Social Learning Communities and Networks, presented by Tim Drewitt (Eversheds) at the Social Learning Conference

1. Social Learning Communities
and Networks
Using social media to support learning
Tim Drewitt, Eversheds LLP
March 2012
@timdrewitt

2. Social Media Network Platforms
Other platforms are available

3. A Social Media for Learning World
When worlds collide
Before During After
Training Training Training
Surrounding Training
Wider Organisation
Backchannel
Outside World

4. Uses of Social Media for Training
Possible applications of micro-blogging
Micro-learning deals with relatively
small learning units and short-
term learning activities.“
Wikipedia

5. Uses of Social Media for Training (1)
Knowledge sharing
• Short messages (daily micro-learning)
– Legal updates
– New procedures
– Hints and tips
– War stories
• Sharing and commenting on links and resources
– Web links
• News, internal precedents, e-learning, etc.
– Attachments
• Re-posting others’ messages to your own followers

6. Uses of Social Media for Training (2)
Generating discussions and soliciting feedback
• Pose questions to your followers/groups
– Reply to replies to “animate” discussions
• Create polling questions for your followers/groups
• Trigger discussions based around external sources
• Use discussion groups to deliver case studies
• Live topic chats
– e.g. for an hour, messages exchanged based
on one themed topic tag

7. Use of Social Media for Training (3)
Managing learning
• Invite followers to specific learning events
• Use topics and groups to collate messages and
discussions
• Identify learning needs
• Leverage successful learning implementations
• Embracing a mobile learning channel

8. Social Learning Communities and Networks
Putting the theory into practice
• Brainstorm SoMe activities that support learning:
– Before training
– During training
– After training
– Surrounding training
Before During After
Training Training Training
Surrounding Training

9. @timdrewitt
timdrewitt@eversheds.com
© EVERSHEDS LLP 2010. Eversheds LLP is a limited liability partnership.

10. Ideas for “Learning Messages”
Suggested messages to support learning

11. Ideas for “Learning Messages ” (1)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Planning your training
– “What training have you already had on this
topic?”
– “What is the one main thing you’d like to
know about this topic?”
– “Share one thing you already know about this
topic with the XYZ group.”

12. Ideas for “Learning Messages ” (2)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Marketing your training
– “Here’s an interesting case. <Link to case>
We’ll go over this on tomorrow’s webinar.”
– “Looking forward to working with you on ABC.”
• Introductions
– “Send a message to the XYZ group to introduce
yourself in no more than 140 characters!”
– “Share your three main objectives for attending
this training with the XYZ group.”
– “What is the biggest challenge you are facing in
the area of ABC at the moment?”

13. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (3)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Pre-work
– “Please read Precedent ABC <Insite Link> and
be prepared to discuss XYZ.”
– “Take a look at ABC v DEF <link to case> and
reply to the group with your thoughts on
whether X applies in this instance”.
– “Each send an example of when ABC has
impacted on a recent matter. I’ll collate these
and we can brainstorm an approach to… when
we meet next week.”
– “Let’s brainstorm ABC by each messaging an
idea.”

14. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (4)
Suggested messages to support learning
• In-session Messages
– “Share the things you are learning with your
followers, especially when you know it’ll help a
colleague with an issue they are wrestling with.”
– “Share you action plan items with your
followers. Ask them to help you refine these
and to support you in achieving it.”
– “Share your thoughts and comments using the
topic tag, so we can all review them after the
training session.”

15. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (5)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Continuing the discussions
– “I’ve got an answer to the question that John
asked at the workshop last week. You need to
use Precedent ABC.”
– “Let’s follow-up on that great discussion started
by Sam about ABC. What do we think we
should do when faced with this issue?”
– “We didn’t get around to answering Liz’s
question about XYZ. Any ideas for things she
could try?”
– “Do keep in touch with each other by messaging
the group and each other!”

16. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (6)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Post-training follow-up
– “How are you all getting on?”
– “How have you applied what you learned last
week?”
– “Don’t forget to submit your post-workshop
learning log by Friday at noon.”
– “Just found this really useful case <insert link to
case>. This helps to confirm what we thought
about ABC.”

17. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (7)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Formative (immediate quality) evaluation
– “Please summarise our discussion on ABC.”
– “Message one of the new ideas we had
yesterday about XYZ (no duplication allowed).”
• Summative (eventual outcomes) evaluation
– “What activity from our training session has
been of most use to you?”
– “What questions remain unanswered for you?”
– “What are you now doing differently since we
met two months ago?”

18. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (8)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Ask the expert
– “John Smith, QC has volunteered to answer our
questions on XYZ. Send in your questions by
Friday and I’ll share his replies next week.”
• Debate
– “This house moves that… Please will half of you
post messages in favour, the others against the
motion; and arguments against the other’s
position.”

19. Ideas for “Learning Messages” (9)
Suggested messages to support learning
• Case study review
– “Why do you say that?”
– “Could you explain further?”
– “Is that always the case?”
– “Can/did anyone see this another way?”
– “But what if … happened, what else would
result?”
– “How does … affect …?”
– “Why do you think I asked that question?”
– “Why was that question important?

20. Managing Your Backchannel
Leveraging your extended network

21. Managing Your Backchannel
Leveraging your extended network
You
Your Follower Your Follower Your Follower
Their Follower Their Follower Their Follower
Their Follower
Their Follower
The Backchannel
Their Follower
A spontaneous, self-directed line of
communication created by people in an
Their Follower
audience with others inside and outside
of the room, usually facilitated by
Their Follower Internet technologies and which can be
both constructive and destructive.
Their Follower Cliff Atkinson, “The Backchannel”, 2010

22. Using Backchannels
Supporting webinar and classroom learning
• Allow parallel backchannel conversations
• Ask people to comment in real time on
discussions using topic flags
– Collates the “collective wisdom”
• Ask attendees to solicit views and answers from
their own network of followers
• Turn mobiles into voting devices with polls
• Desktop-share social media network topic
screens and comment on postings

23. Getting Started
Some ideas for getting into social media

24. Some Ideas for Getting Started
As an L&D team
• Set up internal Social Media for Learning online
group to share more information and continue
our discussions
• Use a private online group as non-priority
communications channel across the team/s
– Nice to knows
– Simple questions, e.g. “Anyone know where I
can find…?”
– Ideas and opinions for feedback

25. Some Ideas for Getting Started
To support learning
• Invite followers to receive
– Your take on breaking news
– “Light bulb moments”
– Warm-up comments before a training session
– Follow-up thoughts after a training session
• Invite followers to direct message you with (or
share via your public feed)
– Simple questions
– Interesting things they’ve seen elsewhere

26. Finding Your Voice
And earning the right to be followed
• Follow, “stalk” and “lurk” around others
– What do they do that interests you/annoys you?
• Determine your objectives
– Curator/recycler of new learning
– Learning facilitator
• Locate relevant sources to feed you content
• Evaluate your activity, e.g. number of followers,
re-Tweets/Likes, comments
• Adjust as required

27. @timdrewitt
timdrewitt@eversheds.com
© EVERSHEDS LLP 2010. Eversheds LLP is a limited liability partnership.