Reflection: Curation of Readings and Social Media Participation
The course Critical Foundation in Health Disciplines, or MHST 601 is my first course for the Master of Health Studies at Athabasca University. MHST 601 reviewed our healthcare system's background and introduced using content curation skills and social media tools to enhance the learning experience (Athabasca University, 2023). Each unit had a specific subject for group discussions that required students to research relevant topics, including peer reviewed resources, and share our findings.
Content Curation
Content curation is a valuable transferable skill that can lead to improved digital literacy. Content curation is not simply keeping a list of many resources, but a careful process of finding, selecting, editing, creating, and sharing digital content (Oddone, 2016). The benefits of content curation include saving time when sharing valuable information with others, which can also lead to networking and building relationships with peers, as well as the opportunity to introduce new or different ideas (Martin, 2023). Providing content through various mediums such as video, pictures, articles, or podcasts can also increase accessibility by providing students with more control over their learning experience.
Through this course, I learned the skill of curating content and the value of sharing it with peers to create opportunities for further discussion, reflection, and learning. In the past, my methods of content curation included a random assortment of bookmarking interesting articles on my internet browser, emailing myself resources, or saving it into a scattered notes section for later. Through this course, I created a Wix website with a blog section and a link to a curated resources list that I updated weekly. I found this method to be much more enjoyable to look back on as well as improved the ease of finding articles in the future. I have found that sharing resources by providing proper credit in a clear and organized manner using a consistent citation style can improve readability and promote engagement with peers in comparison to a poorly organized or cluttered list.
Another aspect of content curation is critical thinking, which is a skill I strengthened through this course. Often, I would provide a summary of my curated resources for that week, including my own thoughts and opinions. This process would help increase the depth of knowledge on that topic, as curating is not a simple consumption of content, but a process. I found myself asking thoughtful questions, connecting main themes, organizing categories of information, and brainstorming innovative ideas to share. One potential downside to content curation could be having a biased view of which articles to share, and a potentially narrower scope. This is why I believe sharing curated content is crucial to introduce different voices and opinions to your own.
Social Media
Social media is often thought of as a platform for casual social interactions, such as Meta. However, the true definition of social media is that it is a communication tool designed to share information over the web (Nations, n.d.). Social media can be an effective and time efficient tool for sharing information with professionals and the public. Unfortunately, social media can also be used to share misinformation and cause harm to the public. As a dietitian who is a regulated health professional in the field of nutrition, I feel that it is a responsibility to be active on social media as a form of advocacy for our profession. By using social media as a health care professional, it can be a great method to connect with younger populations, who can be especially vulnerable to misguided nutrition information. It is imperative to have a voice in this field and share evidence-based nutrition information that has public safety and trust at the forefront.
Having a public social media account can also help develop a professional identity. It is important to me to establish credibility as a nutrition expert and educate others about the importance of nutrition. Upon reflecting on what I would like my professional identity to encompass, I concluded it would include my values in up-to-date evidence-based nutrition practice, collaboration with other health care professionals, cultural competency, and advocacy for the dietetic profession.
Conclusion
Content curation and social media can be used together to share valuable information efficiently with peers. Through my experience of curating content through MHST 601, I have developed an improved method of organizing resources and strengthened my critical thinking skills when synthesizing information. Gathering resources is critical, but the proper synthesis of information demonstrates understanding and the ability to utilize knowledge in practice. This is because learning to me is not a memory of knowledge, but a behaviour change comprised of practicing, reflecting, and transforming. My hope is to continue to expand on how I exist online and remain active on LinkedIn and Wix to connect with other students, professionals, and the public.
References
Athabasca University. (2023). Master of Health Studies (MHST 601). https://www.athabascau.ca/syllabi/mhst/mhst601.html
Martin, M. (2023, July 6). Content curation: How to do it the right way (plus tips and tools). Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/beginners-guide-to-content-curation/
Nations, D. (n.d.). Serious Question: What Exactly Is Social Media? https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-social-media-explaining-the-big-trend-3486616
Oddone, Kay. (2016, August 2). Digital Content Curation: More Important Than Ever! Retrieved November 9, 2017, from http://www.linkinglearning.com.au/digital-content-curation-more-important-than-ever/
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