I #foundMomo Today!

It's not a secret that I love Social Media networks and the possibilities they can bring. Although a rather 'late adopter' to Instagram, I've come to really enjoy the platform and all the connecting and sharing it has allowed.

On a weekly basis, I post an Instagram Weekend Challenge - #wkndchllnge - which is often guest-curated by one of the many regular participants. When I began using Instragram, I figured it was a good excuse to look at the world around me creatively again. And why not see if others would like to do the same? So, every weekend, numerous IG'ers worldwide submit photos specific to a chosen theme and exercise our creativity while sharing it with others. I love it and still can't believe we're up to 436 #wkndchllnge photos since autumn last year!

Instagram Weekend Challenge example. Curated by @_awad on Instagram

One of my favourite parts about the #wkndchllnge is that @ianbusher's great dog, Finn, has become our official mascot moreso 'by accident' than anything else. The whole creative affair brightens my weekends and often amazes me at the demonstrations of creativity that participants share. The connections and friendships that I've created through the #wkndchllnge are such an integral and rewarding part of it, too.

 Finn the #wkndchllnge mascot. Photo by @ianbusher on Instagram

Months ago, I stumbled upon an article that was written about #findmomo on Instagram. Andrew Knapp - @andrewknapp - of Sudbury, ON, has a wonderful border collie named, Momo, who obediently hides in photos. To the delight of myself and approximately 5,000 IG'ers per day, we must then spot Momo in the photo! The #findmomo meme brings smiles to my face and outright laughter at what Andrew comes up with on a regular basis.

Spot him? Momo in Toronto. Photo by @andrewknapp on Instagram

Well, Andrew's been in Toronto for an extended stay and thankfully organized an #Instameet today in Trinity Bellwoods Park here in town where Momo fans could meet the star and his gracious owner. Brilliant.

#Instameet announcement by @andrewknapp

I don't care what you say about Social Media, but the ability to gather some fun, creative people together on a cold, wet evening to meet a spirited dog, other dog lovers and an imaginative dog owner is something I'm glad some savvy Instragram use could bring about.

We #foundmomo and had a  blast! Thanks @andrewknapp!

Keep your eye open in 2014 for the #FindMomo book that will be released. You know it's going to be on my bookshelf!

Momo brings lots of smiles to many faces, including mine. @jgoodto on Instagram

Get Lucky! -Daft Punk's Marketing Brilliance

Daft Punk got lucky this week. Or did they?

The duo knew exactly what they were doing last weekend at Coachella when they released a funky, catchy teaser for their new single, 'Get Lucky' which also aired during SNL the same night.

Featuring Pharrell on vocals, the song has stuck in my head ever since hearing it. And apparently I'm not alone. It harkens back to the smooth and 'robotic' sound that made Daft Punk huge in the late 90's and has certainly caught the attention of thousands worldwide.

So, what does a DJ duo expect will happen once a 1 minute teaser track is released in this digital age that they have been a big participant in? That hundreds of 'full-song' edits would start appearing online and be shared extensively. Laptops and tablets were logged into right away with tech-savvy fans creating unofficial versions of the song overnight. Social Media channels accelerate the sharing of, and in less than a week, news of the song and forthcoming album (release date May 21) is known worldwide without any further effort nor spending on Daft Punk's side.

I say brilliant.

Until May 21, many more versions will pop up on SoundCloud (500+ and rising), get shared, commented on and liked (or disliked) and without lifting a finger, anticipation for their new album will be high. Will people be sick of the song before it even hits the iTunes store? Maybe. Will those who already love it - like me - be looking forward to hearing the real version? Most definitely.




But wait. Maybe they've come to regret their marketing decision. Or are they worried about that possibility of people getting sick of the song before it even gets released? I can't answer that, but I can report that the official release has been announced, and it is at 12:01am tomorrow, Friday April 18 2013. It appears all the hype gave their plans a quick change. Maybe their fans, as amateur DJ's, have created some unappealing versions that many have mistaken for the real thing, and this doesn't sit well with the duo. Who's to say?

