Reflection

Done & Dusted

Posted on by Vanessa Li

Hello!

I’ve finally created a video regarding what I’ve learnt and how I’ve felt about the module. I decided against creating a video before because well…

Everybody’s doing it. xD

The video’s a little short so I’ll elaborate a little bit over here.

Initially, we all did an analysis on ourselves and how would we rate our digital literacy. I rated myself quite high because… well.. we’re in the social media generation, aren’t we? We grew up on these platforms.

After this whole module, I realised that maybe I’ve been a little narrow minded, there are social platforms that we are highly aware of but had never thought of making use of. For example, Linkedin and even wordpress.

So in my learning points, i mentioned that we all have digital literacy, it’s a question of whether we want to use it.

Hence my thoughts of the website being a tool. It’s a tool that helps us with communication and learning. But while it can help us, it could also ruin us. People find loopholes to satisfy their greed or need. Therefore, the rise of digital fraud and piracy.

At one point of time, we were all guilty too.

Awareness for these matters is extremely important. Especially for us marketeers who are now residing in the digital land. Target audiences become desensitized to messages sent out, marketeers has to double efforts or work around the issue.

Professional Profile

Facebook:

Before the module, Facebook was like a game center. I played tetris battle and used it as a calender for friend’s birthdays. After this module, I’m officially a stalker. Using Facebook to stalk companies I hope to join.

Wingtai handles fashion brands like Topshop & Topman in Singapore!

Wingtai handles fashion brands like Topshop & Topman in Singapore!

Mercury Marketing Communications is a PR company that services clients like Audi and H&M

Mercury Marketing Communications is a PR company that services clients like Audi and H&M

These brands often advertise for job positions on Facebook making it extremely easy for me to apply when a position opens.

Linkedin:

Linkedin

This is my brand new spanking Linkedin profile with a strength of “Intermediate”. While I’m still exploring ways to use it, I hope to connect with old lecturers, colleagues and friends. Linkedin interest me because it allows friends to “endorse” you for skills. Hence acting as a form of reference.

Twitter:twitterI followed groups like Maketing Magazine and Ad Age because they are my interest. As a micro blogging site, twitter is very good for instant and relevant news. Following these groups would not only keep me updated, it would also keep me entertained.

In conclusion…

Although this post is titled:

Done & Dusted

We live in a digital age where things would just keep growing. I feel that this module has given us a taste of what being digital savvy really means. I mentioned in my video that the cons of the module is that it lacks the human touch whereby our professors would just take 1 look at our faces and realise how lost we are. Being on the web (sorry lisa!) there are other things that distracted us during lessons.

I am thankful that this module prepared us and “trained” our perseverance.

We’ll never be done and dusted with the digital world unless we’ve been marooned on a desert island.

To end off this module, I would like to wish everybody in MANG2049, UOSM2033, Olja & Lisa a Happy Christmas and thank you for the fun time we had in the digital land.

A Digital Card for a digital module… Get it..?

Topic 4: The friendships we form.

Posted on by Vanessa Li

This is my good friend Twitter. I really like my good friend Twitter. I also really like my other friends of the same social circle, Facebook and Instagram.

But every friend, no matter how good, has a flaw. After commenting on Yi Ming’s and Evan’s post, I realised that good friends have flaws. But they are merely mediums or channels of communication. The information that we pass on to them, they just publish. That is their main job. It’s how we users handle these platforms to improve our lives socially or work related.

I found this video on Youtube (Another good friend of mine) which explains the impact social media is creating, the types of policies they have that is supposedly protecting us and what we can do to prevent any privacy leaks. Although I have to admit, watching such a video on Youtube is a little ironic.

A comment from one viewer, brisslayer reads:

This whole issue is not an issue at all, NONE of us are REQUIRED to be HONEST on ANY social media, nowhere does it say that our names, date of birth, location are required to be REAL and the whole thing is a VIRTUAL experience filled with truth and falsehoods and nobody is qualified to tell the diference. Social media is an entertainment tool nothing more it only has ANY value because we WANT IT SO! SORRY!!!

Although I do disagree with him greatly that social media is merely an entertainment tool. The main discussion point is Ethical Issues and this comment is a great example.

The comment mentioned that social media is a virtual experience and nobody is qualified to tell the difference. From this I can infer that people on the web may not be who they say they are. Hence moving back to my point of users handling social media, It is really how we use social media.

On a side note, if these people are giving incorrect information about themselves, does that mean these companies are selling wrong information to marketing companies..?

Also, I came across this other video which I thought would be interesting.

