Working Collaboratively Using Social Media

Social Media Tools

I would say that social media has always played a role within my professional practice, however this has certainly been enhanced since beginning my journey on this course.

My general social media tools of Facebook, Twitter, Skype and Instagram have been used regularly but two new tools of  Google + and Delicious have had a great impact on the progress throughout this process.  These told have enabled me to explore ideas, thoughts and opinions and find research in a different way.  This has enabled me to find different types of resources to help me understand concepts that contribute to my inquiry.

Uses and Interaction

My Facebook community has played an important role within my professional practice, enabling me to communicate using a dance teachers group to discuss ideas for classes and to act as a networking community.  This continues to aid my learning and development and as a way to promote my inquiry tools to a familiar community.

Skype has enabled me to communicate with my tutor to discuss emerging ideas and clarify progress.  As someone who takes a while to process questions and ideas, this is not the easiest way for me to work.  This is why I have used a SIG on Google + as a better way to discuss my theories and questioning as it gives me more time to analyse what I want to say.

I set up my Delicious account in Module 2 and it really has provided me with a great tool to collect a variety of literature to help define my inquiry.  I have shared my account on my blog and SIG to help promote articles to others which may be of interest.  Using hashtags of BAPP this will hopefully have benefited others looking at a similar area of interest to myself.

Progression of Social Media Skills

I don't feel like there has been a huge progression of my skills in social media as it was used so regularly in the past.  One thing which has progressed is my outlook of how social media does not just have to be used to socialise and actually provides a huge pool of data for people to learn from and develop new thoughts and understandings of topics they may not have much knowledge of.  This is true in my progression of this course and has broadened my outlook on ways to research and learn.