1) What are the current & different ways (tools) that you have or do, engage your professional network?
My professional networks vary from my dance and performing background, my teaching practice and the networks around me in my social life. All networks are very different yet almost similar at the same time as my social network sometimes leads me to professional connections in which people share the same interests or profession. When thinking about the networks around me I automatically think of facebook, twitter, whatsapp, emails and blogging, however not all of these tools are used on a professional level although I believe the non-professional networks can lead to potential professional networks opening up a range of useful contacts. (Crisp & Turner 2007) talked about affiliation being a concept in the field of social psychology that seeks to explain how humans enjoy and benefit from affiliations with others and reasons why humans ‘form close relationships’ as a social result of psychological processes operating in our brains. Affiliation therefore can be explained as a social process that provides us ‘with a network of support that will help us when we are in need’ I believe I have a strong level of social interaction and affiliation although it can be developed to form a stronger professional network for myself. Communicating with those around me and those whom I cross paths with opens up my network helping me learn but also helping me build a community around me in my professional life. Kimberley Gallagher spoke about the quote by Karen Stephenson in an extract from George Siemens: ‘Since we cannot experience everything, other people’s experiences, and hence other people, become the surrogate for knowledge’. Learning comes from others since each and every one of us has different knowledge and experiences to share, I can refer to this with not only my professional network but also my social network although I find it is more critical in my professional network. Amy D’Arcy talked about the concept of ‘who you know’ on her blog and more than often within the performing arts industry and probably many other industry’s it is a lot about who you know, I can back this up as I gained my teaching job through my mum who came in contact with a lady who taught dance in schools across Liverpool. I was put in contact with this lady and we spoke via emails before meeting, this proves how important professional networking is and how it can open up new opportunities within your professional practice. Members of a community practice, whether work place, special interests, virtual or of any other form, come together because of mutual interest and generate a shared experience of engagement in the community of practice. This can produce technical knowledge about a discipline, but brings much greater benefits, allowing the community of practice to develop its own sense and symbolism of what it is to be a member of that specific community of practice. Engaging in communities of practice produces learning that is social learning developed within, and between the members of the community of practice, learning may be produced in different forms (shared vision; artefacts; specialist vocabulary and approaches). The capacity to know more is more critical than what is currently known. Knowing where to find information is more important than knowing. This is a very important aspect of networking, knowing the starting point of where to find suitable information related to my and my practice. I use facebook to engage my social network which often leads to professional contacts although I would not communicate via facebook on a professional level. This is a network I am familiar with and feel safe using. I have many contacts from the dance industry on facebook which opens up a lot of potential opportunities, it allows me to connect and communicate with those in the same industry and those whom share similar interests. I am joined to many groups on facebook, those groups of which give me information for auditions and castings to attend, for example ‘the hustle’ is a group on facebook with a huge network of dancers, actors, singers, musicians, photographers, make up artists, all of these professions can somehow from synergy allowing the network to grow bigger and varied. People can post on the page, leave messages, ask questions, share information and advertise for themselves or others. It is a huge community of people who are joined to the group to help themselves yet helping other people without even realising it. Facebook is great for the social network and I find myself meeting new people, getting to know them and soon enough we are friends on facebook and share similar interests willing to help each other learn and grow. Twitter is another social network I use regularly, however twitter is not as useful for me on a professional level as much as facebook. I use twitter to follow people I admire who inspire me such as successful professionals in various fields. I follow friends in the same industry as me and it keeps me in the loop of what’s happening, what’s new, what’s up and coming and so on which I can evaluate and use within my own professional life as I believe nurturing and maintaining connections is needed to facilitate learning. Connection making provides for greater returns on effort than simply seeking to understand a single concept. Using twitter has helped educate me on subjects I hold interest for however we do have to take in the ethical considerations for networking, working with web 2.0 and developing practice with various communities requires and understanding of what can be shared. ‘It is not just the internet that is significant in terms of networks but, more recently, the advent of social networks that is having an influence on scholarly practice’ (Martin Weller – Thee Digital Scholar).
