Digital Identity of Researchers 2.0: The Case of Their Personal Learning Network

Abstract

This chapter results from an investigation into the digital identity of a community of researchers, part of a PhD study on Education focused on Personal Learning Networks (PLN). Today the social web is a massive reality in academic research, which leads to question the importance of the digital presence of researchers in these informal contexts and how they relate to each other. With the evolution of the internet, new challenges are posed to researchers, both socially (social web) and academically. Immersion in these digital environments promotes the development of open research practices, with evidence of interactions between group members, stressing the collaborative way we interact in the context of learning throughout life. Thus, the social web allows the researcher 2.0 to access the work of other researchers quickly and effectively, sharing content and collaborating with others through a PLN. This personal network requires a range of skills related to the digital identity of researchers, considering the environment in which they are operating.