March 19, 2018

A domain of one’s own – WIIFM?

By Helen Teacher for Learning 0 Comments

This is a response for the Ontario Extend activity bank under Teacher for Learning. I’m taking a closer look at WIIFM – what’s in if for me. I’m imagining this from the perspective of a student and examining the idea of a domain of one’s own (DoOO). What’s in it for me – why should I, as a student at the Faculty of Education create a domain of my own when I’m struggling to understand the many nuanced layers of becoming a teacher.

Since I am new to this domain building, now the proud owner of a domain of my very own – http://hjdewaard.ca/ , which is causing me some discomfort, I’m looking at this for some ‘return on my investment’. After all, time is money! I’m struggling for a classy, clean looking domain front page and making the subdomains work seamlessly under this front page. It’s certainly not there and I have much to learn. Just when I thought it would get easier, it’s only getting messier. The other challenge is that my former domain is interfering with my new domain – shifting from a dot com to a dot CA is a small change in nomenclature but a radical reboot in terms of geographic presence.

So why create a domain of my own at all? What’s in it for me? What’s in it for my students?

So WIIFM?

As a brand new teacher, starting a career with a domain, set up and self managed, can reap rewards in personal branding. The time spent early on to build your professional digital persona and presence using a DoOO can develop your identity as a digitally literate educator.
Creating a DoOO will build your digital fluencies and skills beyond those that will be offered in the courses you’ll take at the Faculty. It may be tough at first, but your network of support will expand and grow as you craft your domain with care. You’ll have a PLN and a DoOO.
Having a DoOO puts you in the driver seat of this thing called a career. Once you’ve got the Maserati, there’s no going back to the Ford! With a domain of your own you are in control of the whole thing. It may be a tough time getting started and you’ll certainly feel that it may not be worth all the challenges, but it’ll be worth it! You’ll proudly display your domain to future employers and colleagues in the profession, who will be impressed with your portfolio, showcasing your initiative and drive.
Your DoOO will evolve with you as you grow into the profession. It’s yours to build and develop. It’ll showcase YOU as a teacher and learner. No one can take that away.
Who wouldn’t want one? You’ll be the envy of all your friends and classmates. You can proudly share you domain in context – bragging rights when you tell others to “just look my up and you’ll find me”.

So, what’s in it for me? As an instructor, I can feel pride and accomplishment when you leave the faculty of education with your very own professional digital presence and persona!

Still not convinced? Take some time to read and view some more.