Social Media in the Fast Lane- Tech in 20

On September 7, 2012 I spoke at Tech in 20, an annual event held at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and sponsored by Information Technology Services. The premise of the event is to hold concurrent technology-related mini workshops that are 20 minutes or less in length. It forces the speakers to be concise and precise on their respective topics, and also provides the attendees the chance to see a wide variety of sessions in a short period of time. The goal of Tech in 20 is to "wet the appetite of faculty and staff" to see the "what ifs" of technology, and hopeful motivate them to seek out more detailed information and seminars provided by ITS. 

Following the Tech in 20 theme, my mini session was entitled, "Better than 20mph- In the Fast Lane with Social Media."  I focused on how social media can be used to make teaching and learning more engaging and authentic.  It also can serve to help faculty connect with other scholars and professionals worldwide to share ideas and research.

There were six important take aways for the audience:

1) Use relevant images and video to document authentic events.
2) Use analytics to track dissemination and distribution.
3) Use social media to tell personal and relevant stories.
4) Use social media to engage faculty and students.
5) Go local when using social media.
6) Go global when using social media.

I highlighted the value of using YouTube, Tweetdeck, and citizen journalism through CNN iReporting. Featuring real world examples combined with effective strategies and methodologies dramatically can show the true reach and dissemination of social media.