Whether they regret what I think was an ingenious marketing approach or not, their use of Twitter's new video service Vine to announce the track listing for the album and the teaser being featured at Coachella where they performed what is now a legendary show in 2006, have certainly prepped the masses for a new Daft Punk album.

I, for one, will be purchasing the song tomorrow.

My Top iPhone App Picks - Part 1

My Top iPhone App Picks - Part 1

View more lists from Jamie Good

Learn with Me Experiment #learnwme - Feb4'13

As you're reading this, I'm probably either in the Caribbean Sea or lying on a beach.

Every Monday night at 8pm EST, I host my Learn with Me chat. Tonight that will prove rather challenging and I've yet to secure a co-moderator for such nights like tonight, but I don't want to cancel.

So, I've opted for an experiment that I hope some of you are willing to try. Through HootSuite's publisher feature, I have pre-scheduled tweets to go out between 8-9pm tonight -February 4, 2-13- and as part case study and part experiment, I'm curious to see what comes of it.

My commitment to you, if you choose to engage, is to make it meaningful, thought-provoking and fun! So please take part and let me know how it goes and what you think of the chat. And thank you.

Use the hashtag #learnwme and I recommend TweetChat.com to make it all easier and smoother. Cheers!

Effective Questions - #learnwme Chat Expansion

Not all blog posts need to be typed out, right? Have a listen to my expansion of the most recent Learn with Me chat -#learnwme- that happened Monday, January 28, 2013, with a focus on Effective Questions: Deep Learning and Personal Accountability.


The visuals that were used for the chat are below and can be viewed while listening to my audio excerpt, and the articles that are the basis for the drawings are hyperlinked above. Please let me know what your thoughts are on the topics, this post and my approach. Thanks!

(Special Thanks to Julie Schell and John G. Miller for their help and inspiration!)


Stay tuned for upcoming #learnwme Twitter chats that will be co-hosted and visual! Brandy Agerbeck and I will look at Graphic Facilitation! TBA

Judy Lee and I will look at Leadership Development and Emotional Intelligence! March 4, 2013.

Learn with Me Chat #learnwme - Effective Questions - January 28, 2013

Lately, much of my conversation with a good friend and some colleagues has centred around the issue of effective questions. The two main sources that have triggered my exploration of proper questions and the act of proper questioning have been Julie Schell's, "How to Write Effective Questions to Evaluate Deep Learning", and John G. Miller's book, "QBQ! The Question Behind the Question".

Therefore, I've decided that tonight's Learn with Me chat will focus on effective questions and how they relate both to learning and to our own daily lives. I believe that Julie's wonderful focus on evaluating deep learning will connect well into John's thoughts on questions that facilitate personal accountability.

Join us tonight at 8pm EST for an engaging, fun and interactive Learn with Me Twitter chat that as always, will include visuals to deepen the experience. Use the #learnwme hashtag and TwitterChat.com and we'll see you tonight!

Update: Here is the Storify link of the transcript with the sketches I created to visual the concepts we touched on. Enjoy!

#learnwme chat - January 14, 2013: What Do I Tweet?

If I had to state which question I get the most from people when talking about Twitter, it would be, 'What do I tweet?' Many are willing to jump into the Twitterverse, but once they do, they have no idea what content or message they should be sending out in 140 characters or less.

Tonight's Learn with Me Twitter chat will focus on this issue, so please join us for a fun conversation about what to tweet!

Our focus will be the following:

1 - What should you tweet about?
2 - What should you NOT be tweeting?
3 - What should you do on Twitter besides tweet?

See you tonight at 8pm EST, using the hashtag #learnwme ! Cheers!

Update: Here's the Storify link for this chat for your reference. Thanks. -Jamie

Idle No More: Rethink Social Media & Hire an Instructional Designer

If there's one thing that comes up in conversation a lot these days, it's Idle No More. The #IdleNoMore hashtag is buzzing, their Facebook page has racked up almost 75,000 Likes and Chief Theresa Spence has over 35,000 followers of her Twitter account. Impressive numbers, but so what?

Idle No More is taking the wrong approach to Social Media, despite what the press is saying. In a recent Toronto Star article titled, Social Media helps drive Idle No More movement, Karissa Donkin writes:

Idle No More and its rise have been driven by social media, a place where anyone — no matter how physically isolated they are — can participate in discussion and follow news if they have an Internet connection or smartphone.

