Essentials of Social Media for Learning

Jane Bozarth, Author, Social Media for Trainers; Better than Bullet Points; and From Analysis to Evaluation; and E-Learning Coordinator, NC Office of State Personnel. 

The advent of Web 2.0, in which everyone can create content, and we can all be our own publisher, has brought with it new and low-cost opportunities for trainers to enhance and extend the traditional training experience. Join Dr. Jane Bozarth for a tour of real-world, concrete ideas for incorporating social media tools into your training programs. This interactive online workshop comprised of three sessions will take in-depth look at Facebook, Linkedin, blogs, wikis, and microblogs (Twitter), among other technologies. Along the way we will examine specific strategies for leveraging the strengths of each, and choosing which to use when. While we will discuss concepts like social learning, learning communities, and overcoming barriers, the focus of this program is on specific training activities that can be facilitated with social media tools.

This workshop is ideal for professionals who are relatively new to using social media in learning programs. Some time will be allocated to demonstrating how to set up and use these technologies.

Note: participants will need to be able to access assorted sites including Facebook. YouTube, and Twitter during and in between workshop sessions. Participants who cannot access these sites during work hours will not be eligible to participate fully in the workshop.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Employ a variety of social media tools to create content and encourage communication and interaction.
• Identify specific strategies for adapting current classroom practices for use via one or more social media technologies
• Develop a plan for transforming or extending an existing training program to incorporate one or more social media technologies.

About the Facilitator:

Dr. Jane Bozarth is the E-Learning Coordinator for the North Carolina (USA) Office of State Personnel. She is the author of E-Learning Solutions on a Shoestring; Better than Bullet Points; From Analysis to Evaluation, and Social Media for Trainers. Her graduate research specialty was communities of practice/learning communities/social and situated learning.