Introducing Twitter as an assessed component of the undergraduate nursing curriculum: case study – An Article Review

nurse_social_mediaThankful for one of my colleagues (who I somehow was not following on Twitter, but that is now all settled!) Ian Guest for pointing this article out to me, as it is somewhat consistent with some of my Twitter extra credit work for my nursing and management students.

1/ I read Jones, Kelsey, Nelmes, Chinn, Chinn, & Proctor-Childs (2016)…

2/ …Introducing Twitter as an assessed component of the undergraduate nursing curriculum: case study doi: 10.1111/jan.12935 Continue readingIntroducing Twitter as an assessed component of the undergraduate nursing curriculum: case study – An Article Review

Perspectives on social media in and as research: A synthetic review – An Article Review

media-998990_1280While yesterday was a day to celebrate our current and past presidents, I was able to engage in a bit of reading. Thus, a new article review on a topic of great interest and importance to me — the differences between using social media and researching social media — along with many other issues related to the literature in this area.

1/ I read Lafferty & Manca (2015) Perspectives on social media in and as research: A synthetic review DOI: 10.3109/09540261.2015.1009419 #5Papers Continue readingPerspectives on social media in and as research: A synthetic review – An Article Review

To Twitter to Woo: Harnessing the power of social media (SoMe) in nurse education to enhance the student’s experience – An Article Summary

office-605503_1280I am working with some of my nursing students (and learners in general) on using Twitter as extra credit to promote professional development and presence, and suggested this article as a wonderful study for how to use Twitter within nursing education. Thus, today’s #5Papers:

1/ I read Sinclair, McLoughlin, & Warne (2015) To Twitter to Woo: Harnessing the power of social media (SoMe) in nurse education… #NURS761 #NURS840

2/ … to enhance the student’s experience http://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2015.06.002 Continue readingTo Twitter to Woo: Harnessing the power of social media (SoMe) in nurse education to enhance the student’s experience – An Article Summary

A Model for Using Twitter as a PLN

I had a request to break out my Using Twitter as a PLN (Personal Learning Network) model from my Using Twitter for Personal & Professional Development workshop, so here it is. I added a cc license for it as well in case anybody wants to use it and try it out.

This is how I use Twitter and find it to be a rewarding experience for developing my personal learning network. It is like Karma — give so you can get.  The best way I have found to get suggestions, answers, resources, help, and support is to offer the same first. Why should somebody spend any time replying to my Tweets if I have not shown myself willing to share and give the same? Give encouragement and answers and offers of whatever is needed, and that initial discussion and trust and acknowledgement that I exist online and want to be a member of a community of sharing will then build online credibility and a sense of presence. Share first and it is more likely somebody will then want to share back, at least in the world where I find most of my support, namely via Twitter.

Using Twitter as a PLN

While I am especially considering this use of Karma on Twitter as a guide for a personal learning network, i comes from my experiences “offline” as well–the time to ask for help or a job or resources is not when nobody knows who I am, being an unknown quantity, but only after I have developed a reason for people to want to help. Think of when you are moving; that is not the time to make friends who will help–that all has to come first before you need anything. Give so you can get.

This means, in effect, that conversations do not simply happen–they require effort. If I create a profile and follow a few people and then nothing more, it is unlikely that anything will come of it. I have to first give people a reason to want to talk. That is why a personal learning network is not magic, and indeed does not come without a price–I have to work on it and constantly develop it, otherwise I will not be able to rely on it when needed. This may be easier for some people than others, but for those of us who love process issues, few things beat the experience of sharing and helping others as its own reward while engaging in social media. Let the discussions and ultimate learning then follow.

Using Twitter for Personal & Professional Development

Last week I did a workshop for my organization’s Learning and Development Forum, where I discussed Using Twitter for Personal & Professional Development. I posited Twitter usage as a Personal Learning Network (PLN) , where it works best for you to “get” something from it only after you “give” something to it. While many of my slide presentations are not fully intelligible without attending the presentation itself, I hope these may be useful.

[slideshare id=18416887&doc=usingtwitterforpersonalprofessionaldevelopment040213v9-130408121955-phpapp02]