Slideshare: a trainer’s best virtual friend

Slideshare is a well-known hub of assorted types of presentations and infographics, from business, marketing to academic purposes. Six years after its establishment in 2006, it partnered with Linkedin that enables individuals to showcase their professional portfolio interchangeably between these social networks. Who would have thought that in this time we will have solutions like Slideshare and Linkedin to permit and encourage the exchange and viewing of our professional endeavors?

The models are different from the early days of the internet when there were databases utilized to filter or categorize skills. The online databases typically would just list, count or classify. There is no opportunity for the community or site member to showcase their work which is typically in the presentation format.

So this segment is focused on encouraging teachers and trainers to move their best foot forward and exhibit their presentations. What are the benefits of taking time to post the trainer’s slides in Slideshare ?

5. You get to store, preserve and use your old presentations as reference in Slideshare. You are also able to see the many variants of what you have produced and the possible expansion of your undertakings.

4. You get to be appreciated by other people: trainers, teachers, researchers or anybody interested on beautiful and useful presentations. My presentations in Slideshare gave me the chance to receive emails from people I don’t know but have interests on the same type of research that I do.

3. You get to see and follow others who are doing a related topic as yours or may have done advanced work and interesting ideas.

2. You get to share your portfolio of presentations.

Sharing your presentations is a legitimate, noble and humble way of collaborating. It is a 21st century citizenship to allow others use  a part of your work or even everything. In my experience in Slideshare, I have allowed some of my materials to be downloaded. And the most materials in my page that were downloaded were the workshop materials. This had surprised me because I took time to upload even some of my old slides. It struck me to learn that many were interested to have a copy of my workshop materials. It does not bother me if they use it as reference or reuse it for their work. It is an honor for me.

Am I worried they will use the materials and say “hey you used my materials!”? No, I am not worried because when Slideshare publishes the slides, there is the date stamp. It is hard to dispute.

1. You create a very good trail of professional digital footprints with Slideshare. While most people are worried that the data about them that has been scattered in the internet are all personal, yours are a portfolio of works over time. Anybody who will search for you will not find your adventurous photos but will find your accomplishments.

This is an example of a digital dossier of my presentations in Slideshare. Search the name (include the country) in Google and then click on Images

 

To prove my point, you try to search your name in Google. I suggest you include the country (e.g. Juan dela Cruz Philippines) It will list all related articles about you. Click on Images and the more it will reveal many things about what the internet has captured about you. Typically it will show your image and works, if you have them.

In my case, I felt a sense of fulfillment to find many of my Slideshare posts are there. This is how I want to be remembered virtually. So I extend it to the others, as a teacher or trainer, Slideshare is your best virtual friend..

Twitter is 10 years old this 2016

 

With this new blog site to complement my role, I have been intending to write about Twitter even if it seems not to be a new topic. Twitter has been around for some time. In 2012, I gave a workshop on Twitter in Dumaguete City in the Philippines. In 2013, I made a small-scale survey about the gratifications and benefits of using Twitter and presented that in Khon Kaen, Thailand.

Looking at my old notes, I realized Twitter is celebrating its 10th birthday. So this article is my gift to you.

Historically Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone and Evan Williams were the founders of Twitter. Noah Glass gave the name Twitter. Jack sent the first message on Twitter on March 21, 2006 9:50pm. It read, “just setting up my twttr“.

 

#FollowHer #FollowMe

How does Twitter works?

It operates on the idea of  #followHer or #followMe. It is universal, open to anybody who wishes to subscribe. But each line of voice is limited to 140 characters. It is a convenient tool to connect or interact as many users perceive it.

It was also Twitter that created the universal hashtag (#) convention that is now used in all social media applications.

What makes it unique?

First, a person need not be in a group or needed to join a group before she can interact. This model is very different from the virtual community model. There is no core but just a huge open space. Anybody can be anywhere or anybody can be at the same place but has the means to hear what she wants to hear.

Second, it has a universal nature. Anything a person decides to say or to announce in Twitter may be heard by everyone through the use of a simple hashtag. The hashtag invention is a revolutionary character designed by Twitter.

