Link to Podcast: Integrating Digital Media into student learning and engagement podcast

The presented above podcast is mainly focused on what benefits and limitations are involved in using digital media to facilitate student learning and engagement. I refer to different articles, blogs, YouTube videos and case studies. The podcast is broadly discussing on major pros and cons of integrating digital media into school learning methodologies with a case study.

What is podcast about?

In this era, evolution of digital media has generated lots of opportunities for studies and educational sector to make it easy for student to access information easily and effectively. Digital media has a set a platform to make learning and engagement more interactive and exciting. It has brought a completely new way of teaching methods and techniques. Now a days, students of all ages are well-equipped with knowledge of using digital media. This adds a major advantage to make it  a part of education system. It has generated the capacity to endorse both active learning and collaboration. However, pros and cons always go hand in hand. There have been many writer who have advised digital media to be detrimental to introduce as a teaching and learning tool. People have been criticizing social media as a medium of exploitation for all age student as there are less preventive measure to stop them from being exposed to unnecessary content and negative element. . I have discussed both broadly in my podcast with a example case study. The podcast elaborate well onto how and to what extent digital media should be part of student learning and engagement.

My experience with podcasting –

In regards to challenges I faced while developing this podcast, first of all, I am more into writing than speaking. There’s something that happens when you press record. For me, no matter how many times I’ve rehearsed my talking points and how comfortable I feel talking with a one on one communication, my mind automatically blanks. As I am editing my podcast, I can hear how uncomfortable I am. I speak faster than I normally do and the nervous laughter followed by a second of dead air demonstrate this. I wanted my podcast to sound as organic and natural as possible so Dan and I did nothing to prepare except create a playlist. This brings me to the first lesson I have learned about podcasting: Preparation, Preparation, Preparation. Another struggle was to decide whether I should edit it with some more music effect. I tried several music available from creative common platform . however, as o have made my podcast with more informative and educational approach, adding music was not well fit.

Major challenge in undertaking this task was to create a good podcast as I never created one before. I went through several podcast examples on internet. They kind of helped me understand the structure, tonality and formation of it.

Thus, all in all, my overall experience with my first podcast has been very interesting and full of fun. I leant different and new ways to use social media to promote my personal content in future.

Reference:

Cannon, M author. 2018, Digital media in education : teaching, learning and literacy practices with young learners, Palgrave Macmillan, viewed 21 May 2019

Cinque, T & Brown, A 2015, Educating generation next: screen media use, digital competencies and tertiary education, Digital Culture & Education (DCE), viewed 21 May 2019

Reyna, J jorge. reyna@uts. edu. a. & Meier, P 2018, ‘Learner-Generated Digital Media (LGDM) as an Assessment Tool in Tertiary Science Education: A Review of Literature’, IAFOR Journal of Education, vol. 6, no. 3, pp. 93–109, viewed 21 May 2019

Weninger, C 2017, ‘The “vernacularization” of global education policy; media and digital literacy as twenty-first century skills in Singapore’, Asia Pacific Journal of Education , vol. 37, no. 4, pp. 500–516, viewed 22 May 2019

Wiriawan, 2014, Dream Classroom, Flickr, retrieved on 25 May 2019

Of course, creating a brand identity that really hits the mark means you need to tailor that identity to the specific audiences you seek to convert. This not only involves knowing the interests and preferences of audience, but also the medium via which they will be consuming your content.

As an ex-fashion Insta-blogger, I had faced difficulties in creating strong online identity. Even if I tried my best, somewhere there was issue with expected growth of my page. I gained quiet good response, but it was lacking unique online identity for my content.

Based on my experience, I have decided to develop my social media platform in such a way that evoke the style and content of my blog, and my brand’s visual identity is a big part of this ( Patrick, Lowenthal & Vanessa, 2017). To help myself nail down the right style for online presence, here are the key ingredients I have drawn to strengthen my online identity, extend its reach, and increase its impact on social media.

