Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Looking back at the beginning of this semester, my understanding of a Personal Learning Network was actually quite superficial. Although I regularly used YouTube, Reddit, Bilibili, and various social media platforms to find resources and read others’ experiences, I didn’t seriously consider these as a genuine learning network at the time. My initial goals were fairly simple: I wanted to figure out what a PLN actually is, how it supports learning, and whether my online presence might affect my professional image.
Over the course of this semester, I feel my greatest growth has been in taking online learning more seriously. Previously, I was more concerned with “convenience,” but now I take an extra step to consider whether a piece of information is trustworthy, why a platform is recommending certain content to me, and whether AI tools are actually helping me or making me more dependent. Especially when discussing AI, misinformation, and digital literacy, I’ve gradually realized that online learning isn’t just about finding resources—it’s more about evaluating, filtering, and using tools responsibly. For example, when I use the Chinese social media platform Weibo, I see a lot of lies and fake news, all designed to grab people’s attention.
Also, a significant challenge for me this semester has been transforming my previously casual online habits into a more conscious approach to learning. In the past, I would simply absorb whatever I came across, but later I began to pause and consider the source of the information, its credibility, and the implications behind it. I believe what helped me change the most were the weekly blog posts, peer feedback, and the final project. Writing the blog allowed me not only to express my views but also to reflect on my own learning habits. After receiving feedback from many classmates, I gained a clearer understanding of where my writing fell short and where I needed to be more specific. This allowed my later posts to be more mature than my earlier ones, which I consider a significant improvement. In particular, during the final project, I conducted an in-depth study of the advantages and disadvantages of social media, discovering that different platforms serve different purposes and have distinct uses. I also realized that social media platforms and media technologies can support individual learning in meaningful ways, but their value depends on how critically people use them.
In addition, living in Canada has made me more aware that digital privacy, media literacy, and platform accountability are not abstract concepts far removed from our lives, but are directly relevant to students’ daily learning, self-expression, and ability to evaluate information. For example, AI-generated misinformation, privacy compliance, and platform accountability. I used to feel that these issues were somewhat distant from me, but now I realize they are actually closely tied to how I learn, use the internet, and interact with AI on a daily basis. Because of this, I’ve started paying closer attention to my online expressions and judgments, as these aren’t just personal habits but also influence how others perceive me. For instance, I used to comment rather casually on Bilibili, but now I think carefully before posting to avoid causing misunderstandings.
Finally, the EDCI 338 course has given me a new understanding of the Personal Learning Network (PLN). It’s not just a collection of platforms and tools, but a network that’s connected to learning, self-expression, judgment, and responsibility. This course has also made it clearer to me that, as a student and future professional, my online expressions, judgments, and interactions all shape my professional image. Moving forward, I hope to continue doing three things: First, I’ll gradually expand my PLN by engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives, rather than staying confined to the platforms and circles I’m already familiar with. Second, I will use AI more responsibly, treating it as a tool to support my learning rather than accepting everything at face value. Moving forward, I will pay closer attention to verifying content and will use classroom materials, academic resources, and reliable sources to evaluate information. Third, I will continue to follow discussions on digital privacy and media literacy in both Canada and China, as these issues are directly related to how we use the internet and interpret information on a daily basis.