Importance of social networking

I came across this video on YouTube which explains social networking sites and just how imprortant they are in this day and age.

Assesment draft!!! Feedback appreciated

Hi guys. Please leave any constructive comments for this. The deadline is fast approaching and I really need to get this mailed off so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I really struggled summarizing in just 750 words but I hope the appendices helps, which mainly is taken from my blog. Question: in our appendices is it okay to just put the link to our blog page or should we attach whole quotes/extracts?

A Critical Reflection on my Developing Professional Practice

This essay discusses the three main topics covered in Module WBS3002- Web 2.0 technologies, reflective practices and professional networks and what was learnt through each part.

Developing my Web 2.0 Skills

After reading through the Course Reader on ‘Professional Communications Technologies’ I feel I have come away with a much better understanding of Web 2.0. It has made me think in ways I never have before. I have learnt how to blog, upload photos to flicker (Appendix 1) and create Wiki pages (Appendix 2) as well as further developing my current skills such as YouTube (Appendix 3). I have been able to directly apply these skills for work purposes, for example I added the link to my YouTube showreel and professional Flicker photos for a recent one off dance gig. Using blogging I have been able to discuss the power of the web with others on the course looking at the pros and cons and the outcome it can have on people’s lives (Appendix 4).

I have been introduced to some new sites such as Dancers Pro and LinkedIn, which have helped in expanding my professional network. I came to question what is ‘being professional’ in terms of social networking sites, it influenced me to set up a professional Facebook account (Appendix 5). This has been successful in keeping my personal and professional lives separate.

Developing Reflective Practices

Reflective practices forces us to take a step back and look critically at our work. It is vital for professional development. Through journal writing, I have learnt that reflection is a great tool to self discovery and allows us to learn from our experiences and reflect on what has taken place. At first I was a bit skeptical to start this having made failed attempts in the past and it has been challenging to find time to write entries, but I have found it a very useful tool for my work (Appendix 6). Using the David Boud and Jennifer Moon frameworks I found I could take an important day and write about it in detail, a valuable task for not only recording the events but seeing how my opinion changed and learning from it. I found that Donald Schon’s (Appendix 7) reflecting-in-action is a task I often use in my daily professional practice, and is Reflecting-on-action through journal writing will help my professional development and is something I need to continue to improve on (Appendix 8).

Discovering that I am a kineasthetic learner (Appendix 9) allowed me to discover how best I learn. Moreover I gained good insight into my weaknesses and strengths by identifying my learning style and researching it, which I can use to my advantage.

Through looking at David Kolb’s learning cycle I discovered myself to be a Diverger (Appendix 10) I like the idea of perception continuum through which people learn by feeling as I think this is an important part of learning in dance. I am still unsure if David Kolb’s learning cycle can help in my development as a performer

I do think we have to be careful that acknowledging a particular learning style does not give us a tendency to behave in a certain manner.  However recognizing our learning style can help us to become better learners with a more positive attitude towards study and greater confidence in applying ourselves.

Developing Professional Network

I have found the course reader on The Networked Professional most interesting and of value to me at this point in time. It reiterated the importance of connectivism and technology to my professional practice (Appendix 11). It taught me that experiences, literature, talking to people are all nodes that we can learn from, challenging the traditional teaching methods. I never thought about how I can learn through engaging in various communities of practice (Appendix 12).  Sharing thoughts, ideas and experiences with others can change the way in which you think as well as affecting your actions.

 I have tested the theory of cooperation (Appendix 13) during my current contract. It has expanded my network and given me links to future jobs.  I have learnt that being a pro-active networker is vital in building on and improving your network. It is something I will be working on. Ivan Misner (Appendix 14) points out that it is how well you know people that matters. This has encouraged me to reconnect with people I have not engaged with in while through social networks and email.

I questioned why people are willing to help me out. My current dance captain is going to notify me of future jobs. Is this because she already has work lined up so doesn’t mind giving up other opportunities? The idea of why we have the need to affiliate is something I would like to discover further. (Appendix 15).

Critically looking at my current networks has helped in looking at areas I can expand and improve on. It made me realize that although I thought I had quite a large network as Ivan Misner points out it is limited if you do not keep contact with these people. I have started to expand my networks through LinkedIn and my professional Facebook page and need to continue to develop these areas (Appendix 16).

Summary of course so far

Course Summary

To help with starting my assessment piece I thought it might be valuable to summarize module WBS300. I started to brainstorm what themes and tools have emerged in the course so far and write a bit about what I have gained from each part.

