Chapter 5 - Using Tools to Support Connected Learning

     In chapter 5 of The Connected Educator, Nussbaum-Beach and Hall discuss what tools and how we can use tools to support connected learning. The first tool they introduce is for documenting and archiving learning by social bookmarking or tagging. This is known as a way to organize internet content using keywords or tags. The authors list Delicious and Diggo as websites that are created specifically just for social bookmarking and keeping your tags organized. The next tools they discuss is for connecting and collaborating. The first tool they introduce is blogs. Blogs are a great way of connecting with others. As stated by the authors, Nussbaum-Beach and Hall, on page 77, "Blogs are great sources of ideas, information, and experiences about learning, leading, and teaching". The authors point out some great blogging platforms that are used worldwide such as Blogger, WordPress, Tumbler. They even point out Edublogs as a blogging platform that is great for educators and students. The authors also discuss Google Reader as a blog reader where you can subscribe to RSS feeds for blogs and receive emails for each blog you subscribe to. The next tool the authors write about are podcasts. Many different people use podcasts as a way of teaching and connecting with others. Podcasts are audio formats. Instead of a written blog, it is just spoken into an audio file. The next tool they discuss are microblogs, such as Twitter. Twitter (now X) is practically blogging just in smaller form, hence microblogs. Twitter provides a platform with millions of people but your posts are limited to 140 characters. Another tool the authors discuss is wiki. As stated on page 83, "A Wiki is a webpage that allows a group to work collaboratively by facilitating planning, collaboration, and project coordination," (Hall & Nussbaum-Beach 2012). A platform where wikis are used is Wikispaces. The next tool they discuss is Google Documents which is similar to a wiki except it not a collaborative webpage and instead a word-processing document. The next tools the authors discuss are for social networking. They discuss platforms such as Ning and Classroom 2.0. Ning is a social networking platform for special interest groups. Classroom 2.0 is a created Ning for educators. To end the chapter, the authors give some tips to take control of your digital footprint. The first tip is to build your own professional webpage or blog. The second tip is to use services like Google and LinkedIn to build information about yourself. The third tip is to share your insights through comments on blogs. The fourth tip is to be professional at ALL times. The final tip is to track yourself using Google Alerts to determine when your name is used in online spaces. 

    This chapter held a lot of good information and tips and tools to help us use the internet in the best way possible. As technology continues to improve we need information like this shared with everyone so people realize these platforms are out there and free for us to use. Majority of the platforms discussed in this chapter can be used in many different professional fields. For my career in social work, I am especially excited to be able to utilize many of these tools. Social bookmarking is something that I regularly use already. By keeping my different links and tabs organized and grouped it helps me find what I need much more efficiently. I have a tab for news and other articles, a tab for entertainment, school, and my finance information. All very accessible through Safari. Blogs are something that are becoming less used as new technology comes out. Not just in social work can blogs be helpful but in any career. Blogs are a way to connect and even network with others in your career. You can learn and educate others through blogs. You can find specific topics that interest you or that go alongside your career. Many of the tools discussed in this chapter are easy to use and so informational and helpful for professionals to use. I'm excited to find new uses of these tools after I earn my degree and enter the workforce.