Being a Connected Educator

Being a connected educator means a lot more than simply having a twitter handle, blogging from time to time, or even participating in voxer chats/twitter chats.  No, being a connected educator, to me, means a lot more than being online connected to thousands of individuals.  Being a connected educator is about knowledge, relationships, sharing, and collaboration.  I think there is so much power behind being connected, and many of the resources that are out there remain untapped by a lot of educators.  That's a lot of wasted potential I think.  It's like going out to buy the latest iPhone and only using it to make phone calls.  This post is a sort of reflection on being a connected educator and how I handle the power, after all, being online can be a rewarding and dangerous place.

1. I am on Twitter, Voxer, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Blogger, Google+, and Pinterest.  I use some of these often and others not so much (Pinterest often sits idle).  I use these social networks for a variety of reasons too.  Instagram is typically reserved for selfies, impromptu family pics, and random things I find that are cool.  Facebook is reserved for my personal life with the occasional (good-natured) rant.  Twitter, Voxer, and Google+ I use primarily for education related jargon and connections.  I use blogger to reflect on my career and post on my running blog.  Snapchat is easy/quick communication with friends and yes I use it appropriately.
2. Sometimes I regret what I post.  I always wonder how people are going to perceive what I post and sometimes regret posting certain things, regardless of a response.  I think this is smart, because I am always aware of  what I am posting, and it has made me more aware as time has gone on.  I don't ever post anything vulgar or inappropriate, but I always wonder how someone may take what I post and interpret it another way.
3. I have to have a filter with social networking (and life in general).  I am passionate about education, and every once in a while someone on my feed (usually Facebook) will post something that I feel strongly against when it comes to education.  I have learned to control my anger and frustration (a sort of digital Bruce Banner) and turn the other cheek.  Every once in awhile I engage in a lively debate, but when I sense things are getting out of control I simply close the computer down and potentially grab a snack (no hulking out for this guy).
4. I recently read a blog post by Scott McLeod where he talks about how perceptions can change about people you may meet online.  How well do you really know those people on twitter you engage with every week on a twitter chat?  I think this is intriguing, because I have met some amazing people through Twitter and Voxer (or have I?).  Yes, it is true that sometimes I follow someone only to find out, they are not the person I truly intended to follow based on their tweets I read, but that's the beauty of being connected I guess.  It's a lot easier to delete a follower on twitter you can't stand with than a friend in real life you can't stand.  That sounded harsh, but in today's world, it's easier to get rid of unwanted baggage.
5. Last, but not least.  The amount of knowledge that is out there is incredible.  There is no way to harness all of that knowledge using any tool (maybe there is, but I wouldn't know how to use it), so we do our best.  I can sit in a meeting with 5 people and have the minds of 5 people working together.  I can also throw a question out on twitter to the 600 people following me and get a wide variety of responses.  I can participate in a twitter chat and be exposed a whole new world of information, insight, and connections.  It's incredible (sometimes confusing and overwhelming too).

The 5 things above are only some of the takeaways I have from being a connected educator.  I could go on and on about what it means to be connected, what to watch for, and what to embrace, one might say you could teach an entire workshop on it (thanks Leslie and Erin).  Being connected is important to me, as it is another way for me to grow and learn.  I like what Kevin Honecutt says, "I don't have time not to be on Twitter."  I think this says a lot.  With so much information today, we can't afford (as educators) to continue in isolation.