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If you’re not in, you’re out

Literally speaking, this is what I feel when dealing with social media on the web.


Some days ago I had the chance to read a great post on how using twitter overweighs not doing so within a teaching context. More than that. I would say that should be applied to all sorts of social communication web tools and applications existing today: Diigo, Delicious, FeedReaders, Flickr, Youtube, Facebook, Wikis, Blogs and many others that I haven’t been able to try since I started into the ICT and web 2.0 world

Let me quote the best part of the post I mentioned in the paragraph above:

Because you’re not on Twitter, what you don’t realize is that Twitter is the back fence you share with your neighbors. Except your neighbors are people all over the world who share your interests and passions and can help you accomplish your personal and professional goals. Every day you have a chance to learn from these online neighbors. Every day you have a chance to receive resources that you otherwise never would have found. Every day you have a chance to intersect with people who care about what you care about and are willing to help you be more productive and save time. And much of it is banal or just friendly chatter, but much of it also is useful.
What’s that? You don’t want to be part of a community that shares your interests? You don’t have time to learn? You’d rather not receive helpful resources? Oh, okay. Good for you, I guess.
Why, again, dear educator, aren’t you on Twitter?

Right. I assume Twitter hasn’t been the only / unique source of info I picked up to social network, hence continue my professional development. However joining any social media site is thoroughly recommended. If you do not do so you’re definitely OUT.

Social networking is like attending a teacher development workshop everyday. It is sharing your expertise with people like you. And because “birds of a feather flock together” you notice there are professionals having the same probs / doubts / interests / challenges as you.

Social networks have definitely pulled down all sorts of barriers /frontiers. The one who affirms they have brought their users close to isolation must be looking at the situation from a different perspective.


In my real world, at least Social Networks have offered me the key to continuous exploration and research that I might have found impossible to do if they hadn’t emerged.

If I hadn’t been in Social Networks I wouldn’t have

1.discovered new ways to enhance language learning or

2.got the chance to work with lots of colleagues while exploring new web materials when they first exploited.
or

3. developed a new personal project regarding computer based testing for my students at English Studio or

4. been able to provide my students with updated news and resources to help them trained for international exams or

5. encouraged teen students to show how creative they can be and how far they can go with their L2 at an Elementary Level

Or

6. decided to produce a “Teacher Share” section on one of my blogs when I learnt how to edit videos and insert subtitles on them!

There are so many things I’ve done since I started networking!

Yes. To round off I cannot help quoting Scott McLeod on Big Think above.
You don’t want to be part of a community that shares your interests? You don’t have time to learn? You’d rather not receive helpful resources? Oh, okay. Good for you, I guess.
Why, again, dear educator, aren’t you Networking?


Why have you chosen to be out?

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