are there any other advantages to social networking in the context of professional development than those already outlined above?
I think social networking can probably do most of the things that face-to-face networking can do, albeit to a lesser extent. I see it as very embedded in the wider social context generally, but also very embedded into the way I organise both my social and professional lives; I tend to make all my arrangements through a combination of social networks, text messages and phone calls. These things do not feel separate to me.
One thing that I think is incredibly useful about social networking in the context of professional development is the opportunities it provides for learning, both from other individuals and from learning resources recommended by others; this is most related to collaborative working space, but I think it's connected to all the points raised in the original post. Social networking fosters very directed discussion and anyone can contribute. I think this is something that is more difficult to do face-to-face.
can you think of any disadvantages?
It's difficult to form a whole opinion of someone from an online profile. Some things don't come across online - body language, tone of voice; this, in many ways, makes it a more difficult social world. Some things just need to be done in person: lectures are often more inspiring face-to-face, and being in the physical presence of others is more supportive. In a general sense, people do still want to meet others offline, and there is a reason for this. But social networks do not simply exist online, they overlap with the offline world. And as a tool to supplement this offline interaction, I think the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.
has CPD23 helped you to make contact with others that you would not have had contact with normally?
Definitely, both online and offline. I have followed a few blogs written by people I don't know. I also met quite a few new people at the meet-up in week 7 who I wouldn't otherwise have had contact with.
Incidentally, I now feel like I know the people who came to the meet-up much better than those who I follow but have not met face-to-face.
did you already use social media for your career development before starting CPD23? Will you keep using it after the programme has finished?
I did, but I am relatively new to it all! I think doing cpd23 has really shown me the power of using social media as a tool for my professional development. I have discovered new sources of information and have gained a few Twitter followers, giving me a wider view of the profession as a whole.
in your opinion does social networking really help to foster a sense of community?
This question is actually very closely related to my dissertation topic, so I could probably write an essay here! I will try not to. In short, my answer is: yes, I think it can. I don't think it always does, nor do I think the community it fosters is quite the same as "traditional" community, but it does help, definitely.
My point above about social networking being embedded in the wider social context is really important here - online social networks translate themselves to the offline world frequently. I think that social networks are great for conversing, arranging and disseminating information. But people still want to meet others face-to-face and, when they do, they feel closer to them. And then they can continue that relationship via social networking. And the social networks do help.
But really, what I am trying to say, is that there is no substitute for a good old sit down natter with a cup of tea and biscuits, is there?
Yesterday, when I started writing this blog, I started following a few people on Twitter: a couple of librarian folk & World Book Night. For the latter, I filled out my top ten books. To end with a digression, I picked:
1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
2. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami
3. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
4. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
5. Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
6. The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera
7. Things the Grandchildren Should Know by Mark Oliver Everett
8. Dracula by Bram Stoker
9. Our Band could be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground 1981-1991 by Michael Azerrad
10. Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder
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