Professional Communications Technology

Web 2.0 technologies- tools to help our professional communication
- Blogging
- You Tube
- Flicker
- Wiki
- LinkedIn
- Facebook

Here I was introduced to a number of new tools that has expanded my knowledge of Web 2.0 technologies. I learned how to blog, something I had never done before as a useful way to share thoughts and ideas. You Tube was a tool I was familiar with using for showreels and it is a great way of sharing visual auditory information. Flicker was another new tool for photo sharing that I have starting accessing. After uploading my professional images I have used it a couple of times in applying for jobs by adding the link to my email cover letter. I feel using YouTube and Flicker is a great way of instantly showing an employer your skills. I was also introduced to LinkedIn by Stacy Wilson as a networking tool for other professionals. I find I like using this more so than facebook as it seems much more professional. This part of the course also influenced me to set up my own professional facebook account, which I am very happy I did. I now feel comfortable in accepting my agents, past teachers and employers on my professional profile knowing it is separate from my personal information.
An important aspect raised in this part of the course was that personal professional management is key in having a successful career. Self management of our careers and the way in which we act on the World Wide Web can have a profound influence in the directions our careers may go. I have found the impact the web can have on people’s lives whether through remixing (see my blog "Remix thoughts in response to Paula's blog") or through social networks (see my blog "Social Networks in the press") can change people’s lives.

Reflective Practices
- Being a reflective practitioner
- Journal Writing
- Theories from other thinkers

This part of the course introduced me to thinking about my professional practice in a critical way looking at why some things happen and to learn from these experiences. I have looked outwards at what other thinkers have said and tried and tested these ideas in my practice. My reflective journal has played an important part in not only keeping a log of what I have been up to but a way of recording thoughts and feelings at that time. I realize that before I started this many things have happened that I would normally brush away and forget about but I have the chance to look back over a particular day and think about what I can learn. It is interesting to look back and question why I felt like that and what I would change if I were to be in that situation next time. I found that I could relate to some of the theories in my practice such as Howard Gardner’s (1983) multiple intelligences theory and Donald Schon’s thinking in and on action. From David Kolb’s learning cycle I found myself to be a diverger (likes to observe before doing) and created my own cycle for my dance practice. I struggled with this theory in that in different circumstances I can enter Kolb’s cycle at different points and it can be dependent on the situation I am in. I experimented with the theory however, trying to come in at say active experimentation and trying the move out but I found reflective observation to be of most value to me.
In an online test I found my learning style and to no surprise discovered I am a kineasthetic learner. This clarified what I knew before but helped me to identify my weaknesses and strengths and ways in which I can improve. For example, I find it hard to sit still for long periods of time therefore if I take frequent breaks or workout before I start work I will perform much better.

The Networked Professional
Here I came across some new theories that I researched further and related them to my current professional practice:
- Cooperation
- Affiliation
- Social Constructionism
- Connectivism
- Communities of Practice

I found this part of the course the most informative and relevant to where I currently am in my career. Here we looked at our current networks and drew a map of what they might look like. In the campus session the idea of a tube map and nodes came about as ways to think of our networks. You can jump off at anytime have a change in route and connect with new nodes to make a larger network.  Initially I felt I had quite a large network but when I looked closely I realized some of them I had not been in contact with for so long.

Ivan Misner pointed out “it is how well you know them (contacts) that really counts" (Ivan Misner, June 2010), which made me get back in contact with people I hadn’t spoke to in a while. Wha is the point in having over 1,000 friends on Facebook when you only talk to 10 of them on a regular basis?

Affiliation has been proven to be an important aspect of networking through the current contract I am in. I have seen someone who has not affiliated with the group and therefore has dramatically reduced her chances of improving her network and being given information from other girls.

 I have had a different outlook to the way in which I now conduct myself. For example I have really realized the importance of making new contacts and keeping in touch. I have reconnected with people I have not been in contact with for a while to keep my current networks active. Staying active in communities of practice is how you get the most out of it. By being pro-active you can learn so much more. This is important for the rest of this course. The only way I will get the most out of it is by actively participating in blogging thoughts and sharing ideas.

Holland

Hello everyone! Just wanted to say I have arrived in Holland. We started rehearsals today around 9am with the CanCan! Great way to start your day! We managed to get through 3 numbers and have had a costume fitting as well. We are staying in Hengelo, about 2 hrs on the train from Amsterdam. The hotel is really nice, good area around with shops, places to eat etc. I will be keeping an in depth journal here. Already on my first day there are so many things to write about I am a bit lost where to start.

Interesting conversations with other dancers have already emerged, which I will eventually blog about. One of which raised the subject of the fact that dancers do not really have a voice- we go through the dance captain or choreographer to get heard. It was interesting as it was something I was going to inquire about.

There is a mixture of girls who have worked for a long time with new girls just starting out in the cast. It is funny how people have made connections with eachother as well. For example, one girl is the sister of a dancer I worked with on a promotion and she is about to work with Belinda King in January so we have had a lot to talk about. It has been funny to see how the newer girls in the industry are looking up to people such as myself for advice and they have reminded me of myself starting out- nervous, naieve, young, unsure.

Anyway, it has been a long couple of days. I will start blogging about everything later in the week as well as start my assesment piece too!!

3b Social Constructionism

Social Constructionism

Social contructionism is the idea that we as humans construct the reality we live in. Therefore magazines, money, passports etc would all be classed as items we have socially constructed. They would not have existed unless we made them and they could have been made different if we had wanted. But social constructionism doesnt just apply to objects. It also applies to our beliefs, for example marriage. The society and culture we live in have constructed the meaning behind it and what it includes and doesn't include. 

