Week 29 - PRACTICE - Professional Online Social Networks

HOW IS SOCIAL MEDIA BEING USED IN MY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

DESCRIPTIVE
I was blown away with Statista (2018) and how far reaching Social Media is becoming. While I am an active user, I sense I still have quite some way to go in regards to both my Professional Learning and Classroom Development. 
For the class it is mainly used as a way of connecting with home:
Facebook- closed group shared with families
Seesaw- this is a ethical issue as shared last post 

Personally I am part of a range of Social Media Teaching Groups through Facebook:

e.g: as found below (I haven't listed them al) 
  • Tauranga Mindlab 17-18

  • PYP Teachers - let's share some ideas

  • School Kit Squad
  • Daily 5/Literacy Cafe (NZ teachers)

  • NZ Teachers (Primary)

As well as Facebook I also follow a few pages that are relevant to my teaching practise such as NZQA so I hear about important and current trends. Our school also shares interesting and current readings for others to benefit from. 

COMPARATIVE
What might I like to do differently?
While I do read along others comments and questions most weeks, it would be beneficial for me to engage at a higher level. Rather than merely observing what others are commenting, become a more active participant and post thought provoking questions or posts. 
For example with our research that we are undertaking, asking who has experience with this?
This will provide opportunities for others to share what they have found successful...or not. 
Its such a rich opportunity to connect with such a wealth of knolwdge and expertise with the touch of our finger tips. Post a question in the leadership group if its leadership question or the teacher page if its at the classroom level
Melhuish  (2013) talks the limitations of some of these forms of social network sites if we stop using them because we think they are not of use to us. Its like anything, there will be some nuggets of gold and some stuff which is useful to me and or my team. Rather than use a one blanket comment of its all no use will be foolish. Therefore it is far better to allocate a set time to reflect and read through some relevant posts and select one idea which I can use or implement. 



CRITICAL REFLECTION
The implications for using social media in my own professional development is me being selective in what I access. When commenting on posts, be selective. When reading be selective. What do I want to gain from this interaction? What question am I seeking an answer for? When I read the material or responses, use this filter. Is this helping me get closer to this answer or is it taking me away. 
Like any social media it needs to used with care...otherwise time will flicker away and I won't be any better off. Therefore use it with intent and purpose. 



REFERENCES
Statista (2018). Number of social media users worldwide from 2010 to 2021 (in billions). Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/

Source: Office of Ed Tech. (2013, Sep 18). Connected Educators. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=216&v=K4Vd4JP_DB8
p. 36-44 in Chapter 3 of Melhuish, K.(2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’ professional learning. Master’s Thesis. The University of Waikato. Retrieved on 05 May, 2015.
 Whitaker, T., Zoul, J., & Casas, J. (2015). What connected educators do differently. New York, NY: Routledge.

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