Thinking Out Loud 2012, Undergraduate Research ConferenceYork St John University

Digital Connectedness: Taking Ownership of Your Professional Online Presence

Sue Beckingham

A social network is a social structure made up of a set of actors (such as individuals or organizations) and 

the dyadic ties (interaction) between these actors. 

Why networks matter

“Power does not reside ininstitutions, not even the state or

large corporations. It is located in the networks that structure society . . .” 

Manuel Castells

Busy Connected NetworkStructures

What Happens In An Internet Minute?

Network benefits

Access to information, knowledge and experience.

The goal in a network is to make all the experience, skills and knowledge – tacit or explicit – available to anyone at the point

of needAnklam 2007

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) RSA Animate - Changing Education Paradigms

Think for a moment about

• your connections

• what you share with others

• and why....

Hold those thoughts

Communication Spectrum

• Collaborating• Moderating• Negotiating• Debating• Commenting• Net meeting, Skyping, 

Video Conferencing• Reviewing• Questioning

• Replying• Posting and Blogging• Networking• Contributing• Chatting• E-mailing• Twittering/microblogging• Instant Messaging• Texting

Churches, A. (2009) Blooms Revised Digital Taxonomyhttp://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy

Your personal choice of toolsSolis and Thom

as (2009) htt

p://ww

w.theconversationprism

.com

Your personal level of involvement

• Creators• Conversationalists• Critics• Collectors• Joiners• Spectators• Inactives

Online connectedness

• Enables and provides support for learning• Can increase the effectiveness of learning• Can increase access to learning. • Allows people to connect with each other in 

spite of geographical distances• Provides a forum and permission to participate• Complements face to face communication 

Adapted from George Siemens http://www.elearnspace.org

Consider how you

might use your network

• making professional

connections

• engaging with a wider

audience

• listening, producing

and sharing

• using the most relevant

social media tool for

the task in hand

• developing a

professional digital

identity

We live in a world of mobile, social and always-on media

1. Attention2. Crap detection3. Participation4. Collaboration5. Network know-how. 

Howard Rheingold, 2012Net Smart: How to Thrive Online 

More than ever before, humans need to teach and learn from each other about human-centric 

ways to use new tools. One important step that people can take is to 

become more adept at five essential literacies:

Clay Shirky argues that“It is not information overload,

it is filter failure”

Information need Critical evaluation Selection

<< Smarter collaborative filtering

Useful information

New Skills

  

Virtual collaboration - Ability to work productively, drive engagement and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team. 

Future Work Skills 2020

New-media literacy - Ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new media forms, and to leverage these media for persuasive communications.

The potential to develop global connections

Learner 2.0• Operate within decentralised and 

deliberately formed networks of tools, resources and people

• Established through contributions to blogs, tweets/tweeting via Twitter; sharing slides (Slideshare) etc

• Crowdsource ideas, active/passive social search e.g. for research or assessment

• Importantly it is both personal and collaborative

Source: David Hopkins, 2009, University of Bournemouth http://www.dontwasteyourtime.co.uk @hopkinsdavid

http://socialmedia4us.wordpress.com/

Graduate Attributes

‘Our country will need different kinds of student experiences to enable its

graduates to contribute to the world of the future’.

Prof. Paul Ramsden,

JISC Student Experiences of Technology: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/campaigns/studentexperiences.aspx

However....Unlike 

footprints in the sand your 

digital footprints are permanent

How will your digital shadows from your past impact on your future?

Raise your privacy settings on Facebook  Don’t disclose personal informationBe careful what you share and who you share it with

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach 

your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the 

door to personal excellence. 

Confucius

Digital Connectedness: Taking Ownership of Your Professional Online Presence

Developing pathways to connectedness essentially commences with family and friends, but over time new connections outside of these circles begin to form ever increasing and interlinking 

circles. These informal and formal networks have the potential to help you unlock new doors to new opportunities. Social media can without doubt provide excellent communication 

channels and a space to develop your network of connections.  Nonetheless as your online presence expands it leaves behind both digital footprints and digital shadows; and this needs to 

be given due consideration. This  keynote will look at the value of developing a professional online presence and why as future 

graduates you need to take ownership of this. 

http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/ltd/ltd/student-engagement/undergraduate-research-confere.aspx

Sue Beckingham@suebecks

Sheffield Hallam University