Week 30 - APC - Professional Online Social Networks

Activity 6: Using social online networks in teaching and/or professional development

What are some key features of social media that are beneficial for teaching and learning? Why?

Social media has opened many doors and busted down barriers that stop us from felling connected to the rest of the world. Office of Ed Tech, (2013) see social media platforms as our gateway to the world. Before now we were unable to instantly connect and collaborate with people in many countries and locations. Social media gives us access to the information and professionals that are able to instantly help us, further our knowledge and practice. In the video one teacher explains how teachers are time poor and don’t have time to go to another town for professional development, but through social media we are able to have access. We are able to ask questions on social media late at night and still get an answer (people from the other side of the world). Students use social media to contact, discuss, and argue about many different topics they are passionate about. I quite liked a line in Office of Ed Tech’s (2013) video where one person shares “Social media is a place we can go to receive support, information and ideas – anytime and from any place.

What social media platform do you feel best supports engagement with your professional development? Why?

Before starting this course I only used Facebook as my primary social media platform. I had built up my profile and added friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances. I saw Facebook as my connection to my personal life and didn’t really view it as a learning tool, apart from group chats about assignments at university. Mindlab introduced me to Google+ this platform was new to me and I hadn’t made any personal touches to my profile. I see it as a place without distractions where I can professionally interact with others to further my professional development. I have found google+ to be easy to use and navigate with access to my emails and drive I am able to collaborate with others. I will have to work out how I can continually to effectively use this platform after our course finishes. My next learning step will be to get my students and other teachers signed up to google+ where we can stay connected and collaborate on a range of different topics.

Reference:

Office of Ed Tech. (2013, Sep 18). Connected Educators. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=216&v=K4Vd4JP_DB8