control Your Online “Unique Value Position”  (Kujawski, 2012)

I especially like this tip, because it relates deeply to what we have already learned in this class and to later tips in this list. Your “Unique Value Position” relates the Neo-Liberal or Branded Self (discussed below). It is that position which can be monetized. Who am I? What professional skills do I offer? In this class, we have discussed the importance of social networking in professional develop in CoPs and PLNs. Your UVP is your ability to produce content or teach skills that can be of value to others. This is especially important for the 21st century and professionals of all over the world. We have to be our own advocate and occasionally toot our own horn, so to speak.

4. Don’t Share What Do You Don’t Want Your Grandmother to See (Koekemoer, 2012)

This is a golden rule for sure. At this point in our professional careers we are most likely mature enough to realize that our private lives and professional lives too often overlap. And our pictures from our early twenties can haunt us for a long time. Take control of what you post and who can see it. Old albums of photos on Facebook need to be hidden or deleted. Keep yourself safe and protected. Not everything that we do needs to be known by our employers or prospective employers.

5. Be Consistent (Koekemoer, 2012)

Creating an online brand is difficult and challenging. What is more frustrating about the deluge of content on the internet is that if you are inconsistent about your digital presence, your audience will turned off your feed and eventually your content will fall to the bottom of their feeds. One must not become obsolete or irrelevant by  failing to keep up with their digital presence. This is a challenge for me as I tend to be a dreamer and planner, and start many things without following them through to fruition. I look forward to challenging myself to post at least 1-2 blog posts outside of what is required for this class per week.

6. Create and Keep Current Your LinkedIn Account (Hacker, 2011)

If you have been paying attention to the purchase of LinkedIn by Microsoft, you may have read the lofty goals the company has set for itself in terms of professional networking. If you wish to establish a UVP, LinkedIn may be on of the best places to reach an audience of colleagues and potential employers. It has also been a great place to link creative content from your professional career. It is important to keep this information fresh and up to date even if you are employed and comfortable in your current position.  Be sure to think about the potential benefits to having a competitive LinkedIn account in your field. It also makes your employer proud to call you a member of their team and reassures them of your value within their company. I would imagine that it could also constitute bargaining potential salary negotiations.

7. Blog Before Publishing (Lowenthal, 2012)

At this point in our career (speaking to students in the Masters program at Boise State), we may not be concerned with publishing. So I believe the advice set forth in the article by Professor Lowenthal is important. We should be our own advocate, publishing our own work on our blogs and keeping ourselves relevant. It is possible that one day our blog could be supported by larger sites that could connect you with a larger audience. This would be a great boon to your career and not inconceivable.

8. The Divide Between Online and Off-line is Hazy and Possibly Irrelevant (Levine, 2012) (Jurgenson, 2011)

Digital dualism is not a thing anymore. What we say and do online can have effects on our day-to-day lives and certainly our livelihood. This is true for students and for educators. Our digital presence is an extension of our organic reality. As Jurgenson states, “We are not crossing in and out of separate digital and physical realities, ala The Matrix, but instead live in one reality, one that is augmented by atoms and bits.” This is a powerful concept. While I think that The Matrix has more to do with denial inducing power structures within our organic and digital realities, the idea that our lives are organic and digital all at once requires a lot of pondering. If this is true, then there is an issue of equality that deserves attention as a large number of people either have limited network access and many people are limited in their understand of the language of networking and computing. This must all be address in the coming years along with other issues affecting society.

9. Be Aware of the 6 Key Public Selves (Stewart, 2012)

Is anyone feeling like they have a split personality disorder after reading this? Well listen to this. According Bonnie Stewart, she has identified 6 Key Public Selves: the performative, quantified, participatory, polysocial or augmented reality self and the neo-liberal branded self. I am not certain that these need to be separated into so many different categories. But I do recognize that they exist within the phenomenon of the networked self. Certain aspects of this “augmented reality” are down right narcissistic. For example, the quantified self refers to one’s capacity to maximize likes or social media “klout.” And I agree that the performative, public nature of the networked self does create a competitiveness that is interesting to analyze. In trying to gain a following, I am curious how often the filter of self-consciousness diminishes the authenticity of one’s digital persona. Not to mention how the quest for likes may create an appeal to popularity sort of mania.