Yep, similar to the Arab Spring and the Occupy Movement, Idle No More (INM) has used the convenience, simplicity and ubiquity of Social Media to connect, grow and speak out. And with good reason. Facebook and Twitter are free to use and available in the palm of your hand and in a vast country such as Canada, these platforms get the word out fast and to all corners.

But, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram need to be used by INM as tools to educate, not simply to rant and collect people together around drum circles and public squares. And they'd do well to hire some expert Instructional Designers to help create their Social Media strategy.

Currently, there are significant gaps between what the 'average Canadian' knows and believes about Aboriginal Canadians and what the latter would have us understand and accept. This obviously limits any support they hope to gain from Canadian taxpayers and the voting public. As instructional designer Connie Malamed states in her post, 'What is instructional design':

Instructional design involves the process of identifying the skills, knowledge, information and attitude gaps of a targeted audience and creating, selecting or suggesting learning experiences that close this gap, based on instructional theory and best practices from the field.

Therefore, hand in hand with skilled instructional designers, INM must design an approach to closing the knowledge, information and attitude gaps that exist between themselves and the rest of Canada. And the tools to educate, connect and engage should include, at the very least, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Here's what I briefly worked out on my whiteboard that I will expand upon more after the image (please click on photo for enlarged version):

Let me elaborate on what I'm getting at in the photo. Chief Theresa Spence is being criticized -and I think rightly so- for not granting access to the media on Victoria Island where she is undergoing a hunger strike. If INM wants to garner support, then transparency is key. 

Via Facebook and Twitter, INM is connecting and updating supporters, building momentum and organizing protests. 

And the media is doing its part to confuse and overwhelm the public with their biases. 

The result? Idle No More vs. Canada. 

How do INM go from versus Canada to plus Canada instead? Through creative instructional design and use of Social Media. For example:

1) Twitter: 

• Host Idle No More Twitter chats that broaden the discussion and involve more citizens. 
• Educate Canadians on the Idle No More issues via succinct tweets and links to documents that explain what INM is demanding. 
• Tweet links that illustrate the history of Native Canadians and why current demands exist. 
• Engage followers AND detractors on the Twitter stream like many corporations do effectively. 

2) Pinterest: 

• Pin recipes and photos of unique Aboriginal cuisine. 
• Pin photos of Native Canadian clothing, styles and fashions from all Aboriginal nations. 
• Focus on individual chiefs by giving them a pinboard spotlight. 

3) Instagram: 

• Show the 'rest of Canada' who you are = photos of reserves, paintings, sculpture, textiles, etc.
• Demonstrate daily life through photos = Native Canadian portraits, customs, events, etc. 
• Encourage Aboriginal photographers to submit and participate. 

4) Facebook: 

• Include documents, posts and videos that educate and illustrate what it is you're wanting from the rest of Canada and the government. 
• Announce activities that Canadians can attend and experience, giving opportunities to rub shoulders with members of INM and create meaningful connections. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg as far as I'm concerned, but I think even these few ideas I've explored would help bridge the gaps immensely. What do you think? 

We're ALL Visual Learners

If you're reading this sentence, you're a visual learner. To get to my blog, use your mouse, swipe your screen or click on the link I tweeted out, you have used the visual processing aspect of your brain. Just like you do to walk from your bed to the bathroom in the morning and pick up your toothbrush instead of a hair brush when you need to brush your teeth.

Almost two weeks ago I went to a talk by Dan Roam at the Rotman school here in Toronto and have been on a completely new mental direction ever since. Dan's book, 'Blah Blah Blah: What to do when words don't work', has been so affirming. It has set my creative imagination on fire and has prevented me from sleeping at a decent hour as my idea generator has been working overtime.

As Dan has stated in a number of fantastic podcast interviews (Boxes and Arrows, Mastermind Podcast, etc.), we have purposefully trained our brains to ignore the visual part of it that makes life so wonderful and meaningful. The linear and the verbal rule the world today. As he has said, we aren't electing Prime Ministers and Presidents based on their drawing skills, but rather their ability to talk. Contrast this present reality with another: the incredible growth of applications like Instagram and other platforms -Twitter and LinkedIn- updating their UI's to be more visually oriented.

