Blog #1

My name is Atalaya Anzer (Ata) for short. I am planning to graduate from UVic in May 2025, with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Minor in Education. I have gained a deep appreciation for psychology and education over the past few an 3 years at UVic and I am hoping to work as an educational counselor at a high school in the near future. I was born and raised in North Vancouver B.C., since I started university I’ve spent my summers on the mainland and the school semester in Victoria. Education has always been a top priority in my family. My moms works as an office clerk at a high school and my grandma is a retired English teacher. They both instilled a deep appreciation and respect for learning that has helped me perform to the best of my abilities and take learning seriously.

What interests you about social media and personalized learning?

Social media & personalized learning are fascinating to me because they transform how we access, share, and engage with information. Social media platforms provide an infinite amount of educational resources, news coverage , and discussions about current events. I love that social media allows for family members and friends to keep up to date with each other’s lives, anywhere in the world. I have a lot of family members spread out around the globe and I love that I can talk to them often and see what they are up to on social media. I think personalized learning is interesting, because it supports a multitude of diverse learning styles. I like that personalized learning doesn’t put students into a one size fits all model but instead customizes each student’s educational experience to enhance learning and engagement. I appreciate classes like EDCI-338 because it is asynchronous, flexible and online allowing students to complete the work on their own without any specific meeting times.

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

I use digital tools in all aspects of my life. For learning, I use technology to access school websites like Brightspace, research using the UVic library database and Google. I also use platforms such as Zoom and email to contact professors and classmates. As an office assistant at a construction company, I use tools like Microsoft Teams, Excel, and Google Docs to organize notes, data, and communicate with coworkers.

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

Digital literacy allows students to access immense amounts of information quickly and conveniently. I think having and understanding of digital literacy is important in education because it enables students to research topics, gain knowledge, and critically evaluate sources. Additionally, it is crucial for career preparation in an increasingly digitized world.

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

Personalized learning Networks have been important to my education journey, specifically collaborative learning with Peers. Working with peers on assignments and studying for tests has helped me perform to the best of my ability. PLN’s enables me to ask my peers questions when I don’t understand things and vice versa. I also use my PLN as a way to test my knowledge. Through this course, I plan to further develop and utilize my PLN by working with classmates and collaborating on group projects.