As with all change, development or revolution there are cost and benefits. Let’s look at the asynchronous self.  I truly appreciate this quality of the social network. Direct messages from my mother when she knows I am on FB because of the green circle that appears by my name creates an anxiety that is very distracting from my workflow. I know this is selfish, but wouldn’t it be nice if she just collected all of her little anecdotes about her dogs and my dad and gave me a weekly update via email? If only! Such communication along with telephone calls are frustrating because they can disrupt your work patterns. I am sure that generations before us would read such things with baffled amusement. How can we neglect our loved ones in real-time to meet or deadlines  or correspond with colleague via the online network asynchronously?  Well, when my mother sees that I am online on FaceBook, she assumes I must  be free to chat, because, for her, Facebook is a source entertainment during her leisure time. To us, it is a tool for our professional development.  The asynchronous self assumes that I do not have to be ‘live’ on the network to still participate or be active. Finally, the branded self is the aspect of our online identity that seeks to monetize ourselves. It requires us to find our niche. I am planning to make a goal in the next year to create a consistent web presence focused on the skills that I am developing in the classroom and the qualities of my networked self that I am developing in the EdTech program.

10. Proactively Protect Your Social Map (Clark, 2014)

Our social map can be very useful. It can be empowering and it can damning. I have lost friends based on social-political discussions. I have alienated friends because of my profession (teaching at a Catholic School). My social map is a valuable learning conduit from which I can gain a unique perspective about the world through my connections. However, I can also make public aspects of my identity which may not be relevant or necessary for the world to see. Accordingly, if I am careless with my social map and the connection I make, it can have dire consequences for my future and the legacy I leave behind in the digital world which will most likely outlive me.

References:

Clark, M. (2014, July 24). Digital footprints | Michelle Clark | TEDxHollywood. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlGyTp4Nd4M

Hacker, P. (2011, February 14). Creating your web presence. Retrieved June 18, 2016, from http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/creating-your-web-presence-a-primer-for-academics/30458

Juregneson, N. (2011, February 24). Digital dualism versus augmented reality. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from https://thesocietypages.org/cyborgology/2011/02/24/digital-dualism-versus-augmented-reality/

Koekemoer, A. (2012, April 8). Your digital footprint in a social media world. Retrieved June 18, 2016, from http://www.slideshare.net/AntonRSA/your-digital-footprint-in-a-social-media-world

Kujawski, M. (2012, May 17). Managing your personal digital footprint. Retrieved June 18, 2016, from http://www.slideshare.net/mikekujawski/tools-and-tips-for-managing-your-personal-digital-footprint

Levine, A. (2012, March 21). We, our digital selves, and us. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from https://youtu.be/9ziS3mpjgvI

Lowethal, P. .. (2012, January 5). Intentional web presence: 10 seo strategies every Academic needs to know. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from http://er.educause.edu/articles/2012/6/intentional-web-presence-10-seo-strategies-every-academic-needs-to-know

Stewart, B. (2012, May 6). Digital identities: six key selves. Retrieved June 19, 2016, from http://theory.cribchronicles.com/2012/05/06/digital-identities-six-key-selves/

As a blog post, include a summary of (1) what hashtags you follow; (2) three new things, resources, ideas you learned by following them; and (3) your thoughts about about using Twitter as a form of just-in-time professional development. Post a link to your blog in our Facebook page and in the corresponding grading “dropbox.”

I had never heard of a Tweetdeck prior to EdTech543. I am very excited to start using this as it organize some of my favorite feeds into one place. I currently follow #EdTechSN. I found this article re-tweeted by our professor on the psychology of “Likes” in teenagers. Very interesting read with a great hook, “move over sex drugs and rock’n’roll.”  Considering that we are seeing a increase in millennials that are more concerned with staying at home, I can understand how reassurance on social media can replace or nearly replace social interaction, partying or other sorts of rewards typically sought by the teenage set. The 1950s saw a sexual-cultural revolution that continues to this day that was communicated through music. Teenage culture of old hasn’t been replaced, but is communicated and measured through social media.

I am also following #iPadEd, because our school is a 1:1 iPad byod school. To be honest, I do not see many resources here that I will use. So I may replace this hashtag with another. Perhaps I will be inspired by my cohorts’ decks. I did, however, find a link to this EdTech blog by Monica A. Burns. It has many great resources in EdTech and the quality of her blog is very inspiring. On her blog she mentions an app called, Over. It look to be a great design tool that is easy to use.

More on using twitter for personal development later!

Communities of Practice  according Etienne Wenger have a recognizable life cycle, which passes through the stages of planning, start-up, growth, renewal and closure (Wenger, 2002.). Like this piece, there is a definite start and finish. There is also a theme that is developed throughout the piece. As the piece becomes more complicated the original theme is always present, however, the effect of arpeggiation creates degrees of separation between notes within a certain scale.

