Social Networking in Training

Submitted by Cody.Cheetham on September 9, 2009 - 1:12pm

Social networking tools aren’t just for social uses anymore. Social networking media have become effective in organizational communication, too, as people use social media as a supplement to training, to dialogue with cohorts and consumers, or demonstrate thought leadership. 

Social Networking in Training Programs

In the training realm, many are entering a new frontier that pushes training and learning one step further. Too often in the past, dialogue ended once the class dismissed and the classroom emptied. Now, with social networking tools such as Twitter, Yammer, Facebook, MySpace, and Ning, learning extends beyond the classroom. Information can continue to be shared through automatic updates and chat forums. Learners engage in a continued flow of information, as professors, other students, and subject matter experts are only a post away.

Many instructors and training programs experiment with social networking tools that support just-in-time communication. Here, participants can communicate to one or many in seconds. Through these tools, professionals and learners are posting best practices, tip sheets, providing links to other resources, and tapping into the minds of subject matter experts instantly. Through just-in-time communication, learners or trainees receive answers before moving to the next lesson or module. In doing so, learners better understand lessons, especially those that are cumulative and build upon one another. 

Choosing the best social networking tool for your training programs

With so much noise about social networking today, it can be difficult to decide which route to take to supplement more traditional training methods. When determining the best social networking tool for your organization, you may consider these questions:

  • Who is your audience, and what are their needs?
  • How familiar are your learners with social networking tools? Specifically, which ones?
  • How much dialogue do you hope to cultivate through the tool?
  • Is dialogue posted for all to see, or do private messages also need to be available?
  • What are learners posting? Are learners posting questions that others may also have?
  • How much information do learners already have or know? Is a full profile necessary to build the story or do learners already know who / what they are talking to?
  • Do learners respond to one another, or to one contact the SME?
  • How many links or documents do you plan to attach in the posts?
  • Do your learners intend to stay in touch beyond the training program? If so, you may want to consider social tools that supplement one another (e.g. Twitter / Ning with Facebook / MySpace, etc.)
  • What organizational value do you plan to receive? Are you looking for a way to measure your return on investment with learners through the tool?

Once you address these questions, you can easily build the right social media mix for your training needs. Contact us today to learn how social media can maximize your organizational goals and training investment.