Doctors warned about risk of ‘Facebook flirts’

Doctors are being warned not to respond to flirtatious approaches on social networking sites.

The Medical Defence Union, a legal body for doctors, said communicating via sites such as Facebook may be a breach of ethical responsibilities.

It issued the warning after a number of cases in which patients propositioned doctors after searching for their details on the internet.

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Teachers and lecturers may want to think about how they use Facebook in light of this; and it would be advised that they check their visibility and security settings in Facebook.

This is not about not using Facebook, I know many teachers who do, but to consider the implications of sharing information beyond your Facebook friends, and what information is available publicly.

MSNBC.com takes over Breaking News Twitter feed

A Twitter feed set up by a Dutch teenager as a hobby has been taken over by Microsoft news channel MSNBC.com.

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European 140 Characters Conference

I recently spoke at the European 140 Characters Conference (#140conf) in London at the O2 Arena on November 17th 2009.

I was on the educational panel at 4pm alongside Sue Black, Shirley Williams , Dave White and Drew Buddie. It was a fun event and a last minute decision we decided to stir things up a bit.

By the way in case you are wondering, I don’t appear in the video…

Facebook “helps cut drop outs”

Gloucestershire College makes the news on its use of social networking websites to support teaching and learning.

Social networking websites such as Facebook are helping to reduce college drop-out rates, it is claimed.

Gloucestershire College says social networking is used to keep students informed and in touch with staff.

“There has been a significant improvement in retention,” says media curriculum manager, Perry Perrott.

This is not about encouraging use of Facebook, but taking advantage of the fact that our learners are using Facebook.

The 46 stages of Twitter

I did find this amusing, but also quite true.

The 46 stages of Twitter

It’s all about the coffee…

How Twitter is all about the coffee….

Using Twitter to form communities of practice.

A presentation from the Handheld Learning Conference 2009.

Do you Twitter?

Some people have “complained” about Twitter as shallow and lightweight, they have missed the point.

Is Twitter just about following people and reading informative links or is it about conversation and community?

I use Twitter in various ways, saying when I am drinking a coffee,to inform about what I am doing, blog articles and as a backchannel at events and conferences. However telling people is only half the story, the real value of Twitter is the conversation.

Of course really Twitter is all about the coffee. It’s the coffee you drink with colleagues during a break, where you discuss work, but also your commute, TV, films, the weather. It’s the coffee you drink whilst browsing the web and posting links of interesting web site to your blog or in an e-mail. It’s the coffee you drink in a coffee shop, reading the paper or a book. It’s the coffee you drink with fellow delegates during a break or at lunch at a conference. Where you discuss the keynotes, the presentations, the workshops, where you are going next, your hotel, the food, the coffee, what you do, where you’re going, what gadgets you have in your bag.

Twitter is about these moments, but without the physical and geographical limitations. Twitter allows people from different institutions, sectors, different, departments to share these moments. This presentation will look at how Twitter can be used to improve and enhance teaching and learning through the use of Twitter as a community of practice.

Account closed

I’d done it. My (virtual) life was over. After two years on the online social networking site Facebook, I’d taken the plunge and killed off my account – in Facebook speak, I was “de-activated”.

It hadn’t all been bad; we’d had some good times. I’d enjoyed a bit of snooping as much as the next person and found it useful enough as a way to check out potential love interests, flog unwanted stuff and organise the odd shindig or three.

Could you give up Facebook? Read the full account on BBC News.

David Sugden on his Posterous Blog covers his reaction to the article.

Twenty Web 2.0 Apps for Learning

My presentation from Handheld Learning 2009’s Pecha Kucha.

Twitter confirms major cash boost

BBC News reports:

Social networking website Twitter has confirmed that it has closed a “significant round of funding”.

Co-founder Evan Williams said in a blog post that the site had secured money from five investment firms.

Will this secure the future of Twitter, or with all the possible problems with the networking site mean the death of Twitter?

How People are using Twitter at Conferences

At the recent ALT Conference in Manchester I made extensive use of Twitter to support and enhance the conference. It’s a very easy tool which allows delegates to share ideas and links, discuss keynotes and presentations as well as keep informed about what is hot and what is not at a conference.