Let me quote Dan here for a minute and target this passage to all those linear-focused business folk out there:

"The biggest buzzword in business these days is innovation. The business press, business leaders, and business schools can't say it enough: 'Innovation is the key to success.'...

When we're searching for innovation, aren't we simply seeking a different way of looking at the world? ...Why is it that at the moment in history when we most need to see the world differently, we don't force our mind to look at problems differently? If our goal is to look differently, where have all our pictures gone?"

Good question.
So, let's try an experiment. Take a gander at some of my recent Instragram photos:

Now, what did you just learn about me? 

Twitter Chats - Guest Post by Nadia M. Ollivierre

Part of my participation in the Twitter backchannel at the CSTD2012 conference included meeting new people. Although Nadia M. Ollivierre and I didn't have the chance to meet in person at conference, we've connected on Twitter and through this relationship we have helped each other learn, discussed meaningful L&D topics and encouraged each other to go forward professionally. 

Her enthusiasm to dive right in to Social Media, and Twitter especially, prompted me to ask her to write a guest post for this blog. To help facilitate further learning, we settled on the topic of one of my favourite things: Twitter Chats. Accompanying this article is Nadia's SlideShare presentation that gives you some visual understanding of what she explains below. I encourage you to take a few minutes and check it out as well. Now, I'll pass the mic to Nadia...


Following users on Twitter is a fairly easy process. You enter a username and click the follow button. Following a Twitter chat should be just as simple right? Wrong! I discovered this only after joining my first twitter chat - #CSTD2012. I was eager to get involved in the discussion so I posted a tweet in response to a question. I was surprised to see how fast each tweet from other users in the chat filled the timeline.I was trying to keep up and frequently forgot to add the chat hashtag when making a comment. I was gaining a lot of new information but I still had so many questions and clearly so little time.

• How do I stay involved in the chat?
• How much can I tweet?
• How do I respond to comments?
• What other chats can I join?

With the help of a fellow tweeter - @JGoodTO - I have come to realize there are a few things to bear in mind when you join a Twitter chat:

1. Remember to hashtag - #! This may seem obvious but when you are trying to keep up with the topic it can be easily forgotten. This will result in your tweet being posted on your timeline and not in the chat. Tweetchat is a tool that automatically adds the hashtag to your tweets and can keep you up to speed and focused on one topic.

2. Keep your posts short and sweet. Given the pace of the discussion you are going to want your tweets to get right to the point. You can use your 140 character limit efficiently by using acronyms and shortening some of your words. Keep in mind the chat hashtag is included in your character count as well.It is also easier for other tweeters to retweet or quote your comments if they are brief.

3. Check your Mentions. You need to remember to check ‌ your ”mentions” to ensure you have not missed any opportunities to answer direct questions regarding your tweet or share ideas. Forgetting to do this could limit your chance of enhancing your discussion.

4. Explore the twitter-sphere. Join chats you are interested in and practise, practise, practise! Search Twitter, read other user tweets and click on the #hashtags they have added to their postings. You can also make up #hashtags and see what has been posted.

I have learned a lot from joining these chats. They have helped me collaborate with tweeters around the world to brainstorm and build resources, so get out there and enjoy your journey towards lifelong learning. ‌ ‌

Death to Learning Styles?!

In the past two years, I have learned so much about so many things that if it weren't for Evernote and PearlTrees, it would be hard to keep track of it all! One of the things I've learned about and appreciated was the Kolb Learning Styles Inventory.

Once the group I was in learned what style they most closely connected with and then separated out into those sub-groups, we had a blast! (Well, the Divergers certainly did!) I was utterly amazed at how blatantly we demonstrated our learning style characteristics and it truly opened up a new way of thinking for me. It also helped me improve my instructional design that I was working on at the time and helped me to challenge myself to learn in varied ways.

