Prior to cpd23 I has signed up to LinkedIn and was a member of a couple of other online professional forums here in New Zealand, but had done little more, even though I could see the potential of such resources. Participating in cpd23 has given me the confidence/determination to make better use of these networking tools. Indeed, just this morning, I contributed to a discussion, so that's a good start.
As Claire says in her Thing 12 post one of the advantages of social media is that "it creates a more collaborative working space as people are encouraged to share ideas." But to make it work we have to participate, and I am resolved to be more proactive in the future. Initially I will stay with those forums I've already joined, and build from there.
Thank goodness for RSS feeds (another new piece of knowledge gained courtesy of cpd23). It's so handy to receive notification when new content goes up on a site, as one of the problems previously was remembering to go in and check regularly.
Another advantage that Claire lists, and that resonates with me is "social networking can lead to better communication between individuals who may or may not have the chance to meet otherwise." By looking at the blogs of other cpd23 participants I have made contact with like-minded colleagues I would probably never have come across. It will be interesting to see how the relationships develop, as we continue on the interesting path cpd23 has started us off on.
