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.