Sienna’s Flight Map

Current Coordinates…

As of now, my background with social media for learning and education has mainly come from my university experience and from creating digital projects. As a Biology student with a concentration in neurobiology, I often use visual resources such as diagrams, videos, organized digital notes, PowerPoint, and Canva to better understand complex topics. I am not yet completely sure what personalized learning means in an educational context, but I understand it as learning that can be adapted to individual needs, interests, and strengths. I am very interested in developing a clearer understanding of this concept throughout the course and how to apply it. 

I have experience creating a few websites and blogs, as well as using Canva and PowerPoint for projects in my degree. Many of the projects I complete involve explaining complicated scientific subjects through visuals. For example, I completed a five-minute visual presentation about a specific gene, including its function and role, for an audience that was not already familiar with the topic. This was challenging because I needed to choose the most important information and explain it in a clear, accurate, and engaging way without oversimplifying the science. Experiences like this have helped me develop visual design, digital communication, organization, and scientific storytelling skills. 

Although I am comfortable creating visual academic projects, I have hardly any experience with educational theory, using social media intentionally for learning, and maintaining an online presence. I also have not had much experience being taught how to use generative AI in an academic setting. I am excited to learn how social media, multimedia, and AI tools can be used responsibly to make learning more interactive, accessible, and meaningful for different audiences. 

Mapping the Route…

I am interested in this course because I would like to explore how my Biology degree, with a concentration in neurobiology, could intersect with education in the future. My experience using visuals to understand and explain science has made me interested in how multimedia and social media could make scientific information more accessible and engaging to broader audiences. One goal I have is to create at least one short visual science communication project, such as an infographic, blog post, or social media post, that explains a neurobiology or physiology topic accurately for a non-specialist audience. 

This course will help me begin developing an online presence that reflects my academic interests and personal values. I want to learn how to communicate professionally online, share reliable information, and connect with people interested in biology, science communication, education, and digital media. I believe that developing a personal learning network could help me learn from others while building connections that will support my future academic and professional goals. 

I am also excited to learn how to use Gen AI appropriately as an academic and creative tool. I would like to learn how to write and refine effective prompts and how to use AI to support brainstorming, planning, visual communication, and creative work without relying on it in place of my own critical thinking. These goals align with the course objectives because they will help me learn how to use social media and other digital tools to share science in a thoughtful and responsible way, while building a professional online presence and connecting with others who have similar interests.

Anticipating Turbulence… 

One challenge I anticipate is that I do not have a background in education. Concepts related to learning theory, personalized learning, and social media for education will all be new to me, and I may need time to understand how they apply in practice. I think that learning to use generative AI thoughtfully in an academic setting may also be challenging, particularly when deciding how to write effective prompts and when it is appropriate to use AI. To manage these challenges, I plan to keep organized notes on new concepts, connect them to examples from my Biology coursework, practice refining prompts (which was done in this flight map), and ask questions or seek feedback when I am unsure. 

Another challenge I expect will be participating consistently in weekly discussions and maintaining an online presence. I plan to set aside a regular time each week for course readings and discussion posts, complete my posts early when possible, and return later to respond thoughtfully to classmates. I will also keep a Word document with useful sources, examples, and possible discussion-post ideas so that I can contribute consistently even during busy weeks. I think building these habits will help me become more confident online, which will be beneficial to both my personal and professional life.