Using a social media platform in the workplace

Social Learning A closer look at using a social media platform in the Workplace h kl Jane Hart, Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies www.c4lpt.co.uk (c) C4LPT, 2009

This short presentation takes a look at how a social takes a look at how a social media platform can provide Jane Hart is a Social Media and the social aspects of formal Learning Consultant who has a 25 learning within an learning within an year track record of helping both year track record of helping both organisation businesses and education understand how new technologies can be used as well as support the wider for learning. She currently focuses on for learning She currently focuses on informal learning and if ll i d helping organizations introduce social collaborative working needs media into their learning and of all employees. performance support initiatives. performance support initiatives (c) C4LPT, 2009

Most self‐paced online courseware looks like this M t lf d li l k lik thi Interactive multimedia Testing Content % Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

Even when a group of online learners is involved, Even when a group of online learners is involved the same model is used Scheduled Scheduled Testing Content interactivities %% % % Managed in a Learning Management System Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

Here are some examples of the ways that social media can be added into this model added into this model External media could be linked or embedded into the content External media could be linked or embedded into the content from file sharing sites, like YouTube, flickr and Slideshare Interactivities Interactivities File Scheduled and social Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

There could be interaction with the instructor, via There could be interaction with the instructor via e.g. email or instant messaging, e.g. Skype … instructor Interactivities Interactivities File Scheduled and social Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

and with the other learners … and with the other learners instructor learners Interactivities File Scheduled and social d l Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

Discussion Forum … e.g. through discussion forums … instructor learners File Scheduled Scheduled Testing sharing content interactivities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

… or even within a social networking service, like social Ning ‐ where the Discussion Forum network instructor and learners each have a profile page hh fil ‐ and can find out more instructor learners about one another File Scheduled Scheduled Testing sharing content interactivities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

Course members might even work Discussion Forum Wiki collaboratively in a wiki, like PBworks iki lik PB k instructor learners Interactivities File Scheduled and social Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

The instructor might write a blog, using Discussion Forum Wiki Wordpress, and blog bl the learners leave comments instructor learners Interactivities File Scheduled and social Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

Learners might help to build a library of social bookmarks, using Delicious social Discussion Forum Wiki network blog Social instructor bookmarking learners Interactivities File Scheduled and social Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

The use of a micro‐blogging service, like Twitter, might be used for real‐time messaging social Discussion Forum Wiki micro‐ network blogging blog Social instructor bookmarking learners Interactivities File Scheduled and social Testing sharing content activities Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

If learners need to work together, they will often set up a study group, in e.g. Facebook social Discussion Forum Wiki network micro‐ blogging blog bl S Social T bookmark instructor learners library U D Y G Interactivities File Scheduled R and social Testing sharing content O activities U P Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

As a result a huge number of different tools might be in use by the course – and these tools could vary from course to course and these tools could vary from course to course social Discussion Forum Wiki micro micro‐ network blogging S blog Social T bookmark instructor learners U library lib D Y G Interactivities File Scheduled R and social Testing sharingg content O activities i ii U P Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

What are the solutions? Upgrading to a LMS 2.0 would mean that some of this social functionality would now be available inside the LMS social functionality would now be available inside the LMS – although some might still need to take place outside micro‐blogging micro blogging S T Social networking Social networking U D Discussion Forum File Scheduled Y Blogging Testing sharing content Wiki G R Social bookmarking O U P Managed in a Learning Management System 2.0 d (c) C4LPT, 2009

A social media platform , like Elgg, on the other hand, includes all the key social media tools i ld ll th k il di t l PLUS offers personal and group workspaces social media platform Personal workspace Tools Social bookmarking bk ki Course Blogs and study Wikis groups File sharing Fil h i Discussions Micro‐blogging social networking social networking (c) C4LPT, 2009

A social media platform could be used in conjunction with a LMS to support a wide range of personal and social activities for a course g p social media platform Tools Personal workspace Course Social bookmarkingg Blogs Wikis and File sharing study Discussions groups Social networking Micro‐blogging Micro blogging Social activities Scheduled organised Testing content by instructor bi Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

It would be up to course designers to decide which social functionality they wanted to make use of; e.g. it might simply be social networking and discussion ;g g py g social media platform Social networking Discussion Scheduled Interactivities Testing content Managed in a Learning Management System (c) C4LPT, 2009

Formal courses could also be set up and delivered solely from within the social p y media platform; i.e. hosting both the content and the social activities social media platform Personal workspace Social bookmarkingg Content Ctt and social Blogs Wikis activities scheduled File sharing by instructor Discussions Micro‐blogging social networking (c) C4LPT, 2009

… with light‐touch administration g social media platform Access to Personal workspace course by Social invitation bookmarkingg or request Content Ctt and managed and social Blogs Wikis by activities instructor scheduled File sharing by instructor Discussions Micro‐blogging social networking Successful completion reported by instructor (c) C4LPT, 2009

Even an asynchronous, self‐paced course could be delivered in this way. For instance, an Induction course with some formal content, social networking, For instance an Induction course with some formal content social networking discussion and a wiki (e.g. to build an employee‐generated manual) social media platform Self‐paced Open Discussion interactive interactive access to access to group content Wiki “Everything you need to know about xyz company” social networking Participation and activity metrics (c) C4LPT, 2009

But, more significantly, the platform could be used to offer a fully collaborative, participative, social course social media platform p Access to Personal workspace course by invitation Social or request bookmarking and managed by Blogs Wikis Tools used by the instructor course members in Peer scheduled social hdld il File sharing study activities, and facilitated by the groups Discussions instructor, to create course content, which Micro‐blogging is both peer and instructor‐assessed social networking This employs a different formal social learning model – the Community model ‐ which requires a Successful completion reported by instructor different approach to course design and facilitation pp g (c) C4LPT, 2009

But even more than this, within a workplace setting a social media platform also supports personal informal learning and team working l lf ll d k All employees can become users – and set up their personal profiles for All employees can become users and set up their personal profiles for networking across the organisation … social media platform social networking (c) C4LPT, 2009

… all employees can have their own personal workspace, and use the tools for their own personal working and learning … social media platform Personal workspace Tools Social bookmarking Blogs Wikis File sharing Discussions Micro‐blogging social networking (c) C4LPT, 2009

… any user can set up a project or team group to support the learning or performance problems of their team … social media platform Personal workspace Team or Tools project gp groups Social bookmarking Blogs Wikis File sharing Discussions Micro‐blogging social networking (c) C4LPT, 2009

… and users can join (or set up) a formal learning group, when desired or appropriate … where they might either be a learner or a facilitator … social media platform Personal workspace Team or Tools project gp groups Social bookmarking Blogs Wikis Formal File sharing course groups Discussions Micro‐blogging social networking (c) C4LPT, 2009

These are some of the ways a social media platform can support both the formal and informal learning needs of an organisation with the same tools being used throughout with the same tools being used throughout In order to build an organisational Social Learning and Collaboration Platform The Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies provides a range of Social Learning Consultancy Services. For more information, see www.c4lpt.co.uk/socialmedia/ Our recommended social media platform is Elgg ‐ free and open source ‐ and we offer a range of Elgg Consultancy Services to help install, customise and make effective use of it. See www.c4lpt.co.uk/ElggConsultancy.html l k/ l l hl (c) C4LPT, 2009

Using a social media platform in the workplace

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