Hi everyone! I’m Julia Hoang, a 3/4th year Computer Science student, and I’ll be graduating by the end of this summer.

Aside from my major, I’m really into learning about business. Instead of pursuing a Business minor, I find it much more fun to learn through YouTube, Instagram, and other online platforms. That’s why I’m excited about this course; I believe social media is an underrated learning tool that’s easily accessible to all of us and is here to grow. Big bonus: there are no exams or assignment deadlines 😬!

What interests you about social media and personalized learning?

In the past year, I’ve developed an interest in sales, marketing, business leadership, and personal development. I’ve discovered many educational influencers on Instagram and love the reels and short posts that deliver bite-sized, valuable lessons. I’ve found that social media can be a fantastic educational tool when we choose who to follow wisely.

As for personalized learning, I love the freedom of choice that comes with it. Learning is much more effortless and enjoyable when we focus on topics we’re genuinely interested in. That being said, we also shouldn’t just focus on what we enjoy; there’s also value in learning other topics. Being conscious of diversifying our personalized curriculum will help us become well-rounded.

How do you currently use digital tools in your learning or professional life?

I’m in Computer Science so I find most, if not all, of my tools are digital. One tool I have been utilizing often is ChatGPT, which has been invaluable in helping me grasp complex concepts, such as those in my current course, SENG 457 – Quantum Computing. Quantum Physics isn’t my forte, and ChatGPT excels at breaking down these concepts into easily understandable explanations. Sometimes, asking ChatGPT for a rephrasing of information alone can offer new insights that enhance my understanding.

What is your understanding of digital literacy and its importance in education?

I understand digital literacy as the ability to navigate vast online content, find necessary information, and create content for others. It’s also about figuring out what’s accurate so you don’t get misled. These skills are especially important in education now that everything’s moving online. Unlike physical books, which usually get fact-checked by reliable sources, digital content isn’t always as thoroughly checked. If you’re not good at digital literacy, you might end up falling behind in our increasingly digital world.

Describe any experiences you have with Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). How do you plan to develop and utilize your PLN through this course?

I think that I have a solid Personal Learning Network (PLN), utilizing various mediums such as:

• Instagram – Some of my favourite educational Instagram accounts to follow are Alex Hormozi, Leila Hormozi, and Ben Meer, to name a few.
• Email Newsletter – I subscribe to Ali Abdaal, Postanly Weekly, and James Clear.
• Medium.com for higher-quality articles
• Podcasts – not as often as I usually zone out and have to rewind ⏪
• Books – only if I have more free time.

Of course, I don’t consume all of the above content every day. During my busy school seasons (which is most of the time), I mainly engage with learning content through Instagram. Let’s be real – it’s more like I stumble upon them while scrolling through other posts 👀.

Through this course, I plan to learn from the top content creators how they provide quality content and leveraging social media to grow their audiences. I hope to discover more ways to grow my PLN as well.

Thanks for reading! I’m excited to dive deeper into the world of personalized learning and explore the vast potential of social media as an educational tool.

Until next time,

Julia