Now, over the past month, this lone tweet in the Twitter-verse appeared along with a subsequent blog post and has stirred up some conversation:

I posted Mark's blog post on Twitter and LinkedIn and was honestly surprised at the quick responses and to which way they were leaning -leave the learning styles behind. Surprised because of how valuable learning about these styles had proven to be for me and others.

Mark writes:

It is the desired Learning Objective or Performance Outcome (and, to some extent, the content) that will determine an appropriate instructional strategy. While instructors and leaders may have a responsibility to support the learner through their progression from (potentially) novice to (developing) expert, they still have to acknowledge the optimum methods for delivering said instruction. Any instructor trying to adapt instruction to ALL learning styles (e.g. Kolb) is setting themselves up for failure.

I read this and my immediate reaction was, 'Really??' And my second reaction came from my love of Social Media: 'How great it is that I can connect and discuss issues and topics like these with people from all over because of a tweet and a post!'

The Learning Objectives and the Performance Outcomes we focus on are certainly crucial to effective instruction and training and I agree that adult learners are ultimately responsible for their learning. But aren't we called 'facilitators' for a reason? Are we not out there to facilitate deep, meaningful and engaged learning? And can we not enhance our approach by ensuring that in our Learning Objectives, Performance Outcomes, content and presentation that Divergers and other learning styles are 'targeted' and considered? I have come to believe that the 'optimum methods' for delivery would mean making sure you don't simply cater to Assimilators and hand your learners a textbook and say, 'Read it'. So, if you're not 'adapting instruction to ALL learning styles', who are you leaving out and disengaging? And can you make those that aren't engaged 'responsible' for their own learning when you've basically left them out of the equation and they can't relate?

I still believe from personal experience and conversation, that many people do not adopt Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook into their professionl development or personal lives because of their learning styles. But don't quote me on that, because as a lifelong learner, I'm still doing just that -learning.

I would love to know what you think about the Learning Styles approach to instruction and training, so please add your comments below and thanks for continuing the conversation!

SPECIAL NOTE: Join me for tonight's Learn with Me Twitter Chat at 8pm EST (December 3, 2012) where we will be discussing this issue of Learning Styles and their value, the case against and what alternative viewpoints and approaches lead to engaged learning as well. Use the hashtag #learnwme and see you tonight!

#learnwme chat: Twitter in the Classroom -Nov. 26, 2012

Increasingly, there have been cases in the media reporting and debating on the use of Twitter (and other digital tools) in the classroom. Some instructors and facilitators embrace it, others ban it.

Tonight's #learnwme chat will focus on the use of Twitter in the classroom, workshop and training session. We'll discuss best practices, what to avoid and what some creative uses could be. Check my previous post on the latter.

Your input and ideas will be most welcome and invaluable. Please join us at 8pm EST, Monday November 26, 2012 and Learn with Me!

Update: Last night's chat was great! Good tips and ideas to be found in the Storify transcript. Check it out and thanks for reading!

Student Snitching: No Laptops During Class

A few weeks ago, the Toronto Star published an article about Professor Henry Kim at York University's Schulich School of Business. The focus of the article was on Kim's approach to students using laptops while in his classes. To ensure 'proper' use of their laptops, Kim has created two pledges the students must agree to:
1 - No laptop use for anything other than class work.
2 - Spy on their classmates' screens and report truthfully on what they see.

Now, I'm not sure what your first reaction is to reading those two pledges, but mine wasn't positive. (Before I go further, I'd like to point out that the comments posted by readers are quite an interesting read, too.) My first thought was, 'He doesn't get it'. Then I read on to see what his reasoning would be for his classroom rules:

By recruiting this new breed of screen snitches, Kim hopes to make digital distraction so socially awkward that students will close forbidden windows — Facebook, email, Sikh field hockey matches — and plug into class.

So again I react, "Why is Facebook 'forbidden'"? I wonder what the reasons behind students tuning out and watching sports matches are?  Does Prof Kim need to focus more on what he's doing -or not doing- rather than what his students are doing, or should be doing?

Kicking students out of your classroom for looking at something deemed 'improper' on their laptop screen seems to me counter-productive. I consider that Kim could instead be more engaging himself. Maybe he could use some creativity and have the students actively use Facebook, email, Twitter and Pinterest to expand their learning experience with digital tools they've come to love.