Topic 3: Reflection

Posted on by Vanessa Li

Taken from: Pinterest

Notice the very old macbook and ipod..?

Hello once again everybody.

Initially, I felt online profiles were only for the creative people who needed a portfolio. Especially those who do freelance work. But after reading so many post and commenting on Patricia’s and Yu Ting’s blogs. I realised that an online professional account is more than that.

An online professional account is an extension of your resume. In the past it would have seemed cool to have an online presence for work purposes. Now it is a necessity.

Most of my classmates looked at this topic and thought of job opportunities and recruitment.  Simon made a few relevant points that I notice is constant with what most of my classmates wrote.

The need to research on yourself to find any loopholes in your online presence, the need to develop your profile through enhancing the positive points and “mitigating” the negative points. Lastly, the need for honesty and authenticity.

I feel that these are essential steps to make when developing a profile. Although they are a bit commonsense, many web users often overlook these points because of it’s simplicity.

I also really like Ian’s point on being real.

People often get lost in the need of looking holistic and clean to create an image of professionalism. However, they are so caught up in that need they tend to forget that an online profile is suppose to represent the user.

I like that Ian brought up SteveKardynal. Because what Steve has is passion and through his online presence, he shows the passion that he has and that is what attracts employers.

Overall this topic has been very eye opening, especially for me who has been quite myopic in this subject matter. I think I thoroughly enjoy reading what my friends wrote.

Cheers!

Topic 2: Reflection

Posted on by Vanessa Li

After browsing through and commenting on Kelly’s and Novina’s blogs, I noticed the running trend among my peers.

When discussing online identities. Many people tend to worry about digital crimes and scams. It is a justifiable concern. As Dr Cristina Costa mentioned in today’s Google Hangout, with a computer screen as a shield, users tend to let go of their social ethics.

Taken from: tumblr.com

How does Mr. Security Camera determine if Mr Kitty is good or bad?

Many of us also discussed the use of social as a professional advancement tool. For example, Rochelle mentions the need for connectivity with potential employers. Much like what Kelly had wrote regarding the need for consistency with her personal LinkedIn and Facebook account as examples.

Below is a pictograph on how employers screen potential employees based on social media platforms.

Taken from: Pinterest - CAFNR Career Services

Taken from: Pinterest – CAFNR Career Services

As many of my classmates had mentioned, having multiple identities is common. We have also established that digital footprints are important as Angie had explained.

The need to control it could allow the user to navigate easily in terms of professional work.  It is the way the owner uses their identities that defines the internet’s honesty. The ongoing argument of whether multiple online identities would, in my opinion, never be solved. identity

I do feel that there is a need to have a personal life away from my professional persona in the digital world. I have been keeping my personal Facebook profiles and such extremely private, never linking the social media platforms to each other.

However I do agree with today’s Google Hangout that social media for work is important and that a central hub that links up the various platforms would be helpful. I do intend to create that for my Digital Portfolio.

In conclusion, as a community, it is everybody’s duty to prevent cyber crimes. As individuals, we should maintain our integrity and social ethics online.

It doesn’t matter if we have one or two online identities. What really matters is the way we manage them.

Topic 1: Reflection

Posted on by Vanessa Li

After reading through my classmate’s post and commenting on Rachel and Tor’s post. I realised that we all have similar ideas with regards to the concept of Digital “Visitors” and “Residents”.

What I’ve learn thus far is that many people are digital residents. Most of us interact with the world through social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

However some, like Rachel, feels that they belong to the happy middle. Which I felt was nice as often, we are pressured to join social media platforms because it’s the “in” thing or for the sake for school work, for example, this module itself. Then from digital visitors, we transform into digital residents. But do we really want to be a digital resident?

What struck me most was Ebrahim’s video regarding the “Amazing Mind Reader” and how he attained his skills. You should check it out if you haven’t. It makes the viewers question social media and it’s effects.

Overall. I understand the need to divide a digital visitor and a digital resident. It was important to segment consumers as such especially if you are a marketer. However, is there really a need to?

From the various views I read I noticed a trend whereby the resident is more preferred than a visitor. It made me wonder why?

We are in the generation whereby digital skills are highly priced. Both the visitor and the resident undoubtedly has the skill sets required in a typical company. As Tor commented with regards to my post, a consumer doesn’t need to be a resident to make purchases.

So in my opinion, the big question is…

Is there a need to segment people into Digital Visitors and Digital Residents?

While I try to figure out how to answer that question, feel free to comment and share what you guys think.

BYE~