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formation. It can be very comprehensive, but is
also the most time-consuming to maintain and
requires the most technical skill. Reaching
people through a personal website is also dependent on cultivating subscribers who know
of you and your website.
2. Online profiles on a standard platform
(Facebook, LinkedIn, Edmodo, Myefolio).
These tools are more user-friendly for the average educator, because it allows the user to
build a portfolio by filling in information on a
preset form. The portfolio (or profile) may be
used to present one's own information as a resume, as well as connect with others. Many
special interest "groups" exist on these platforms and serve as virtual meeting rooms for
people to exchange information on a particular
topic. It is useful to know which platform your
audience primarily uses to find the common
denominator for communication.
3. News feeds (listservs, Twitter). Listservs are
akin to subscribing to a dynamic community
newsletter that arrives regularly via email.
Members' posts are shared with everyone on
the listserv and it is easy to disseminate one's
own information, or keep up with what others
share. Twitter works similarly, although at a
much faster rate, and allows for connection
with an exponentially larger network. These
platforms are very low maintenance and allow
the user to cultivate what information sources
to exchange.
4. The breadth and selection of information depends on what the user chooses to subscribe
to, and one's own profile is limited to what is
shared rather than presented as a portfolio.
Wrap-Up
Although little academic literature exists that
attests to the advantages of using social media
professionally, the multitude of online information,
resources, and communities make it