In educational terms the constructivism theories, such as Jean Piaget (1980), argues that students are already learning in everyday experiences and that teachers should enhance this. "For example, children learn to speak, learn the intuitive geometry needed to get around in space, and learn enough of logic and rhetoric's to get around parents--all this without being "taught." (Papert, 1980, p. 7). Constructivism suggests learning is built by the student and not given by the teacher. Constructionism takes this idea further looking into how this can occur through being engaged in something i.e. a  social network. It is not to suggest that teachers instructing is bad, but just looks at other ways learning can occur.

In a social setting then constructionism places emphasis on the interaction with others. When we are born our expressions and learning how to speak is the first way we communicate. What constructionism does is argues that coming together with others in a constructive way can help in our development and in doing so that network or social setting will be enhanced by our engagement in it. But if these constructions (or networks) and relationships are the key to development, then what if there is limited or bad information in that network? What would the effects then be to us?

                  "Networks are large social constructions" (The Networked Professional, 2010)

As we know our networks are ever changing and developing. It is an evolving construction that we have made. The way in which we interact in these networks will determine how beneficial they will be to us and how they turn out. If we engage fully we will be able to come to meanings about our professional practice. Through sharing ideas, blogging and keeping the BAPP network full of strong information, thoughts and ideas we will develop as professional practitioners. Through face-to-face meetings, social networking sites and generally being seen and heard to others in the business we will not only be able to expand our networks but our professional careers.

New Blogs to follow...!

Hi Guys!

I have just been on the LibGuides page and realised there are so many new blogs and people on the course now. I have just been through and added about 10 people I was not following- I will get round to commenting on your blogs soon! Also I have noticed I only have 23 followers and there are about 50 of us on the course. Not sure how to get the word out to them, but add me! As mentioned in my recent blog on Communities of practice this course relies on everyone taking part and learning from each other!

3b Communities of Practice

Communities of Practice

"Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly". (Wenger circa 2007)

Communities of practice have been around since the start of people storytelling to eachother.This term was developed by social scientists Jean Lave and Etienne Wegner (1991) as learning through interracting with a group of people who all share the same passion for what they do. It is about building relationships with other people in order to learn from it. You have to be proactive in interracting which takes time- it involves practice, actually doing. Sharing experineces, stories and ways to improve practice with another dancer on a regular basis might seem not very important, but through engaging with others in this way can actually be become valuable learning. For example I have learnt from my friend's experience as mentioned in my previous blog, Critical Reflection on sources of information, about how important it is to search a company before auditioning.

Lave and Wegner' communities of practice theory has developed over the years to a new concept in higher education and also in organisational development.  Our participation in this BAPP degree is one of a community of practice as we are all learning through blogging, sharing ideas and debating them with eachother. What this idea does is questions the thought that learning has a beginning and an end and argues that is can come from everyday life- things we observe, hear, see or read about. This is something I feel Adesola was getting at with her comment on my blog 2d Inquiry.

Eduard C Lindeman (1985-1953) argued that learning is a part of daily living. When I thought about this idea I realsied it is something we have been doing from our childhool school days. Interracting with other students at school, sharing experineces and stories was all a way of understanding the world we live in and learning at the same time. But 'situated learning' (Lave and Wagner) is not the same as 'learning by doing' (John Dewey Experiential Education).  In higher education we need to reflect on our practice in order to learn from it.

I feel that in my professional practice I have not only learnt from social situations but they also can have a big impact on my career. When joining a new company for example I rely in the knowledge of others who have been there for years to find out more about the company and what might be instore for me. But as Lave and Wegner point out the danger is that information can be generalized, wrong or unrealated to professional practice. For a community of practice to be of use people must particpate fully.



"Engagement is taking part - joining in - it is keeping a high energy level - it is being seen and developing your professional presence - it is about recognising the processes through which you can learn in the workplace." (Paula Nottingham Blog on Updating blogs and engagement, 2010)

All must participate to the full in order for everyone to gain benefit.

        Learning is in the relationships between people. As McDermott (in Murphy 1999:17)

I found this quote interesting as I had never thought of learning in this way before. For me, learning was information passed on from say teacher to student and they have learnt something. This however raises the idea that through say a conversation learning can take place. The way we are blogging ideas and commenting on people's blogs is a way of learning in itself rather than being told something.
To summarize, communities of practice can come in all sizes and forms. Some can be really small, some large, some mainly online, some face-to-face. After doing further reaserch on this I have reaslied how important it is to engage fully in our professional practice communities and be pro-active. It has challenged the way I think about learning and that everyday things- a conversation with a friends, reading an article, watching TV can all be relevant to our professional development and learning. I think this is where the journal writing comes in too. Everyday experiences may not seem relevant at the time but when you look back and reflect on what you have written you might find you learn a lot.

References:
http://www.infed.org/biblio/communities_of_practice.htm
Lindeman, E - http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-lind.htm
Intelligence Reframed. Multiple intelligences for the 21st century, New York: Basic Books.

Gardner, H. (1993)