Chapter 5 Blog

Creating an online learning community can be intimidating, but The Connected Educator explains you do not have to be a web expert to take advantage of the tools around you. These tools include tools for documenting, archiving, connecting, collaborating, social networking and extending learning in the classroom. Nussbaum provides examples for each category of tools and how they have been used to get connected. It takes time and practice to become familiar with the tools, but once you are familiar you will be able to use them to their fullest potential.

            As a health care professional and connected educator, I would value many of these tools. Social bookmarking and tagging would allow me to know that articles, such as new research or breakthroughs, I may be saving for a certain learning discussion can be found easily and readily. Google Reader would allow me to be notified and subscribed to said research articles. Social networks such as Twitter may not be as of much interest to my specific career and online community. As a health professional it is very important to manage your reputation both online and in person and Twitter could cause a disruption in this. It is a great tool and can be used in many different ways, but it may not be the best tool for my career. The list of connected educator tools is endless which is very valuable and a great reason to learn to take advantage of as many as possible.