Janet Clarey has a great post about the topic of determining authenticity in social media. She gives a great example of how messages (in particular tweets) can be taken out of context by folks applying traditional methods to interpreting dialogue to conversations going on in social media spaces.

The fact that someone tweeting about whack-a-mole, or going over some arbitrary number number of tweets, really is meaningless without understanding the social network context in which the tweets are occurring.

(I just have to stop and laugh at that sentence. It just sounds funny!)
Janet linked to this video Jay Cross took at the eLearning Guild’s DevLearn09 conference. Jay took a video of the panel as he participated. Mark Oehlert led the conversation, in this video Michelle Lentz and Aaron Silvers comment on the topic of reputation, authenticity, and credibility.

Big takeaways for me:

• The way to prove your reputation, authenticity, and credibility is to share. To be active on your network, so if someone tries to speak on your behalf your network will be able to recognize the fraud
• Recognizing credibility is no longer about the degrees we have, but what we have shared with our networks to build trust. This can be successes and failures (which is scary for Enterprises!)
• I have to speak up for the SMEs, I think SMEs would be happy to have a chance to be actually recognized as the real experts. (Or not – maybe they don’t want anyone to know so they aren’t overwhelmed with requests for help – but this is a totally different topic.)
• How do we teach people how to understand and interpret social media conversations, so that they can recognize expertise in a network? Do we create systems to help people (example given was rating Amazon raters).
• Be authentic. That is actually my goal – hopefully if we ever meet face to face you’ll see I’m the same way in person that I am online.

If you are looking my wrap up of Day 1, look here.

I forgot to mention the Tweet-up. I got to meet up with @bschlenker @edwsonoma @kasey428 @cammybean @smartinx, plus a lot of non-tweeps. We even sent pictures into #lrnchat. That was fabulous.

On to the wrap up of Day 2:

ID Considerations for Synchronous Online Learning Sessions

This session was given by Karen Hyder of the eLearning Guild. The presentation went over many things that we already do very well at EMC: making the user experience predictable and pain-free.

Pattern Libraries for Instructional Designers

This presentation was given by Valerie Kelly and David Robbins from Kent State University. They talked about how the concept of pattern libraries can be applied to developing instruction. To build a pattern library, you have to write design problems. They are using a wiki to do this. They gave this outline for a pattern library definition:

1. Problem Summary: Specific overview of an actionable problem
2. Solution: The task that solves the problem (specific)
3. Context: e.g. Use this pattern when…..
4. Examples: Screen shots of the solution in action
5. Rationale: More documentation on the why the solution fits the problem (Literature, theory, policy)
6. Further Discussion: Area to allow for discussion in case of growth and change
7. More Examples: Provide more examples as needed

I love the idea of building a wiki to do this, this way people don’t reinvent the wheel to write a module for the same thing over and over again.

The Changing Role of the Instructional Designer: Re-tooling Perspectives and Competencies

This was probably my favorite presentation. You can tell because I tweeted and did not take notes. The session was given by Ellen Wagner of Sage Road Solutions and eLearning Roadtrip fame.

She talked about how it is really hard to tell people what we do. That resonated with me. I think instructional developers at EMC are very unique. We are expected to be SMEs in the technology for which we develop courses. We are instructional designers. We build and in some cases maintain the lab equipment. And all of us are expected to deliver courses.

We do it all.

She said that ID + IT = eLearning. So we at EMC are right there in the thick of things as far as eLearning goes! She defined eLearning as:

learning that connects people with (digital) learning experience, wherever and whenever they want, on whatever device they choose.

We’ve got a ways to go before we get to that point, but we are not the only ones. She also reminded me that ADDIE is not a bad word! Its just that the A and the E get forgotten. She went through several Instructional Design theories. The funny thing was she showed this list, and asked if we all had studied them:

• ADDIE
• ASSURE
• Reiser& Dick
• Kemp
• Smith and Ragan

I raised my hand and said, “Yes and my advisor is on that list!”. that cracked me up. She also said that IDs have to be able to write very well, persuade people about which instructional method to use and base that recomendation on business requirements, and be technical.

It was a great, great session about the opportunities that are available to us these days.

The e-Learning Instructional Design Solutions-fest

This last session was a panel discussion. The panel included Lee Maxey, Bob Mosher, Marc Rosenberg, Allison Rossett, Will Thalheimer, and Ellen Wagner.

The number one skill the panel said an instructional designer needs is the ability to write very well. Here are a couple of videos from the panel:

In conclusion, I would encourage everyone to join the eLearning Guild. The basic membership is free, and you get so much from joining this community of practice. I’m glad they gave me the opportunity to present, and I hope I’m able to attend another event very soon!

It’s summer, and my time is already accounted for. Here’s what is on my agenda:

• Vacation. I really really need one. I have more work to do than I have time to do it. It is starting to take its toll on me – I actually probably should not be typing at all right now. My shoulder is in such pain from an old injury and not taking care of myself.
  Anyone who works on a computer – don’t be like me! Take care of yourself!! Take breaks, exercise, and get regular massages.
• Grad School. I am taking one class – Web 2.0 Learning & Performance. Our books are Here Comes Everybody and Blogs, Wikipedia, Second Life, & Beyond. It should be good.
  
• eLearning Guild’s Instructional Design Symposium in Boston: I’ll be there. I am actually presenting. This will be my first conference presentation and I freak out every time I think about it. So moving on..
• Totally OC: Totally Open Course is an instructional design playground some former CCK08 classmates and I are starting up. Stay tuned for details…
• PodCamp Boston: Almost forgot – I’m registered for PodCamp Boston (in August) too!
  

That should keep me busy for a while. How about you? How is your summer shaping up?