What widgets do you use on your blogger?
Do you have more real friends vs. virtual friends?
Why does it matter if you are a blogger or 'real' journalist?
Yesterday's session on Exploring Social Media Carole Schwalbe was a fabulous discussion. I especially enjoyed the Map of Online Communities and the wheel showing the convergence of online tools. But it is a conversation that will keep on going, and going, and going...
I am part of so many online social communities that I need to be ever conscious of what/how I say things, make sure I check in on all of them, and find time to shut them off.
While we can debate the merits and pitfalls of using these social networks in our classrooms, the ubiquity of these communities and forms of communication prompts us to focus on how to use them for educational and journalistic purposes.
Fortunately, there are professional journalists who are already experimenting with these tools and sharing how they use these tools.
I found this post on mashable.com talking about how twitter can be used to connect with readers, identify sources, and serve as a form of professional portfolio.
Another post I read was from Australian journalist Julie Posetti who writes extensively about the do's and don't's of tweeting for journalists.
Check out the link or here is a list of her "take-away's" from her posting:
TOP 20 TAKE AWAY TIPS FOR TWEETING JOURNOS
- Think before you tweet -- you can't delete an indiscreet tweet! (Well, you can, but it will survive in Twitter search for three months and it's likely live on as cached copy somewhere.)
- Think carefully about what you're re-tweeting and acknowledge if it's unsubstantiated.
- Be an active twit: tweet daily if you want your followers to stick.
- Determine your Twitter identity.
- Be human; be honest; be open; be active.
- Don't lock your account if you want to use Twitter for reporting purposes -- this fosters distrust.
- Twitter is a community, not just a one-way conversation or broadcast channel -- actively engage.
- Check if your employer has a social media policy.
- Be cautious when tweeting about your employer/workplace/colleagues.
- Be a judicious follower -- don't be stingy but avoid following everyone as your list grows to avoid tweet bombardment.
- If you quote a tweet, attribute it.
- Expect your competitors to steal your leads if you tweet about them.
- Don't tweet while angry or drunk.
- Avoid racist, sexist, bigoted and otherwise offensive tweets and never abuse a follower.
- Scrutinize crowdsourced stories closely.
- Find people to follow. Foster followers by pilfering the lists of other twits.
- Twitter is a 'time vampire' (via @anne_brand) -- you don't need to keep track of all tweets, so dip in and out through the day.
- Prevent information overload by using an application such as Tweetdeck.
- Add applications to your Internet-enabled mobile device to allow live-tweeting on the road.
- Add value to your tweets with links, Twitpic and other applications for audio and video.
As these social networking tools evolve, fade, and new ones spring forward, it is important for us to experiment, err, and improve on how we use them. I am planning to develop my lesson plan around using social networking tools in the high school newsroom.
Some shameless promotion:
I have several blogs depending on the audience and purpose:
Burton High School Journalism
Bicycling/Philosophy
Technology/Education
My Twitter
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