Social media has changed how educators engage with each other and their students online. Recently, BestCollegesOnline.com compiled a list of the “50 Teachers Who Are Social Media Stars.” You may already be familiar with some of these names:
More importantly social media is being used to eliminate barriers to learning–from preschoolers using iPad apps, to professionals climbing the corporate ladder. Recently the New York Times reported on how the Kahn Academy is using YouTube to teach math and science to high schoolers, while global organizations like Deloitte are using Yammer to create an internal social network enabling employees to share and connect.
In the past year eLearn Magazine has published a range of articles that tackle the issue of utilizing and managing social media in the online learning space:
- The Effects of Twitter in an Online Learning Environment
- Managing the Flow of Information in Social Networks
- Backchannel Learning in an Organizational Setting
- Learnstreaming
What about you? How are you utilizing Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Google , Tumblr, and Slideshare? Are you blogging?
If you’ve answered yes, then keep it up! You may be on next year’s list. If not, there’s no better time than the present.
I was always quietly confident with information technology, computers and the internet. Well, that was until I have tried to get my head around social media. It was in the year 2000 that I first put up a website exclusively for my own students, and everyone thought that was cool. In the last two months I have woken up to the fact that Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is absolutely important in driving traffic to any website, and making use of social media is a big part of that. Although I have made a start with Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter and LinkedIn, I confess that I am going to have to purchase a book and study hard. There is just so many social media outlets that it is a minefield. I feel very inadequate. Anyone recommend a good book.
Thanks for the comment Leo. The social media landscape is constantly evolving. Staying on top of the changes is crucial to come out on top. Every week I hear of some new tool that will change the way we interact online. I agree, it’s hard to keep up. But before you turn to a book for the answers, you need to get out there and use these tools regularly. Understand how they work, make connections, and maintain a constant presence.
Two books that have recently caught my eye are: “The End of Business As Usual: Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consumer Revolution” by Brian Solis; and “Humanize: How People-Centric Organizations Succeed in a Social World” by Jamie Notter and Maddie Grant. Also Mashable.com is a great site for all things social media from news stories to helpful advice.
Best of luck on your journey!