Building a Professional Network.The question of building a professional network is in order. For me to become a professional in the digital world, different things are required. I would mention some features. First, I need a robust technological tool such as a connected computer and laptop. Internet has nowadays become a necessary commodity at any time. We unceasingly consume it as water and air. It becomes frustrating when one is placed where there is no Wifi connection. For some viewers, especially in Global North, what I’m expressing may sound incredible, but in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is a common experience. Second, as a professional learner, I need to be frequently accessing internet, updating myself and in many cases sharing with other some information. Third, knowledge and skills. I need essential skills of digital technologies that allow an efficient and productive use of technologies, for my personal development and for the flourishing of the larger community. Fourth, I need time and space. Becoming a professional learner and instructor requires substantial time and space. The fact of dedicating time, and accessing to physical and virtual milieux which can empower and enhance the carrier. Fifth, I need money. Investing in the digital world is not a cheap affair. Professional digital gadgets cost a great deal. One cannot enter the digital world with empty pocket. Looking for Help from a Professional Community. I need experience and knowledge from a professional community to assist me answering the needs of the post-modern society. My view of a professional community goes to my instructors in my program of educational technology. I am looking for transformative experiences and insights, guidance, pathways, impactful readings. My professional community involves also e-learning resources found on LinkedIn. These can also be a resource for building my digital professionalism.
My Contribution Is in Order. I would describe it with three points: First, creativity. Motivation to come in this area of digital technology is required as it fuels one to be creative in different ways, such as writing, designing, analysing, conceiving forms and platforms for learning and disseminating knowledge. There are plenty of things to educate and communicate, but most of the time people lack good ways to deliver them. I envision to give my personal contribution through digital innovations and creativity. It may be in the forms of digital platforms such as websites, blogs. This can be through class presentations, brochures, data analysis, web-designs, and it requires training further trainers to integrate digital technologies our educational paradigms. It could be also through project proposals for schools to integrate educational technologies in their conventional education systems. Where Do I Belong Now? So far I belong to many educational communities. The biggest online community is the Jesuits (The Society of Jesus). Jesuits have been for 5 centuries in education. I believe that digital classrooms can help Jesuits educate many people, especially the under- privileged. Jesuits count around 15,000 men across the world. We stay in constant exchange of information, through emails, blogs and websites. Such a multinational community highly rely on the digital world for exchanges of information and leadership. I belong also to many communities which considers the issue of climate change. One of them is Catholic Youth for Environmental Sustainability in Africa (https://cynesa.org). Most of the time we interact through skype, video calls, Instagram and Whatsup. We regularly get to meet them during international conferences. Another educational community where I belong is St. Ignatius High Schools in Rwanda-Burundi as one can whatch on these attached links: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZPj-sM3BqE)/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30zNuLXLUBw. furthermore, I follow the development of our educational projects through Twitter and Facebook and websites. Our school shave a website where we can get information. Our young students are thrilled to learn digital technologies, applied sciences, social sciences, yet they do not find well-trained instructors, or have access to adequate infrastructures. And that divide create a big gap between students who study in a technology equipped schools and students studying in schools deprived with educational technologies. There is a need to address that divide, and I believe many youth around the world could gain main skills by investing themselves into the digital learning.