Category: Peer Responses

Hi Mitsu!

Thank you for your post! I found your table very easy to understand the steps we can take to stay safe. I really like that you emphasized the 2 factor authentication and backed it up with a credible source. This is a great way of strengthening a point and I found that statistic to be very impressive! Your section on ethics was strong as well. Your point about respecting others is a great foundation as people often act completely different online than they would in the real world and this can cause emotional harm for many. I am wondering if you could have provided some examples of respectful behaviour online? What are some key points of respect that people can focus on in digital spaces? I can see that you mentioned a few online sources such as AP news and Reuters. I am unfamiliar with these sources so perhaps you could have incorporated a section explaining what digital platforms you use to grow your PLN and how you use them? Overall, great job!

Link: https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/learningcurve/2025/07/27/3-digital-learning-and-personalized-learning-network/?unapproved=2&moderation-hash=114f5758310d94e233953c71cb140ff7#comment-2

Hi Melissa!

Thanks for sharing such an engaging post! I really like your section on inclusivity and UDL in PLNs. You used really great examples for each of the 3 portions which helped the concept come to life. I also liked that you tied in a reflection about growing up in a diverse country like Canada – I think it is important to consider and tie in social cultures/norms into the work we do. You also do a great job at sharing your experiences using social media for academic purposes which have also led you to make friends in your program. This shows how PLNs can foster professional and personal growth, often at the same time! I was wondering if there have been any barriers in using reddit and instagram for academic learning, such as credibility of sources?

Thanks again for sharing!

Bailey

Link: https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/melissaliaoedci338web/2025/07/29/blog-post-3/

Hi Ben!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts in an organized way! I enjoyed reading about how you have built your own personalized learning network using platforms including Reddit, LinkedIn and Youtube. Your explanation of how each platform supports your own learning style was clear and comprehensive. I like how you described subreddits as “small learning communities” as this emphasizes how learning is built on one another’s ideas, instead of an instructor-learner type of relationship. I also noticed that you have a deep understanding of how to apply the UDL framework and you provided detailed examples of how you did such. I appreciated your point about “nurturing joy and play” in learning as this highlights that digital spaces can be fun and using humour is an effective tactic to engage an audience. I always find content to be easier to digest when there is a creative twist. All of your sections were very thoughtful, however the one area I noticed could have used more detail and examples was the section on diversity. I wonder if you could give a specific example of a time where you felt it was especially important to gain information from different cultural backgrounds? Was it in a personal way or a professional way? Overall, all your posts have been very strong and thoughtful and I admire your writing style. Great work!

Bailey

Link: https://bvillares.opened.ca/digital-spaces-for-all-udls-diversity-and-inclusivity/

Hi Melissa!

Thanks for sharing! I appreciate how you are able to distinguish so clearly between professional and personal digital identity. I think that even just you recognizing that you feel like you don’t have anything worth sharing in a professional space is professional in itself! I also really like that you acknowledged under your resident map that your social media platform use varies depending on the time of year. I wonder if there is a creative way to display that on the map? Additionally, you make a great point that you need to use different passwords for different sites as so many people would be tempted to use the same one for various platforms for convenience/memory sake. How do you think teaching these kinds of habits could be implemented in education systems?

Thanks again for sharing!

Link: https://onlineacademiccommunity.uvic.ca/melissaliaoedci338web/2025/07/22/blog-post-2/

Hi Ben,

Thanks for sharing! Firstly, I really like the metaphor you used at the beginning with the coin example. This is a really strong way of getting readers to visualize what you are explaining. Also, you did a really great job with providing a variety of external resources, including videos, articles, and podcasts. I am wondering if perhaps a table comparing the self-directed learning versus constructivist learning would help organize information? I agree with what you said about doing projects on something you are interested in versus something you are not interested in. Finally, your resident map looks so great! It is cool that you included BC ferries, I wouldn’t have thought to include it even though I also use it so much!

Link: https://bvillares.opened.ca/navigating-my-digital-identity-reflecting-on-my-online-learning-experience/

Hi Melissa! Thank you for sharing! I really like your writing style – it is clear and engaging. It is true, there is so much misinformation out there so it is very important to ensure students are aware of this. I am happy that UVIC, especially in my major (Psychology), puts such an emphasis on using and relying on peer-reviewed research articles, as it is so easy to be captured by an engaging TikTok video, like you mentioned. You also made such a great point that people tend to be more ruthless in what they say online if they are anonymous. These hurtful comments can lead to long-term, irreversible consequences for some. Great selection for your feature picture as it is bright and eye-catching! However, perhaps a list or a table could be used to organize information and to break up the paragraphs? Other than that, I really enjoyed reading your post.

Link to Melissa’s blog post (unable to embed): My Reflections on Social Media and Digital Literacy

Hi Chelsey! Thank you for posting. That’s great that you could recognize that social media was impacting your life and make a change. I often do this too and while it is refreshing, it only lasts a short period of time typically. I really like that you included an external resource of Emma Chamberlain as she is really great at engaging her audience while being informative and wise. Also, like you mention, her long-form of content allows for a more comprehensive conversation, rather than short form content which can leave the mind quite fast. I appreciate you touching on the subject of AI, however, I wonder if diving into the pros of AI and how we can incorporate this tool safely into educational spaces would be beneficial?

Link to Chelsey’s post (unable to embed): Blog Post #1- Social Media, Personalized Learning, & Digital Literacy

Hi Ben!

Thank you for sharing your blog post! I really like that you acknowledged the fact that so many people view social media as a distraction, when in reality, it can be such a useful tool if used correctly. I also appreciate your stance on the fact that digital resources can really cut down time on tedious tasks and also act as supplementary tools for academic purposes. The amount of crash course videos I have watched is insane, but I truly do think they helped me understand course material more. I like that they are verbally informative and visually informative. It creates more opportunity for people of all different learning styles to gain information. I also really like the visual aesthetic of your website – how the blue contrasts with the black. Additionally, I appreciate you contrasting the good and the bad of social media being used for educational purposes. I am wondering if maybe a table laying out the pros and cons would be a good visual for this kind of comparison?

Link to Ben’s post (unable to embed): The Uprising of the Digital Age – My Experience in an Educational Setting – Social Media & Personalized Learning