Could there be one class online, one class offline? Would it work better if the first 45 minutes of the class occur with laptops closed and students knowing that they can open and use laptops productively for the following 60 minutes of class time? I'm thinking there has to be better solutions than spying, snitching and expulsion from the lecture hall.

Prof Kim rightly asserts:

There’s not an ounce of scientific evidence that students can actually multi-task and learn.

I personally do not feel, however, that the issue here is of multi-tasking and whether it inhibits learning or not.  I believe we cannot fight the digital wave that is crashing down upon us daily nor do it in a way that is not going to turn many away from learning. There are ways to integrate digital technology into classrooms successfully, so let's find those ways, create new ones and keep the learners in their seats -engaged, excited and passionate. If we don't, then more comments like 'steboy' will be made:

Saying we should sit straight and pay attention but not take the care to find out if we're going to want to be there is double talk. This issue seems personal to you, are you a bad teacher? Because I pay attention to the good ones.

Let me know your take on this article and Prof Kim's approach in the comments below.

 

Twitter Value: Part 3 - Connecting, Meeting, Sharing

Writing 'Part 3' seems a bit insufficient in that I really feel I could have a 10-part series of posts on the value Twitter brings, but this blog is about more than just one Social Media platform. So, I'll focus on the value Twitter has brought me in terms of the connections I've made, the people I've met and the sharing that has taken place.

Connections have been many, vast and surprising. I have connected with Aliza Sherman, as mentioned previously, and we have collaborated on MightyBell compiling apps that we feel are must-haves. She has been an amazing resource person for me as well and helpful when I have questions.

I have connected with many through the various Twitter chats I particpate in - #HBRChat, #blogchat, #lrnchat, #smmanners, and #mediachat among others. I've expanded my LinkedIn connections with these people as well and found support, encouragement and a welcome openness.

Meeting people face to face has happened, though many detractors of Twitter think it only creates 'virtual' relationships. At the recent #CSTD2012 conference, I organized tweetups for attendees who had either connected on Twitter pre-conference and/or during. It was great to be able to meet in person, continue the conversations already started and to meet new people. By experience, I can say without a doubt that the one improvement of this year's conference over last year's for me was the fact that Twitter helped me meet many more people. These new connections are already leading to collaboration opportunities and mutually shared learning.

What has been shared with me and what I have shared back has been simply mind-blowing for me, no exaggeration. During Twitter chats I have been tutored and guided through questions I've had which have resulted in amazing learning opportunities. As one fellow chat participant expressed, it's like having your own free college course!

Most recently, the Chief Evangelist, Oliver Starr, of PearlTrees, gave me an amazing run-through of the limitless capabilities and exciting possibilities of PearlTrees via Skype. I was very impressed by the offer and chance to learn that way, and it all came about by some brief conversations on Twitter. I love how sharing ideas and information between tweeters can open up so many doors.

I would really love to hear how Twitter has helped you connect, meet others and share. Please leave a comment below and if you are new to Twitter and are not sure how to make these amazing opportunities happen yet, feel free to let me know and I would love to guide you. 

Twitter Value: Part 2 - Professional Development

I am finding there is certainly no shortage of great things to write about Twitter and its many uses. This post will focus on what I think it brings to the table for professionals. I will be quoting from my most recent #learnwme chat during which we discussed this topic and more. 

My Twitter experience has provided me with so much learning that I feel like I've been through various college courses without having to pay! I've learned about Project Management from @PMHut, Instructional Design and elearning from Connie Malamed, the @elearningcoach, and Digital Media and Marketing from the Digital Marketer, @alizasherman. 

Most recently, I participated in a session of #blogchat, and was amazed and grateful at how helpful the participants on the chat were in helping me learn about archiving, writing and a host of tips to make my blog experience more efficient and enjoyable. Here are a few excerpts from that night:

During my last #learnwme chat, many other options were shared and agreed on, such as checking industry trends and improving customer service: 

As well as the back channel communication that takes place at conferences and also keeping the momentum going afterward via Twitter: 

Of course, networking, sharing and following those in your industry that you admire or want to learn from are valuable uses professionally for Twitter as well: 

Honestly, I believe the possibilities that exist when you use Twitter for professional development and opportunities are basically limitless. As I pointed out during our most recent chat, make sure that your participation with others on Twitter is always a two-way street: Don't just give, and don't just receive. The exceptional value I've experienced from using Twitter thus far has come about because I have helped others just as much as they have helped me. Show a willingness to be helpful to others and you'd be amazed at how helpful the Twitter community is back in return. 

