Monkeying around with PicMonkey

One of our assignments for class this week was to explore a technology tool from the eBook we worked on this semester.  I decided to test PicMonkey, a photo editing tool.  This tool is quite handy for a number of reasons.  First, it did not require a login or a download to access.  You upload a picture to the site directly from your computer and it is then accessible for editing.  There seems to be quite a few editing options that I'm sure would be beneficial to people who are more familiar with photography lingo.  I made an attempt to edit a photo I took earlier this week.  Note that this is not a reflection of the capabilities of the program.  I am clearly not a photographer and evidently have no photo editing skills.  But I attest to the fact that this site changes the look of pictures.

This the before picture.

This is the after.  I added a border, lightened it a bit, and added text.

 

Overall, this was a very easy tool to access and use.  I would recommend it and will likely be using it in the future.  Exploring this tool was well worth my time!

3, 2, 1....Time to reflect!

As my summer class winds down, we have been asked to reflect on some things that we have learned along the way.  The class is called Instructional Technology in Human Resource Development, but I think the content was much more generalizable (a good thing!).  Much of it consisted of building professional learning networks and making sense of the huge volume of technology tools at our disposal.

3 surprises from this class:

1.  Twitter is not that bad:  In fact, it's kind of interesting.  If you follow interesting people, you will see interesting posts.  It took some trial and error to determine the more beneficial people to follow, but it's a great way to get quick bits of information.
2. There are tools available to make technology easier:  Sometimes when I think about technology, I think about adding more to my life.  More accounts means more work for me to follow and maintain.  But tools like Feedly consolidate blogs into one location, which actually means more information and less work.
3. If you build it, they will come:  If you post interesting things, you will gain followers.  If you develop an online community and contribute to it, you will be exposed to new ideas and expand existing thoughts. 

2 changes I will make as a result:

1. Maintain my Feedly account:  I really liked using Feedly and enjoy reading blogs to expand my professional and personal interests.  I plan to add blogs as I discover them so I don't lose out on valuable information.
2. Be an active participant in online communities:  If I have a fun idea, I am going to be more confident to share it.  If I like someone else's post, I will share it or make a comment.  I will try to use social media as a form of two way communication instead of observing from the sidelines. 

 1 thing I will never forget:

1. If you are curious about something, try it out!  This class required a lot of experimenting with different tools.  We could have read about them and watched some videos, but the assignments were much more meaningful because we tested these tools.  This can be applied to many different situations.  We shouldn't be afraid to try new things because that fear slows our progress.

Maximizing My Time

Throughout this semester, we have been adding to our personal and professional learning networks (PLNs).  I have created a Twitter account and am up to 23 followers, created this blog (189 views), added important details to my LinkedIn account, created a Feedly account with quite a few blogs to follow, and have learned about some other very useful technological tools.  With one week left of the summer term, I have a chance to reflect on my newly found PLN.  And I think I'll keep it.  Here's why:

These are my girls on our recent fishing excursion.  As you may imagine, we did not catch anything.  But they had a blast!

When I maintain a PLN and am purposeful with learning input, I have more time with my little ones.  These technology tools help me stay connected and dedicated to lifelong learning but not at the expense of time with my family.  Maintaining a PLN requires routine, and this is now a part of my daily routine.

 

I plan to maintain my PLN, but I want to be mindful and not pick it up every time I have a moment to spare.  Because sometimes when I am looking away from my phone, I discover and am able to capture moments like these with my girls.



A Case for Knitting (and More)

One of my job responsibilities is to set up and facilitate webinars to laboratory staff.  We have a few knitters, and I have always been in full support of them attending the webinars with knitting materials in tow.  In my opinion, it is easier for some to focus on something like a webinar when their hands are busy.  So I was very pleased when I read Chapter 7 of "The New Social Learning" and came upon a few points strengthening my opinion:

"Many people use secondary tasks to help them stay engaged and focused....Edie Eckman...points out that when she speaks to people who are knitting and crocheting, she sees laser-like focus. It's as if the handwork allows them to connect with other people far better than if they were empty handed."

Success!  I love when research backs up my opinions.  This shows a great opportunity for trainers to be flexible in their expectations of participants.  This also has implications with regards to multi-taskers using technology tools during training events.  Do you think that can serve as a distraction or a mechanism for greater focus?

