More on Using Social Media in Training from Jane Bozarth

Expert observers now think in terms of Web 1.0 (one-way communication) and Web 2.0 using technological advances to make communication more interactive.

"(Web 1.0)  

• Programmer-created web pages, graphics, Flash
• Experts create content
• Individuals visit web pages, read content
• Tightly controlled “sites”
• One way communication (one to many)
• Britannica Online
• Publish
• Firewalls, hierarchies
• Stable content, static, few changes

Web 2.0                                                                                      

• User-created web pages, pictures, user reviews, blogs, wikis, YouTube, social networks
• Everyone creates content
• People construct shared information
• Loosely controlled communities
• Many to Many and peer-to-peer
• Wikipedia
• Participate
• Dynamic, non-hierarchical
• Constantly updated content, (Twitter, Wikipedia)"

From page 12 in Bozarth’s book

“The technologies dissolve many of the barriers between the learners and the instructor, creating a more informal, collegial and interactive learning environment.” (Page 13)

Social media “can provide a vehicle for continuing conversations beyond the time constraints of the workshop schedule…and support development of communities of learners.” (page 13)

“…even if (as a trainer) you do not find traditional instruction frustrating, many of your learners…have made their interest in and acceptance of online interaction clear. Again, social media tools can help the trainer meet the learners where they are.” (page 13)

“Training strategies incorporating social media tools can help learners become more aware of their own learning process, more mindful of and deliberate about their own learning, and encourage them to take ownership of learning and then apply it to their jobs.” (page 13)

People typically learn informally “Hey Joe, how do I reformat those tables, again? “What did you say was the trick of getting these contracts through so quickly?...reading, viewing online tutorials, and, yes, learning by trial and error. Research indicates that as much as 70 percent of workplace learning is informal, occurring outside the classroom and in the space between training events. Social media is one way for the training department and the training practitioners to get into those spaces and reach employees between events. In essence, training approaches incorporating social media strategies more closely resembles how we really learn in our day-to-day activities.” (pages 14-15)