Here's a great link from WikiHow that I shared with the #learnwme chat partcipants that provides some more advice on using Twitter as a Professional. 

The most common advice I give people is to just jump in and get your feet wet. That's what worked for me. The more I used Twitter, the more I recognized its value and the more value I received. Learning, networking, collaborating, sharing, teaching - it's all there and in great abundance. So, what are you waiting for? 

LinkedIn: #learnwme Chat - November 5, 2012

The partial transcript for my Learn with Me chat that just happened tonight is published and ready to browse. It includes some useful links and tips to improve your LinkedIn profile. Our discussion tonight provided great advice between participants as well, so I'm sure you'll find this Storify link useful.

Please take advantage of the great info linked here and let me know below in the comments if you have any other LinkedIn questions. Thank you to all of you who participated and see you next Monday at 8pm EST! 

Twitter Value: Part 1 - Customer Service

I am being asked daily about the 'value of Twitter' and why I bother to use it. Which doesn't surprise me since the top Twitter users are celebrities and comedians who don't really provide much value in my opinion.
I believe that Twitter has provided me with lots of value, therefore I will expand on a few areas in the next three posts and see if I can convince the skeptical crowd.

In the past week, I have again been very pleased with the customer service aspect of Twitter and how it has helped me. It is more immediate, direct and faster on Twitter to connect with brands and companies and their respective customer service reps. Take Cuisinart for example:

While making myself a green smoothie the other day, I realized it's time for a new sealer gasket. I thought, 'Where in all of Toronto am I going to find one?' This being the reason I haven't really bothered to search one out before. Then, of course, I thought, 'Why not tweet Cuisinart and find out?' So, as you can see, I did and was rewarded with an answer within a couple of hours and can now order what I need online with ease.

The same day, I had questions for Downcast, HootSuite and HashTracking, and they all responded well and helpfully. I got what I needed, and fast without having to be put on hold or write a lengthy email and then check my inbox for the next few days for a response. Examples below:

Smart companies and organizations have realized the power of Twitter when it comes to better customer service, and we -as customers- should take advantage of the succinct, quick and easy way that Twitter provides in getting our questions and issues resolved.

I encourage you to try it out for yourself with any customer service issue you currently have and let us know the outcome in the comments below. If you've already had experience(s) using Twitter for customer service with a brand, also let us know.

Learn with Me chat: Oct. 22, 2012

On Monday evening at 8pm EDT, I hosted my first Learn with Me chat! The focus was on Twitter, and along with helping participants learn how to use the platform better and participate in Twitter chats, we also discussed its value in the workplace.

I provided tips on using TweetChat.com in order to participate in the chat easily, and I also explained common and useful acronyms. I hope you find them helpful, too. 

There was a nice discussion on why organizations still aren't embracing Twitter and how we might convince them to hop on board. It was nice to have that discussed honestly and take a look at the real value of Twitter, something I'm going to do in my next series of posts. 

Please have a look at the partial transcript on Storify. I have tried to organize all the tips toward the beginning and gathered the focused conversations together as well. 

Join me on Mondays at 8-9pm EDT/EST for Learn with Me - #learnwme - and Let's Learn Social! 

How-To: #Hashtags and Twitter Chats

I have to say that some days I feel like I'm #getting #hashtagged #to #death. It seems like they are being used for anything as a kind of a side comment or sarcastic jab. This can be funny and clever at times, but the overkill is unfortunate.

And yet every week someone asks me, "What's a hashtag, and what's it used for on Twitter?" Well, I had the same question a few years ago, so let's answer it.

When I sought out the answer, I went right to the source: Twitter. And they have a great explanation:

Definition: The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.