This is the product of laser-like focus from my very talented coworker Amanda.  Some of this was likely constructed during a training or webinar.

I had another thought from our most recent reading assignment.  Chapter 6 discusses using simulations and games as training tools.  If you have an experience with using simulations in the workplace, I would love to hear it in the comments below.  I could see this being useful when training on laboratory techniques, but it would require a shift in training expectations.  It may be too far fetched for my organization at this time.

 

Lastly, I was struck by the simplicity in the recommendations from Chapter 6:  "Make it easy."  If we make things too complex, it will be very difficult to get buy in on change.  I would add that we should make it positive.  Change is easier to effect when those implementing it genuinely believe in the product and are excited.

LinkedIn to What?

One of this week's assignments for my summer class required getting some experience using LinkedIn.  We added classmates and our instructor in addition to selecting at least one group to participate in.

Prior to this assignment, I had set up a LinkedIn account, but I didn't see the value in it because I already have a job and career that I love.  Also, I was a bit apprehensive to add a lot of personal information about myself like my education background and job history because once it's on the internet, it's never going away.  Although I enjoy many aspects of social media, I do like to maintain some degree of anonymity.  After dabbling in it this week, I don't think my opinions have changed about LinkedIn for my use.

But I do see how this can benefit job seekers and those looking to see what types of jobs are available.  LinkedIn has the potential to showcase different career paths, which can be beneficial to many.  In addition, LinkedIn gives job seekers an opportunity to network and increase chances of getting an interview.  In fact, I recently spoke with a coworker who had heard from an individual he had interviewed years ago.  She contacted him inquiring about potential job opportunities, and he was able to provide her with information about a future job opening.  He, as a hiring manager, benefited as he was able to learn more about her through her LinkedIn page, and she benefited as she gained information to aid in her job hunt.

So, I find LinkedIn to be a good tool for job seekers and recruiters, but not too interesting for someone like me who doesn't fit in either category.  I'm glad I tried it though!

Becoming an Active Conference Attendee

It turns out, flying cross country is time consuming.  The good thing is, I brought my handy textbook, "The New Social Learning," by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner to finish my required readings for this summer semester.  The last chapter is titled "Connecting the Dots at In-Person Events," and I just so happened to be going to an in-person event!

Every two years, the CDC teams up with the Association for Public Health Laboratories (APHL) to offer a 2 1/2 day conference for laboratory state training coordinators.  This is a great chance to network with other training coordinators and hear some great new ideas through presentations.  We even had a chance to tour the CDC museum.

This is me with two of my training coordinator friends, Cindy from Massachusetts and Renee from Louisiana.

So as I was traveling to Atlanta for this awesome conference, I was reading my textbook about how to get more out of attending in-person conferences.  Perfect timing!  My favorite points from this reading included the following:

1. The value of shifting power from the speaker to the audience, 
2. Coining a hashtag for twitter real-time updates, and 
3. Following up after the event using different tools including publishing an e-book or a tweetbook and live text or video blogging.  

I decided to try some of these out and apply what I was reading:

1. Because I didn't organize this meeting, I didn't have much influence to transfer power from the speaker to the audience, but I did have the power to ask questions after presentations.  If something struck me, then I would make a note and prepare to ask the question when appropriate.  It was a great way for me to take ownership of attending these meetings.
2. I searched a few hashtags before the conference began and realized that there would not be a designated hashtag for this event.  BUT, I did tweet a few key points with the class hashtag #techhrd.  This pushed me to review my notes and really reflect on my learning throughout the day.
3. Since my conference continues through tomorrow, I haven't had the chance to follow-up, but I have been typing notes during each presentation.  Yes, I am one of those nerdy attendees glued to my Surface Pro.  But I was paying attention most of the time.  My point is, it wouldn't be too difficult to convert those notes into something useful for other attendees.  In a subsequent blog (possibly on my flight home), I plan to share some of my notes and my impressions.  It won't capture everything, but it will be beneficial for me to continue my reflection at the conclusion of the conference.

The tips provided in this chapter allowed me to take a more active role in my attendance in this conference.  It has been a great experience, and I am looking forward to sharing more of what I am learning!

