*Activity 8: Create or extend your professional social media network

*Activity 8: Create or extend your professional social media network

As mentioned in the previous blog post, I have used a variety of different social media networks in both a personal and professional context

Virtual Learning Network (VLN)

I have primarily used the VLN for support around the integration of iPads to our school. I joined the ipad/ipod user group because it gave me access to people further along their learning journey in a New Zealand setting. This has enabled me to ask questions when I have needed to. I found that searching through most of the previous discussion posts and the email notifications that have come up have supported me, and also provided me with more access to resources from like minded individuals. The use of media in this way had been useful because the record is available at any time and is dated to provide relevance for me.

Screen shot of my emails - VLN searches

Facebook -

Most of my use of facebook has been personal. I have become friends with colleagues from work in this digital environment. I also stay in touch with other teachers that I trained with through this network. Early this year I  joined the New Zealand primary teachers page. Since joining this group, I have had mixed feelings about the benefits that this group provides. There are a number of teachers calling for resources from scratch which I think is a bit lazy and not in the spirit of collaboration. In the following screenshots you will see however I have saved some articles of interest which have popped up in my newsfeed from this. These articles have been useful and I have shared them with other teachers too.

Articles and links relevant to teaching that I have saved on facebook

Pinterest -

Pinterest is the one of the few social media networks available at school currently under our privacy settings. I have only used this on a few occasions and the reason is that it links with our school inquiry model which is underpinned by SOLO taxonomy. Pam Hook has run PD with us as a school and suggested following and scanning the different boards that link to relevant curriculum areas. This has been useful as the boards are based on subject areas and show examples (often from within the New Zealand context) which are easily adaptable, as well as providing links to the educators which could be pursued if relevant.

SOLO inquiry boards that I follow on Pinterest

Twitter -

I think twitter is the most likely platform for my personal professional development. I have only really started using this platform and have been able to follow a wide variety of people relevant to my areas of interest. At the moment most of these are companies and I need to look further into educators within New Zealand. Twitter has also provided me with the opportunity to engage in professional discussions with other educators around focus nights using the hashtag function, This is something that I intend to explore, particularly the focussed edchats and discussions that happen regularly. This is an area that I need to contribute to and will help me to establish connections with educators around the country.

Some of the educators that I follow on Twitter.