Blogs as Online Learning & Low-Cost Professional Development for Nonprofit Staff Rosetta Thurman Perspectives From the Pipeline www.fromthepipeline.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/leighblackall/

Myth #1 Nonprofits cannot provide professional development for staff because they can’t afford it. Myth #2 There’s no way staff can learn how to do their jobs better without having to travel to attend a conference or sit for three hours in a classroom.

“ Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.” - John Holt http://www.flickr.com/photos/tzofia/

“ Learning is not the product of teaching. Learning is the product of the activity of learners.”

- John Holt

Why Online Learning? Benefits of Online Learning No monetary costs The right fit for the learner at the right time Accommodates diversity “The light’s always on” http://www.flickr.com/photos/auchard/

No monetary costs

The right fit for the learner at the right time

Accommodates diversity

“The light’s always on”

Why Online Learning is so Effective Interaction - social contact enhances learning Usability - simple and consistent Relevance - online learning is relevant to you right now http://www.flickr.com/photos/spackletoe/

Interaction - social contact enhances learning

Usability - simple and consistent

Relevance - online learning is relevant to you right now

“ Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.” - Albert Einstein http://www.flickr.com/photos/litmuse

“ Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

- Albert Einstein

A Blog is... A shortened form of weblog A website where items are posted regularly Made up of text, hypertext, images, and links Utilizes a conversational style of documentation Often focused on a particular topic

A shortened form of weblog

A website where items are posted regularly

Made up of text, hypertext, images, and links

Utilizes a conversational style of documentation

Often focused on a particular topic

Why Blogs? Accessible and non-intimidating medium Leading-edge content vs. outdated techniques Real-time information on a particular topic Opportunity for deeper engagement and networking

Accessible and non-intimidating medium

Leading-edge content vs. outdated techniques

Real-time information on a particular topic

Opportunity for deeper engagement and networking

Nonprofit Blog Exchange : listing of over 150 nonprofit blogs Give and Take from the Chronicle of Philanthropy: general nonprofit topics especially philanthropy Donor Power Blog : great resource for fundraisers Nonprofit Communications : useful for communications/PR/marketing directors Beth’s Blog : for nonprofit IT directors

Also Try: Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants Google Blog Search Technorati

Also Try:

Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants

Google Blog Search

Technorati

Keep up with the blogs you want to read on a regular basis: subscribe to them in a reader such as Bloglines Updates your “feeds”automatically as new blog entries are posted Allows you categorize your blog feeds, save items ,and email articles to colleagues My Bloglines feeds are public: http://www.bloglines.com/public/RosettaThurman

Keep up with the blogs you want to read on a regular basis: subscribe to them in a reader such as Bloglines

Updates your “feeds”automatically as new blog entries are posted

Allows you categorize your blog feeds, save items ,and email articles to colleagues

My Bloglines feeds are public: http://www.bloglines.com/public/RosettaThurman

Go to http://www.bloglines.com. Give your email address, and select a password. Check your email and follow the instructions to complete your sign-up.

Select the circled option to add a feed. On the left hand side of the screen enter the URL of the blog you wish to subscribe to. Go to the Bloglines site and login. Make sure you are on the tab called My Feeds . You will now see your new folder and feed appear on the left-hand side of the screen.

The number of new items in a particular folder and a particular feed appear next to the feed or folder name. Click on the blog's name and you will see the entries you haven't read displayed on the right half of the screen.

The number of new items in a particular folder and a particular feed appear next to the feed or folder name.

Click on the blog's name and you will see the

entries you haven't read displayed on the right

half of the screen.

A Rapid Learning Model Dolly the Development Director decides that she needs to learn more about donor-advised funds. So she heads on over to Tactical Philanthropy to join the discussion. After reading a number of related blog posts, she may send an email to Sean (the blogger) asking a specific question that will help her implement this fundraising method in her work.

Dolly the Development Director decides that

she needs to learn more about donor-advised funds.

So she heads on over to Tactical Philanthropy to join the discussion. After reading a number of related blog posts, she may send an email to Sean (the blogger) asking a specific question that will help her implement this fundraising method in her work.

Learner + immediate need for knowledge + instant connection with content + possible connection with live person (blogger) ________________________ = resolution of learning issue, new resource for future needs, new connection with an industry expert Can you think of a better return on investment? http://www.flickr.com/photos/burity_/

Ensure a User-Friendly Process Create a public organizational Bloglines page Or: compile a simple hyperlinked Word document with a bulleted list of blogs for staff to explore Use with incoming employees as an orientation to your nonprofit

Create a public organizational Bloglines page

Or: compile a simple hyperlinked Word document with a bulleted list of blogs for staff to explore

Use with incoming employees as an orientation to your nonprofit

Try Knowledge Jams Get together for ½ hour weekly meeting to talk about what staff learned from blogs that week – make it light and fun Encourage more blog exploration, broaden resources among staff, spread the knowledge from individual to the group Institute and reward a culture of learning http://www.flickr.com/photos/64517865@N00/

Get together for ½ hour weekly meeting to talk about what staff learned from blogs that week – make it light and fun

Encourage more blog exploration, broaden resources among staff, spread the knowledge from individual to the group

Institute and reward a culture of learning

Reflection What have we learned about blogs and online learning? Are there challenges to adopting this practice in our organizations? How can we use blogs to help fulfill our own individual professional development goals? Which blogs should staff in your organization be reading? Are there any lessons here that we can apply more broadly within the nonprofit sector?

What have we learned about blogs and online learning? Are there challenges to adopting this practice in our organizations?

How can we use blogs to help fulfill our own individual professional development goals?

Which blogs should staff in your organization be reading?

Are there any lessons here that we can apply more broadly within the nonprofit sector?

Presented by: Rosetta Thurman Perspectives From the Pipeline [email_address] www.fromthepipeline.com Credits: Stephen Downes Problogger Rutgers University Law Library Blooming Webs

Presented by:

Rosetta Thurman

Perspectives From the Pipeline

[email_address]

www.fromthepipeline.com

Credits:

Stephen Downes

Problogger Rutgers University Law Library

Blooming Webs