Beginner Twitter and Beginner Soccer: What They Have in Common

Earlier this week, my 6 year old daughter who is not inherently athletic informed me that she would like to join a soccer team in the fall.  Knowing that this would be a bit interesting, I found a free soccer clinic for her to attend last night that would give her an idea of whether or not she would enjoy this new sport.  Part of the clinic included a scrimmage with other kids, and as I watched, I noticed that she barely made contact with the ball.  Instead, I saw her happily running from one end of the field to the other with the rest of the mass of children.  After the clinic ended, I asked her what she thought of soccer and if she was still interested in being on a team in the fall.  Her response: "Yes!  That was fun!"

Okay, so how does this relate to Twitter?  This week I was a bit like my daughter as a beginner on Twitter.  I started the week running from one end of the Twitter "field" to another, not posting any original content but just watching others utilize this tool.  By last night, I got a bit more into it and started to kick the ball in the forms of tweeting and retweeting.  In fact, I went to bed thinking about other potential tweets.  I am beginning to see how Twitter can be used as a learning tool because it helps us collect information and knowledge that are relevant to us.  Twitter does the work of mining through a lot of the useless data on the internet that distracts us from real learning.

Who knows?  I may become a Twitter fan and a soccer fan.

Social Media: The Power To Overshare (Which is Not Always a Bad Thing)

So far, this class has allowed me to connect the dots with social media and apply it to learning situations.  Chapter 4 in the text, "The New Social Learning" discusses microsharing (i.e., Twitter).  It describes 3 types of updates:

1. Questions from you to others 
1. Can you help me?--crowdsourcing
2. What are you learning?--real time reports about meetings
3. How can I excel here?--new employees
4. How does this work?--wisdom of crowds
5. How am I doing?--feedback on performance
6. Which people should I know?--find experts and others
2. Updates about you to others
1. Here's what I'm doing--not self-centered boasting but offers potential connections
2. Here's what our organization is doing--communication to employees and customers
3. What are you working on?--capturing learning in the moment
4. Where are you heading?--connect with others in same location
3. Information many people need to know
1. What do people need to know right now?--updates, critical messages
2. Let me help you learn--supplement structured learning, engage virtually

From this list, the biggest takeaway for me is Section 2.  Apparently updating others about you is not (always) boasting.  In fact, it can serve as a learning tool.  This can connect us with others of similar interests who may serve as resources in the future.  It also can increase our self awareness and provide a more effective way of tracking our work.  Have you ever left the office after a full day of work wondering what you had to show for the day, even though you were busy the entire day?  Microsharing can help you identify tasks begun and completed in real time where you can refer back to it later to share with your supervisor.

Microsharing can be a great tool when used widely.  The problem is, though, that sometimes we have to weed through the pointless updates of others to get to the valuable information.

PLNs and Hot Sauce?

As I was unloading groceries from my husband's shopping trip the other night, I noticed that he bought the wrong hot sauce.  He told me that he had intentionally bought the chipotle flavor instead of the delicious original (see below).  When I asked him why, he responded with a question, "What if you like this one better?"

What if I like it better?  Of course I won't like it better!  I don't want to change my hot sauce flavor.  We had a good thing going.  But out of mere desperation, I tried the new flavor, and it was not bad.  In fact, I enjoyed it.

So how does this relate to PLNs?  Sometimes we are comfortable with our social media use (like the original hot sauce) and become resistant to try a new website or way of managing our social media sites.  Out of desperation (or for a school assignment or job requirement), we are nudged to evolve and try something new.  PLNs can seem daunting and outside our comfort zones, but we just need to get started.  Some may prefer to start slowly, and others may prefer the head first approach.  Either way, below are a few questions to ask yourself when looking for people and resources for your Personal Learning Network:

• What organizations do I work with on a regular basis?
• How do they disseminate information?
• What organizations would I like to work with in the future?
• What projects or tasks am I working on?
• Are there others who may be working on something similar?
• What do I have a lot of experience with?
• What lessons have I learned that I can share with personal or professional partners?

Once you determine the answers to some of these questions, you have identified some areas for potential connections and relationships.  Your next step is to build these relationships.  Try following organizations or interest areas on Twitter or Facebook, use a Google search to find modes of information dissemination, or even consider sending an email indicating that you would like to learn more.  You may want to start your own blog and follow those who comment on your posts.  There are many ways to begin a PLN, but the key is to start somewhere and act.  

