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6 th Excellence in Teaching Conference. Crowd-sourcing, blogging and blagging. The benefits and pitfalls of using social media to inform learning and teaching. Martin Webber. Social Media Anonymous…. Blog: martinwebber.net. Social Media Anonymous….
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6th Excellence in Teaching Conference Crowd-sourcing, blogging and blagging The benefits and pitfalls of using social media to inform learning and teaching Martin Webber
Social Media Anonymous… Blog: martinwebber.net
Social Media Anonymous… What is the point of talking? @MartinHowett What is the point of Twitter?
Social Media Anonymous… Twitter is ppl I don’t know talking about things I am interested in. Opposite of Facebook @Polarbear3127
Social Media Anonymous… Linked in: Professional networking
Example 1: Recruiting participants • National online survey of stress and burnout in Approved Mental Health Professionals • Extensive use of social media • blog posts on my blog • invited blog posts and special feature on Community Care website • spreading the word via Twitter • 485 respondents (cf 237 in previous survey) • Limitation: self-selection response bias, but also in postal survey • Student subsequently invited to participate in online discussion on social work practice MSc student research
Example 2: Crowdsourcing • Out-sourcing of problems via twitter & blogs • Writing is often an isolating experience • Twitter can provide instant or no feedback • allows people to contribute when / if they want to • gathers ideas from international community of interest – some stimulating & different; others not! • online relationships determine quality of contributions • Blogs can generate considerable feedback • Limitation: it doesn’t write it for you! Preparing lectures & seminars
Example 3: Critical thinking • Blogs and social media provide a vast quantity of information but critical engagement is essential • Engaging in organised online debating requires quick thinking and concise writing – e.g. Twitter debates , The Guardian & Community Care online discussions • Social media exposes students to multiple perspectives in contrast to classroom perspective of one lecturer… • … but critical appraisal does not always come naturally • Limitation: Students may be persuaded by online personalities rather than arguments Academic development
Benefits • Disseminating research • Blogging about new papers • Tweeting about others’ interesting papers • Engaging social workers in research • Recruit agencies & participants • Promote evidence-based practice • Keeping up to date with new research • Increasing impact of your research • Raises your profile as a researcher and shares work with potential collaborators • Blogging helps you find a rhythm for paper writing Research
Crowdsourcing Ideas for papers, seminars, lectures Rapid feedback on ideas Engage with multiple perspectives beyond university to inform teaching Beyond UK & social work Interaction between students Sharing resources, papers & ideas Sharing good practice Answering student questions Online debate promotes critical thinking Decreases social distances It can be fun Benefits Learning & teaching
Time-consuming Distracting It’s not for everyone Can be viewed as ‘another thing to do’ by students: not assessed = not done? Opinion-forming or crowd following? Inappropriate online behaviour – same rules must apply as in off-line behaviour Freedom of speech & responsibilities to our employers Authenticity of online identities – does this matter? Very little is private Pitfalls
Social media & CPD in social work • Can be used to support formal learning • Practitioners can engage with other practitioners, academics and students to enrich learning experience • Difficult to assess and accredit learning based solely on social media usage • Unguided learning = non-learning? • Self-guided learning = relevant learning? • Implementing learning in practice can be challenging (any precedents?) • Can accounts of reflective learning using social media be verified for CPD?
Why bother? Grants Papers Impact? Books & book chapters Conference papers Teaching Programme & module leadership Doctoral research supervision Research team leadership and management Administration Public engagement – social media
Why bother? Grants Papers Impact? Public engagement – social media?
Thank you Dr Martin Webber Institute of Psychiatry martin.webber@kcl.ac.uk martinwebber.net