E-learning is an obvious area where associations are already engaging their members online, or can easily see the possibilities of how they could be.
"In the Learning 2.0 model, temporal and geographic constraints are dramatically loosened; the old expert-student paradigm shifts to a learning network, a learner-centric paradigm; and, last but certainly not least, the potential scale of the network assume astronomical proportions..."
The technological explosion of social media tolls is exponential and, as Jeff says, can be overwhelming. You need to start simple.
- Maybe you offer courses by correspondence, so you already have the content, you just want to investigate how to run the same courses online through webinars.
- Maybe you want to provide additional course materials through podcasts or videos.
- Maybe you want to repackage some of your existing content that way.
- Maybe you want to post your session slides online for your members to be able to discuss and share them.
- Maybe you want to extend the reach of your course sessions, seminars or conferences though a blog.
- Maybe you want to set up a virtual classroom so your participants nationwide can interact in between actual sessions.
Jeff's book provides a whole load of good, simple examples of all of these ways of expanding your e-learning reach and methodologies, without overwhelming you with tech-speak (which we enthusiasts and early adopters have a tendency to do!). He explains how "embracing Learning 2.0 may mean embracing [the] concept of the teacher as network administrator - someone who, rather than dispensing expert knowledge, facilitates the connections that lead to the achievement of learning objectives."
If you think you are ready to get started, he asks you to consider, "are your staff and members open to the kinds of interactions and diversity of thinking that the successful use of social media requires? Are there pockets in your membership base where you can take first steps? Is social media truly relevant to the types of learning your organization seeks to provide at this time and under its current strategy?"
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then go for it! Get crackin'!
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