Social Networking

After being involved and exploring some of the social networking sites, I am more aware of the possibilities of how this can help me network professionally and personally. The LinkedIn site helped me reconnect with MSU spartan graduates that I have not been in contact with in several years. I was able to see where they are teaching currently and what their careers have provided for them. I could also see this to be a useful tool if you were looking to change career fields or change job positions (within teaching-changing districts). I joined the MAET Facebook group and the MACUL group for MSU, but I am still awaiting confirmation of both of those groups. I currently use Facebook for personal networking and minimal work related networking. In terms of social networking on Facebook with work colleagues, it is important to not post anything you would not want anyone to know about you, so keeping it simple and keeping the privacy settings high. On the other end of the spectrum, it is a great tool to keep in contact and up to date with work colleagues and what is going on in their lives outside of work. I enjoy social networking, even though you can get caught up in it for endless amounts of time it is a useful tool for me and my peers, personally and professionally.