Third, it is able to address alienation among strangers by bringing a modern day method of collegial online interfacing— brief statement, credibility of information, and silent listening of the personal sentiments posted loudly in different ways.

In my 2013 study, I was able to uncover that:

• Twitter is ideal to enhance and build professional networks.
• It enables self expression of “thinking” thoughts.
• It provides opportunities for intelligent conversations.
• It led to a new culture of reciprocity!
• TWITTER is for the modern online tribe with no leader.

Twitter is a persuasive technology designed to change attitudes or behaviors of the users through social influence, thinking kinships, and gratifying social situations.

According to Emmanuel Levinas, a Lithuanian Jewish philosopher, individuals by default are already always in social relations. Such instances drive individuals to their desire and enjoyment. Such gratifying situation is of human transcendental nature.

Individuals can inhabit overlapping worlds, ONLINE OR OFFLINE, if the experience tend to conform or favor their decisiveness. This idea of a person being in a setting that favors the sways of her desires and decisiveness can lead to constructive human engagement —from simple expression of sentiments to sharing information or even exchanging ideas and opinions. This is what Twitter has been doing, it is a platform of a modern day, distance situated but constructive and reformist human affair.

HAPPY, HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY TWITTER!

What the Users Want

In software or systems analysis, there is a critical step which is called requirements analysis. It is a step that pertains to determining and confirming the needs, wants and the constraints of the whole project. It is essential to be clear and be detailed on this as this will dictate the goals of the project.

It is similar to building a house, the architect needs to solicit the needs and wants of the client and the restrictions to be considered in the design.

the classic humor on systems analysis

In finding an ICT solution for the teachers, it is a semblance of the same situation.

As an ICT Trainer when a request to design a solution comes from a sponsor, ahead of time I draw some courses that I perceive may be state-of-the-art or progressive in concept for my client. I scan what is around and underscore what may be considered as currently relevant. This is a very cautious preparation.

But after careful coordination with the actual course managers, these are the persons in-charge of the recipients of the training, my initial perceptions are not all correct. While it helps to exhibit I have prepared for my client, what is significant is the discussion with the course managers, asking the right questions and extracting their real requirements.

Along the way, I devise simple techniques to further collect data about the client or training participants. In circumspect, the reality more than often times, the users would have simpler requirements.

 

Creating a survey using Google Forms

Whether to conduct a research survey or gather data about customers or extract feedback, Google Forms is an easy-to-use web application to create surveys. It requires that one has to have a Google account and an active Google drive.

Of course, Google Forms as the creator of the survey would still be dependent on the actual questions or the survey instrument. Here is my simple set of steps to follow:

1. Make sure to be clear with your goal in making the survey. Be simple and straightforward in your questions.
2. Create an insightful survey.

 

I found this article by Ciotti (2013) and I am able to relate very well because I practice most of the things he recommended.

3. Add items or questions to determine customer satisfaction.

For market or customer survey, it is essential to solicit the ideas, thoughts and opinion of the customers. While there is a possibility that not everyone will be as conscientious and truthful, relevant information will still manifest if the questions are asked correclty.

4. Test your survey before distribution.

In practice, I also make it a point to test my survey before distribution whether it is a physical or online dissemination.

So once the instrument is tested, using Google Forms, the survey can be embedded in a regular email, be announced in Twitter and sent through a link or be shared in social media sites like Facebook.

Don’t forget to specify the survey period and remind your prospective respondents of the deadline.

With the aid of Google Forms, the data can be swiftly extracted in Google spreadsheets for summary and reporting.

Some useful references on Google Forms and making a survey:

Ciotti, G. (2013) 10 Essential Tactics for Creating Valuable Customer Surveys Retrieved from http://www.helpscout.net/blog/customer-survey/

Market Research Man (2013). 5 Essential Customer Satisfaction Survey Questions Retrieved from http://www.mymarketresearchmethods.com/customer-satisfaction-survey-questions/

Wolber, A. (2012). Use Google Forms to create a survey Retrieved from http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/google-in-the-enterprise/use-google-forms-to-create-a-survey/

Zimmerman, Z. and Steinmann (L.) and Schueler (V). (nodate) Designing Customer Surveys That Work Retrieved from http://www.qualitydigest.com/oct96/surveys.html