Into the Unknown

One of the questions related to the use of social media in learning is, "Should we use it in our organization?" It's very basic, and I think these types of conversations are happening in all sorts of environments where learning is taking place - K - 12, universities, in the work place, and more. Social media is all around us, and in the never-ending quest to provide a richer experience for our learners, it makes sense to ponder this question. After all, most of us are utilizing some type of social media - often learning (either actively or passively), so does it stand to reason we should just commit to what seems like the inevitable?

At work, for instance, we are in the midst of implementing a new socially connected means for staff to collaborate and (hopefully) share knowledge and learn from one another. It's really no different than the traditional mentorship style of learning - a master sharing their accumulated knowledge with a novice, and promoting learning via this connectiveness. It's simply in a non-traditional setting. It's all very new age, and seems to be the right thing to do. Obviously it will take some time/effort, but my hope is that it eventually becomes a much loved means of supplemental workplace learning.

At a recent conference there was a good deal of talk centered around social learning, and how to get your organization on board with the idea. While the presenters spoke with a great deal of enthusiasm and certainty ("It will surely work. Just "build it" and they will come!) in reality, it's likely somewhat more difficult to actually implement. Yes, we're all using social media, and we're learning through Reddit posts, YouTube, Instagram, etc., but when it comes to the workplace, school, or wherever there are a lot of pieces you have to put in play to change the culture. It's not as easy as just saying, "Ok, starting today we're going to start learning through Twitter posts. Make sure you sign up and follow the Acme Warehouse feed!" It's an approach which takes dedication and commitment from all levels of management, and everyone in between.

So into the unknown we go. We have a plan, and we have the platform. We also have the learners. What comes next? I guess we'll see...

Comments

  1. ShaniquaJune 25, 2023 at 7:57 PM

    We're doing something very similar in my organization. The challenge has been getting staff to actively use it and not see it as just something else to do. We are working on helping staff see the value in it and how they can learn from each other to facilitate their own learning and development. Good luck with your staff!

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