This presentation will highlight the role of social media in students’ active learning to construct an effective professional identity/brand. One anticipated objective of students undertaking tertiary education is to attain the relevant skills and knowledge required to successfully develop and demonstrate their professional identity that is then utilised to enter and perform in their chosen workplace role (Stewart, 2010). Our responsibility as educators is to prepare and equip students with the appropriate information that will enable them to grow their professional brand (Stewart, 2010). By transitioning to the SC Model, each of the 6 teaching weeks will focus on one element of personal branding (e.g. Week 1: Understanding career path options based on capabilities and preferences; Week 2: Understanding the expected industry climate and trends in the field and how to strategise accordingly), resulting in the development of a professional identity by term end. Similarly, the three assessments all prepare students to utilise their knowledge, verbal, and body language skills to exude a professional identity.
Methods that have been incorporated in the active learning student experiences studying unit, HOSP1001 Introduction to Professional Practice, that have proven to be effective include: (1) providing a nurturing safe learning environment that encourages students to voice their honest perception of their current online and physical brand without judgement and allowing them to independently talk through their areas of improvement to lead them to problem-solve and reach a successful outcome; (2) students challenging the educator through debate to receive productive feedback that will enable them to pinpoint areas that require improvement; (3) emphasising the relevance of the content to their professional identity through reflection of contemporary examples on popular social media platforms (e.g. TikTok); and (4) roleplaying in realistic workplace scenarios and tasks to encourage students to carefully consider their behaviour and approach in a professional workplace.
Through the application of these methods, it has been recognised that students were able to appropriately undertake career-related decisions through problem-solving, realise their passion for their target industry, identify careers compatible with their capabilities, and to become self-aware of the influence of their mindset and behaviours in the workplace on their professional relationships, career progression and company operation (Mancini et al., 2015). The conclusion and evidence from these methods include students communicating to educators that they have successfully attained their desired position for their internship, progressed to supervisory and managerial positions, transitioned to different departments, and strengthened their confidence in independently overcoming work-related challenges, actively seeking further opportunities, and taking initiatives in enacting new workplace policies and strategies.
Mancini, T., Caricati, L., Panari, C., & Tonarelli, A. (2015). Personal and social aspects of professional identity.: An extension of Marcia’s identity status model applied to a sample of university students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 89, 140-150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2015.06.002
Stewart, D. W. (2010). The purpose of university education. Psychologist-Manager Journal, 13(4), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/10887156.2010.522480