At one point the music becomes chaotic. This is purposeful and relates to the idea that connectivism draws on chaos, self-regulated learning and a “cross-polinating” learning environment (Siemens, 2004).  The music reaches a point of critcal mass at the end eventually calming down to a simpler version of its most intense self and fading out at the end.

Given that these theories build upon each other, I hope that it would become clear how this piece relates to a PLN. I really like this image from a former student in EdTech 543 and I hope that it is alright that I use it to further my explanation.

If you were to use this image describing concentric groupings of people within a certain network and apply it to notes on a scale. The core melody or what I have been calling the theme is the PLN. As time progresses, connections between these notes and other notes, chords or rhythms become the more complex as peripheral groups form around the center, as shown in this image. Imagine raindrops on a body of water as it begins to rain. The rain starts with a couple drops here and there, which would represent PLNs. As the rain intensifies, each drop or note and its resulting ripple create many overlapping ripples spreading out forever until the intensity of the ripples dies. Eventually this rain will cease, but the water (knowledge) left behind will remain there until another effect acts on that body of water (knowledge).

Phoenix, R. (2015). Connectivism, PLNs, CoPs – in a few words. Retrieved June 12, 2016, from http://edtech.reneephoenix.com/creative_express/

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved June 12, 2016 from www.elearnspace.org/Articles/connectivism.htm

Wenger, E., McDermott, R. A., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice: A guide to managing knowledge. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.

This term of course has been a wonderful experience. While, I currently do not specialize in Education Technology, I have been working in schools for the past 8 years that have placed technology as a focus of their curriculum. Therefore, I find that the coursework has been greatly helpful in advancing my learning experiences to further address the needs of my students’ education. I look forward to continuing the journey and I hope to have Instructor Saba again in the future.

What challenges did you face in this course? 

This year presented many changes. My biggest priority was developing a challenging curriculum that suits the characteristics and academic needs of my students. This being my first year at a new school teaching a new subject matter, I had to do a lot of work to prepare myself for class each week as well as keep on top of my assignments for the EdTech program. I did not find the assignments excessively challenging and I know if I had had the luxury on only focusing on these projects, I could have done better. However, we take on as much or more than we can handle as a part of our adult life and I still found time to pick up the guitar and spend time with my new wife whom I love very much.

What strategies or other creative resources did you use to address these challenges?

I, thankfully, have Tuesday afternoons to spend in what is called the Learning Commons at my school. It is a place for students to spend their time quietly studying after school. It also gave me a quiet place to study as well. This was a special time for me to get to know some other students after school and to dedicate myself to my Boise State assignments each week. The MyMoodle portal was a great resource for getting me organized and helping me see due dates as they approached.
Which artifact do you feel was your best and why?

My best artifact for this course is Tech Trends: Musical Composition . This was also the first time in my entire life as a student that I sent my work to my professor to get feedback prior to turning it in. I feel like this was a huge boon to be as a study skill and I wish I would have picked it up a long time ago. As for the artifact, I very much enjoy music. It is one of my passions and I love finding opportunities to incorporate it into my curriculum. Professor Saba was very helpful in finding creative ways to bolster my lesson plan and I look forward to using that kind of creativity again in the future. 

What is one thing you plan to do in your school or business as a result of this course?

I plan to incorporate Learning Logs into my class curriculum for my Sophomore Theology class. I have already started using them with my students and they are an excellent way for students to see what they have been working on throughout the school year. And, it is also a wonderful way to show my administrators and department chairs what I have been doing in class students with my all year.

Education Technology is one of the most amazing aspects of the teaching field. It is constantly changing and it is driving the development of the classroom practices around the modern world. I look forward to discovering new opportunities to use technology in my own classroom, but ultimately I would like to pursue designing policy for technology administration at a school-wide or district level.

The graphic above, expresses the definition of Education Technology described in the text, but also incorporates on several visuals that I think are appropriate. The first is a linear graph showing the progress of classroom related technology over the last 60 years. Including the statistic, which may be dated now, that over 2300 school districts are using iPads in the classroom. The adoption of education related technology in schools is creating a demand for Education Technology specialization, which is why we are here studying this topic. The next graphic shows two hemispheres of the brain  indicating the potential for technology to integrate engagement with artistic creativity and quantitative analysis. Lastly, the triangle and circle image indicate the level of interaction between three key components on Education and Technology indicated by the text, management, usage and creation. These three elements work together to form the primary functions and aspects of Education Technology in the classroom and in school districts today.

I created his graphic using Venngage. This tool was very helpful, though I had never used it before.