Reflective Essay: Living, Learning and Working on the Web (Essay Sample)

In the process of completing “Living, Learning and Working on the Web” unit I have improved and gotten valuable insights in issues related to the web. In particular, I am glad I was exposed to the damaging effects of cyber bullying (Dudley, 2020). While most have heard of the term and know someone or have themselves fallen victim to this contemporary societal concern, many do not know how to prevent escalation or future attacks around it. I was glad to have had an opportunity to explore the effects and some of the effective ways I could use to fight this vice. I feel this unit has opened up my third eye in relation to the web usage which has becoming quite common in trying times like this where we are feeling the wrath of the pandemic. Internet use has grown and unscrupulous individuals with sinister motives have also devised new ways of causing harm to others through the internet. I’m glad I had a good learning experience that we’ll keep me away from the victim list of the bullies in the internet.
My e-learning skills have been developed significantly due to my engagement in the unit. I now understand how communication skills, time management skills, and skills in selecting and using educational technologies are important in education (Roper, 2017). I thank the makers of the many different technologies like the internet. The unit made me realize how online learning has made the difference in education. The new software application and e-learning platforms are making it easy to use for anyone who might not be familiar with the technology. Engaging in e-learning allowed me to use Personalized Learning Environment (PLE). Using the PLE has essentially expanded my horizon, particularly on how I perceive the learning process. PLE has help me understand that learning is not just about listening to a teacher, taking down notes, and memorizing some of the major points in a traditional classroom. It is about applying them the moment we learn about them.
It also made me realize that I am part and parcel of the generation where technology has taken over the world where it is hard to not be consumed by the typical social media stereotypes that we are shown online. However, i managed to change things over by remaining authentic and carefree of what other people say about me in social media platforms. People tend to switch their personalities in the online world hiding behind the scene just to feel accepted by the online community. I was trapped in the social media world not noticing how I was consistently damaging myself more and more every day. The unit helped me step up my game and rationality. My identity online gradually began to change. Instead of feeling pressured to fit into society I discovered that social media should be used for enjoyment and learning. Social media enables identity expression, exploration, and experimentation. According to Jean Piaget, the theorist behind cognitivism, which focuses on the human mind and intelligence. However, Cognitivism is similar to behaviorism in some ways. Cognitivists think that the way people think impacts a person’s behavior. I learned that it should not be the case especially when it comes to social media opinions (TRYPHON & Vonèche, 2013).
Throughout this semester while taking up the Living, Learning and Working on the Web unit I have learned a lot about online learning and it advantages and disadvantages. Specifically, I learned about the views of online learning from a student’s perspective as well as that of an educator. The differences in opinion of online learning between these two parties were extremely profound. I realized that student’s (particularly older students) have a negative view of online learning, while educators, typically have a positive outlook on online learning. Students typically view it as impersonal. Students also miss out on a teacher actually knowing what part of a particular concept they are struggling with.
I was lucky to learn about the perks and benefits that come with the Internet - the easy networking ability, the access to real-time information from all of the world, the social media phenomenon, the way we can plan an entire day without leaving our desks - with all of these wonderfully convenient and appealing aspects of the online world, there is still that one dark cloud that seems forever to be hanging over the heads of web-users. The issue of online privacy - or more spec