All clear? I wasn't either, so I encourage you to read the rest of that page before going further if you need more clarity. Kelly Clay also gives some good info here and mentions one of the uses I'll be utilizing in a couple of weeks at the annual CSTD Conference:

Using a hashtag is useful for conferences and events to keep all mentions on Twitter about the conference or event searchable and accessible in a stream for those using third-party apps. 

Basically, hashtags help you keep track of conversations centred around certain topics and events. The #FirstWorldProblems being a good example. A hashtag can also help you do research or find like-minded individuals when you combine it with a search on Twitter.

One recent example of how a hashtag on Twitter benefited me was the day of the inaugural 'First Thursdays' event at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). I neglected to buy my ticket in advance and it was sold out with a rush line that evening. I wanted to go, but I didn't want to head down there just to stand in line for over an hour and then not get in to the party. So, I headed to Twitter, searched for #AGO1st and was able to follow the discussion thread, connect with others attending or waiting in line and eventually decide whether to make the trip down there or not. I did go, got in quickly, and loved the event!

My favourite use of a hashtag is for Twitter chats, which are explained here by Janet Fouts. I have had wonderful discussion via Twitter chats, networked and met great people and learned a lot from them. Using TweetChat.com makes it easy, fun and rewarding.

I like Twitter chats so much, in fact, that I'm hosting my own! Please join me and learn with me at #learnwme to discover more about Adult Learning and Development and Social Media! They will be held Mondays from 8 - 9pm EST with the first one happening this Monday, October 22, 2012!

I will begin the #learnwme chats with one that helps those of you who may be Twitter novices. So, this first chat on October 22 will focus on three things to help you learn and practice:

1. How to participate in a Twitter chat. (I'll be instructing and answering questions as we go along while you practice simultaneously.) 
2. Why Twitter is a valuable tool worthy of your engagement. 
3. What some of the most popular Twitter acronyms are and how to use them. 

Please join me and let's have some fun learning together on Twitter! Any questions or comments? Please add them below. 

Social Media and Backchannel Learning

When I got my iPhone, one of the very first apps I put on it was Evernote which I still use every single day. It often serves as my own personal Wikipedia of articles and learning. And the iPhone itself has become a tool I rave about because of how it has helped me increase productivity, connect with others and learn new and wonderful things.

Therefore, I am always disappointed when a trainer or facilitator begins their session or workshop with this request: "Please turn off your phones and mobile devices before we get started."

In Dave Kelly's article, Backchannel Learning in an Organizational Setting, he confronts this common occurrence and explains why these trainers and facilitators should stop fighting the technology wave that has already arrived and embrace it instead. And I completely agree.

He writes,

Many teachers, trainers, and presenters have been resisting the use of mobile devices during their sessions. To quote a famous Star Trek line, "Resistance is futile." The influx of smart phones is only going to continue, so resistance only delays the inevitable. It is also shortsighted, as the usage of mobile devices during sessions is not a risk at all; it is an opportunity.

Simply put, learners are now walking into your session carrying the ultimate engagement tool right in their pocket.

He goes on to relate another common occurrence that I personally partake in when attending conferences and workshops - using Social Media platforms during the sessions to relay what is being learned to others not in attendance. I adore Twitter for this reason (among many others). This fantastic interaction is referred to as 'The Backchannel'.

Coming up at the end of this month, I will be tweeting for and from the Canadian Society of Training and Development's 2012 Conference and I can't wait. I, along with many others, will be tweeting the gems we learn for anyone to see via the hashtag, #CSTD2012. As Dave Kelly points out in his article, this backchannel learning is an amazing opportunity despite all the unfortunate resistance to it.

In addition to the content shared by those organizational employees in attendance, non-attendees can also learn from the content shared by everyone else attending the conference. For larger conferences, there could be hundreds of people sharing their learning via the backchannel.

It is in this open sharing that the true power of the backchannel emerges. You can definitely get an understanding of the themes, trends, and concepts being shared at a conference by reviewing the postings of attendees shared through the backchannel.

I embrace and encourage the use of smartphones, Social Media and backchannel learning whenever and wherever possible. How about you? What experiences have you already had and what were the outcomes?
Please leave your comments below.