Social Media and Training - some tweets from #lrnchat

Yesterday afternoon we had another #lrnchat session on Twitter. For us in the UK it takes place at 4.30 pm BST (that's 11.30 EDT).  There is also another later version for those in the US at 8.30 pm EDT.

Yesterday's topic was "The Intersection of eLearning & Social Media" and for me there were some very interesting thoughts about the use of social media for training - ie formal learning. 

Here are some of the stand-out tweets for me - which are around CONTROL, CONTRIBUTION, PARTICIPATION, LEARNING, PERFORMANCE and the ROLE OF TRAINING.  (Note I've taken the liberty to include some of my own too)!

Q1: How would the training profession be different if all elearning had social media features?

• RobRobertson: SoMe enabled content would (could) stay current and relevant due to users instant feedback. 
• c4lpt: It wouldn’t just be about “training” any more
• StephanieDaul: elearning would not be an event but a journey
• mpalko: the learning would continue even after the session ended
• barrysampson: there would need to be more focus on helping people turn learning into performance
• KoreenOlbrish: I think we’d see all learning as “mobile” just like all learning is “social,”
• ghenrick: the training professional would become more of the background and less of the foreground.
• sifowler:  social media with elearning can expose there are great teachers amongst the learners
• c4lpt: Learners could “learn” from one another – at last – and not just from the e-content
• mira_bell:  involves losing control over how people learn – its the only way to really have it stick
• mpalko: we’d definitely have to give up some control
• barrysampson: don’t think we’d need to give up control. Learners will just take it 
• drtimony:  it would begin to resemble authentic performance
• mbr1online: If all elearning had social media features, we would transition to a community of learners – break the isolation of elearning
• KoreenOlbrish: people already learn socially…social media just provides additional tools. showing value should be simple, no?
• leadmusicpic: provide a sense of connection as well to others with similiar interests that an eLearning environment alone does not provide
• drtimony: SoMe and training should learn from DayCare play: solitary , vicarious, parallel, associative, interactive
• barrysampson: Do we really need trainers to be involved in SoMe? Assumption seems to be that they need to lead things. Why?
• c4lpt: You can’t force participation or contribution; it doesn’t work – I’ve seen it backfire badly many times
• moehlert: @c4lpt  Couldn’t be more right Jane…so question is…can we look at places w participation and learn lessons from them?
• c4lpt: @moehlert Works best when not “forced” – ie is a natural outcome
• moehlert: @c4lpt So we maybe we can learn more from out-of-game WoW communities than in-game play RE participation..study succeses
• c4lpt: Social media is being used all the time by people in their jobs and daily lives; forcing it into “training” is counter-productive 

Q2: What would be biggest change?

• KoreenOlbrish: sigh…we ARE all social, but not everyone talked at the water cooler. Not everyone will want to use SoMe.
• mpalko: People have to feel or be made to feel like they are part of the community in order to participate
• drtimony: SoMe is not the new ‘watercooler,’ it’s the new office with a window…and a view…and a library…and a…
• TerrenceWing: @johncloonan I participate because I want 2, not because I have 2. Forcing people 2 participate kills authenticity. 
• KoreenOlbrish:  Ppl would form their own learning communities, mentoring would be fluid & ongoing, learning wouldn’t be seen as an “event”
• moehlert: Biggest change? Its about CAPABILITIES NOT CONTENT. Content doesn’t affect performance; capabilities do!
• larshyland: Again, it’s not about SoMe tools, rather fostering a culture of sharing – there is always a way (e.g. email lists, group SMS)
• c4lpt: SoMe will mean the end of a lot of training; pple can do/learn things (by) themselves so much more easily 
• barrysampson: It would mean training having to be more willing to be part of the business and take accountability for results
• barrysampson:  @c4lpt it will also let training focus their time where it is useful
• jadekaz: @c4lpt Right. Because if SoMe (aka convos) can end the training, it shouldnt have veen training in 1st place

Q3: What can we do to include social media in training without it being a feature?

• StephanieDaul:  have it BE the delivery method
• barrysampson: We need to make SoMe a feature of the organization in which the learning takes place
• c4lpt: NOT design it in!  Allow it to happen naturally if it is needed and desired
• @moehlert: We could begin by getting out of the way.
• barrysampson: @moehlert and then stay out of the way #lrnchat
• c4lpt: @jenisecook right! don’t force, encourage, support, adopt viral approaches – it works a dream

Of course, these are only a fraction of the tweets that were made.  You can view the complete transcripts on the lrnchat blog - (here's the one for the early chat.  And  if you would like to join the weekly conversation, come and join us next week, when we are discussing professional development for workplace learning professionals.