Oh, and try the Chipotle hot sauce.  You just might like it.

PLN--What is it and why do I want one?

According to this blog, a PLN can be a Personal Learning Network and is a way of describing the group of people you connect with to learn their ideas, questions, reflections, and references.  You choose who is included in your network, it connects others, and is focused on learning.  A PLN can also be a Professional Learning Network and is described here as a network of professionals with whom you share knowledge and from whom you gain knowledge.

PLNs can be of value to anyone and are not tied to one area of expertise or profession; they benefit those new to their professions and those more tenured in their fields.  They keep us fresh on ideas and keep us engaged in our fields.  Our individual knowledge is not nearly as powerful as collective knowledge within a network.  In this time of evolving technology, many readily consult social media networks on personal matters like "What doctor should I visit for this ailment?" or "Is it normal when my child does this?"  So it is natural and obvious for us to utilize this powerful tool on professional topics.

I am the Laboratory State Training Coordinator for Idaho and a member of a great PLN, as encouraged by a partner agency, The Association for Public Health Laboratories.  They utilize a few applications of PLNs including a SharePoint site where we can share documents, ideas, and calendar items with each other, regular conference calls to maintain contact and discuss topics of interest, monthly electronic newsletters, and a face to face conference every two years.  My involvement has helped me build a PLN without even knowing it where I see the benefits on a weekly basis.  If I have a question, I can easily contact other state training coordinators and tap into their expertise.

After reading more about PLNs, however, I have realized that there is more I can do.  I can take a more active role in participating in this group and sharing ideas, but I can also further develop my PLN with other organizations and interests of mine.  This will allow me to be better informed in my field and serve my organization more effectively.  How do you build your PLN?

3 Converging Workforce Trends

For the course mentioned in my introduction post, the textbook is titled, "The New Social Learning," and written by Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner.  This week's reading requirement included the foreward, introduction, and Chapter 1.  Chapter 1 attributes reasons why the trend of social learning has become more prominent.  The authors refer to this as "3 converging workforce trends":  first, there are expanding opportunities for personal connection; second, there are emerging expectations from shifting workplace demographics; and third, there is an increasing reach of customized technology.

These trends make sense to me, but I found the second particularly enlightening.  The shifting demographics include a generation very comfortable with technology and with an expectation for it to be fully utilized in the workplace, change in the outlook of consumers where we are bringing knowledge from the marketplace to work, and a shift in gender demographics in the workplace.

I found the section discussing gender to be especially fascinating.  The text states that close to 60% of our current workforce consists of females (a huge shift from previous decades).  Because females in general connect with others on a verbal level and tend to be more social, this has led to the shift of more social learning in the workforce.  I hadn't before considered that more women in the workplace contributes to a more social work environment.  Although I try not to succumb to gender stereotypes, my background in education and work experience have taught me that learning styles are diverse and making generalizations based on gender with regards to learning can be beneficial.

Workplaces are evolving in many ways, and in order for training to be effective, we need to understand our target audience and train to their learning styles, taking gender and other demographics into account.

A second point that I would like to briefly discuss is the section discussing the importance of connecting with other people.  The authors state that "when we connect with people, the exchange sticks with us."  I agree with this statement and try to make social connections during training.  For example, I try to encourage introductions to be less about one's professional accomplishments and more about their personal life.  When we get to know others and make genuine connections, it is much easier for us to learn from them.

Welcome to my blog!

I think the first blog post is always the most awkward, but here goes!

I started this blog as a requirement for one of my graduate school classes, Instructional Technology in Human Resource Development.  I am in the Masters of Public Health program at Idaho State University and am taking this course as an elective.  In my current position, I am Idaho's State Laboratory Training Coordinator, and I have a bachelor's degree in secondary education, so I am very interested in integrating new training and outreach methods and techniques.  I think instructional technology has the power to make a training program more than just a job requirement but an opportunity to embrace learning.

I plan to blog throughout this course to share my impressions of the content covered, which will be a great resource when this class is complete and I need to recall earlier impressions and ideas.  The online format of a public blog is great because it increases visibility and accountability for me to improve training programs in my current position.  I also look forward to reading comments posted by others to share insights and help develop ideas.