Everyone knows how globalisation and technology have shaped the way we live, work and connect, but education has really been dragging its heels in keeping up with the pace of change. Most school leaders and teachers can list the 21st century skills that are needed for our students to be successful global citizens but many of us have developed our thinking and pedagogies in some areas whilst stagnating in others.
Connect - Communicate - Collaborate
I was not 'walking the talk' when it came to modelling some of the 21st century skills that I valued as important. I was letting fear and ignorance stop me from stepping online and leaving a footprint that could be linked back to me.
Argh! Everything I did would be PERMANENT, TRACEABLE and OPEN TO SCRUTINY! Why would I put myself out there? Posting a picture of my latest meal on Facebook, ranting like a lunatic on a blog or following celebrities on Twitter was not my thing.
Although I have been accessing websites for a long time, I realised that I was missing out on a WORLD of information, experiences and support by limiting much of my personal and professional growth to my local environment. The old adage 'No news is good news' just didn't make sense for my work as an educator and school leader, so it was time to take my first steps into cyberspace and create a digital footprint that would allow me to genuinely connect, communicate and collaborate on a global scale.
Well, George Couros doesn't have to worry about competition from me but I have made a start and am building knowledge and confidence as I take each step. I am proud to be part of a connected world of educators and want to contribute as well as benefit from the insight and experiences of others.
So I am starting 2015 with my FIRST blog. I want to let other reluctant professionals know that there is much to gain from building a positive presence online and that if I can do it - ANYONE CAN!
Insights, tips and tricks so far...
- Just do it! Even if you are sceptical about the benefits, just start by setting up a Twitter account and seeing what is out there. Find a few good people to follow and then check out who they are following. Add some professional organisations and you are well on your way.
- Don't be anonymous. Feel confident in letting people know who you are and what interests you. This will help to build a network that is compatible with your interests and goals. Add a photo - that egghead default image on Twitter isn't particularly endearing.
- Lurking is OK. Whilst not appropriate when walking around your neighbourhood, lurking on social media is a good way to test the waters. You can follow people on Twitter or blogs without posting anything yourself. When you are ready, it will feel natural to retweet, tweet or reply etc.
- Youtube is your friend. When in doubt - go to Youtube! There is always a video to guide you, step-by-step through any process such as 'Getting started on Twitter' or 'How to set up a blog' (and you can pause, rewind and re-watch as often as necessary).
- Curate the good stuff. Once on Twitter, you will have people all over the world sharing content that you will want to keep (and share). Find a curation tool that suits you. I use Scoop.it but there are many others including Pinterest, Feedly, Storify and Paper.li. If you are not sure what these are or how to set one up, refer to the previous point about Youtube!
- Encourage your colleagues to join you. This doesn't mean that you beg them to follow you on Twitter! Simply share the benefits of building a positive digital footprint and the many ways that this can help them in their personal and professional development (or simply in their work in the classroom). I was disappointed to find that so few teachers and school leaders in my sector were accessing and sharing insights and content on Twitter or in a blog (see point #1).
- Have fun! Being part of an online community of professionals should be not be onerous.The world still turns if you haven't checked your feeds or posted anything. I try to approach all things with a good sense of humour (and will use a coat of teflon when necessary). When I am online at night in Australia, I always smile when Steven W. Anderson sends his first tweet of the day in the US; 'Good Morning! Be awesome today!' You can't go wrong with that attitude, can you?
Are there things that you would add to this brief list? What would be your most important insight, tip or trick?
Catch you in cyberspace!