Further Thoughts on Networked Knowledge Activities (W6)

I chose to read "University Students, Social Media, and Purposeful Use" by Dennen and He (2024). I wanted to reflect on how this study ties back into my own social media habits, both past and present.

Thinking back to my undergraduate career (2017 to 2021) where I started to use social media more, I would say I was exclusively a consumer, much like the participants described in the study. I used platforms like Instagram and Twitter to stay connected with friends or for entertainment, but I rarely thought of them as tools for learning or career development. What really stood out to me in the study was how consistently students saw themselves as passive users. They scrolled, watched, liked, but rarely posted or contributed to larger conversations. That was definitely me at the time.

What I found especially insightful, though, was the discussion around digital literacy. Social media has always been present for today’s students. It’s been an exploratory space where they grow up scrolling, watching, and figuring things out socially. But it’s only when they get to college that they might start to think about using these tools with intention. The study really highlighted how narrow that expertise can be. Just because students are constantly online doesn’t mean they’ve developed the digital skills needed to organize information, manage their online presence, or engage professionally. Being online isn’t the same as being digitally literate in ways that matter long-term.

Toward the end of my master’s program in Spring 2023, I remember feeling a shift. I felt like I had to start using social media more professionally. I felt I had to build a network, stay visible, and prove I was serious about my career. That’s when I finally created a LinkedIn and started making some intentional choices about what I shared and who I connected with. It wasn’t a huge leap and it wasn't the reason I got my first job, but it marked the beginning of a more purposeful approach to how I use digital tools.

Today, I’m still more of a consumer or lurker than a producer, but that doesn’t feel like a weakness anymore. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that social media isn’t everything. I don’t feel the same pressure to always be visible or constantly contribute. Instead, I’ve grown more confident in speaking up when I know I have something meaningful to add. And when I do choose to share, it’s with purpose.

What about you? Has your social media usage changed with age?

Comments

  1. JorannElizabethJune 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM

    Hi Jack! This post really resonated with me. I have never used social media as a way to network professionally until this past year, when I made a Linkedin account, and I still do not engage in the way that many people do. I am most definitely a lurker and only post things to Instagram as a kind of personal memory journal. Generally, I despise influencer culture, so not participating as much in social media has been my way of combating that. I do feel like I need to be fluent and know how to use social media effectively in terms of work, but it is not something I want to overtake my life.

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  2. AyaJune 22, 2025 at 6:56 PM

    Hi Jack, I totally understand the pressure of networking and staying visible. Unfortunately, social media has become an extension of the rat-race our society has come to tolerate. I try to limit my activity on social media as much as I can. The important thing is to maintain a balanced lifestyle and view of social media.

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