Distinctiveness

First and foremost, I will make sure that it is all about me. Everyone has their own quirks and habits, and so will my brand. Often, these can even serve as inspiration for my visual online identity. I created a unique logo (above picture) that can be used throughout my website, and social channels.

It is settled on a color scheme that reflects the personality of my brand. I have designed a layout for my content that can be used throughout my blog, creating a sense of coherence and consistency ( Andres, 2002 ).

Consistency

This will help me to build familiarity and trust with my audience, which in turn makes them far more likely to visit my website, seek out my content, and invest in my products or services. I used to intermittent in posting content which was a big mistake on losing out strong relation with my followers.

Being consistent will help to foster a more streamlined experience for my audience and will tie my content together across multiple channels.

Diversity

The successful bloggers are able to maintain a strong identity across a range of platforms, and numerous types of content.

With this aim in mind, I will give my blog website an extra edge by branching out into many different forms of content, either to share via your blog, or even to extend my reach to other channels.

Never underestimate the power of video. I am definitely going to introduce video feature onto my sharing platforms. Engaging with my audience via video content, and even audio content is a great way to add an extra dimension to the personality I want to create online.

Images are also a vital part of developing your brand. Everything from their style and content to the image quality itself can have an impact. For example, I packed out my old website with some blurry, poorly-composed photography which might made visitors feel that my business was unconscientious. To eliminate this factor, I will introduce well-lit images with interesting and relevant subject matter can enhance my website and will reflect far more positively on my identity as a whole.

Simplicity

It can be tempting to overload your blog with visual content, snazzy logos, and any other feature that might catch your audience’s eye (Hills, 2009).

Authenticity

Ultimately, however you choose to build your brand identity, your audience will come to recognize you and your business for their strengths and weaknesses, the decisions you make, and the path your business follows ( Ganda, 2014, ).

As such, it is essential that my visual online identity is an honest reflection of that which it represents ( Merchant, 2006 ). That is not to say I cannot give it some extra coats of polish, but it is important not to mislead my audience with identity that does not reflect my business or its ideals.

After all, not only will I disappoint those individuals that my blogs engage with, but I may also be missing out on web traffic that could have been attracted by branding that more accurately reflected what I should offer.

Thinking carefully about the ideals and aspirations of my business, and how that fits in with my online identity strategy; By building upon these principles, I will create an identity that resonates with a more appropriate audience, and that will facilitate consistency throughout my various social media channels and main website.

References:

Andres, C 2002, Designing online identities : successful graphic strategies for brands on the Web, Rockport Publishers, retrieved on 9 April 2019

Fdecomite 2008, Knit Knit Knit, Flickr, retrieved on 13 April 2019

Ganda M., 2014, Social Media and Self: Influences on the Formation of Identity and Understanding of Self through Social Networking Sites, Portland State University, pp. 34, retrieved on 9 April 2019

Guta,  H  and  Karolak,  M  2015,  ‘Veiling  and  blogging:  social media  as  sites  of  identity negotiation  and  expression among Saudi  women’, Journal  of International Women’s Studies, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 115-127, retrieved on 9 April 2019

Hills, M 2009, ‘Case study: social networking and self-identity’, in Creeber, G and Martin, R (eds.), Digital Cultures: Understanding New Media, Open University Press, Maidenhead, pp. 117-21, retrieved on 10 April 2019

Merchant G., 2006, ‘Identity, Social Networks and Online Communication’, E-Learning and Digital Media, 3(2), pp. 235–244, retrieved on 10 April 2019

Mkhmarketing, 2013, Growing Social Media, Flickr, retrieved on 13 April 2019

Mkhmarketing., 2011, The Art of Social Media, Flickr, retrieved on 13 April 2019

Patrick R. Lowenthal & Vanessa P. Dennen (2017) Social presence, identity, and online learning: research development and needs, Distance Education, 38:2, pp. 137-140, retrieved on 9 April 2019

Zimny S., 2014, Flying Reflection, Flickr, retrieved on 13 April 2019