I communicate on a daily basis and this type of network is used throughout my practice, probably my strongest network. Communicating with the other teachers about a child’s progress or how a child is behaving, up coming shows, exams or events taking place and planning lessons which allow me to gain knowledge and learn new strategies from the experienced teachers. After each lesson I reflect to them how I feel I am getting on, what I am learning and what I feel I am struggling with, they give me time to reflect back how they feel I am doing and what progress they see me making, what type of teacher they can see me developing into and most of al what I can do to improve my teaching quality. Having this network of experienced teachers around me is a huge advantage for me and my practice.
I use emails on a daily basis socially and professionally however in the recent year I have turned one of my accounts into my professional email only as it was becoming complicated. My social account receives groupon deals and updates on lifestyle, events and fashion news. On the other hand my professional account is used for emailing and connecting with tutors from the BAPP course, the teachers I work alongside and different agents/casting directors about auditions and castings. Emailing is a quick and efficient way of communicating allowing the receiver to respond when the time is right.
2) What are the established (and different) ways that others use their networks, especially if they are more established or experienced practioners that you admire?
There are many established ways that other professionals use their networks. My past college Doreen Bird has a huge network platform and it is based amongst networks such as:
-Twitter
-Facebook
-Website
-YouTube
These networks are used on a large scale for different things including information on past students and their successes, re-tweets on twitter from potential students auditioning for the college, information about master classes, workshops and events, news on the college’s success, growth and plans for expansion, feedback from people in the industry, news on upcoming shows and videos and images are posted showing comments from past, present or future students alongside comments open from the public. Doreen bird interacts with other professional establishments engaging with what’s new and up and coming and giving or taking advice which allows the college to grow from strength to strength.
The website shows the college’s partnerships, the details of different courses, the services it provides, the graduates, feedback from students, a gallery of images and videos, information on applications and support services and detailed informative background information about the college. The college has built a very well established network around them.
The facebook page is used as a network to know what is going on with graduates and up coming graduates and to keep in contact with friends/students and teachers. This page is less professional however allows the college to keep up to date and in the loop of things. It shows a variety of videos of graduates performing in musicals, films, adverts, companies, music videos and commercials which is a great way to stay updated and in touch as a community.
Here are two links that were recently posted from YouTube onto the facebook page receiving over 2,000 views and yet again allowing the platform of networks in grow and expand.
· @BirdcollegeUK
The twitter is used more or less in the same way as facebook: News/events/advertisements/shows/workshops/cheap theatre tickets/past, previous and future students tweeting about the college. It has 1,995 follows and no doubt this number will continue to grow.
These 4 uses of networking shows how established the college is and how they will continue to strive to grow bigger and expand and develop their current networks.
3) Are there methods, approaches and technologies that you use socially that might apply and help you develop your professional networking?
People join networks in order to benefit from the experience, gain information/knowledge and learn something new. People constantly want to keep up to date on certain subjects of interests, share ideas, and develop ideas and communicate at a different level. Connecting through networks such as facebook is what the majority of people do, it’s how we stay in touch with friends, connect with family all over the world and become apart of something. Networks such as facebook are not only used on a social level but huge companies all over the worlds promote themselves via facebook targeting the right audience to get their meaning and product out there. Some of the largest companies in the world have expanded massively due to marketing via social networking sites. Networking promotes/advertises news and events encouraging the public to spread the word by communicating by mouth or simply sharing information via a network platform. People strive for the best and to become the best they can be and building up current networks helps to communicate what is new helping to maintain connections for present and future learning.
4) What would your ideal network look like and why?
My idea network would be sufficient, realistic and open. The network be easy accessible and at any time open to people who share the same interests allowing them to engage with each other but also open to users with different interests bringing together users to connect, explore and comment (as you are never sure what synergy you could have with a person) expanding the depth of knowledge and information shared. It would be a realistic, truthful network with a meaning and motive allowing others to be aware of each others needs and willing to work, develop and grow to fulfil their needs keeping all values in place. The network would be sufficient and realistic for his/her needs allowing enough adequate information and knowledge to be shared. Thinking of developing my ideal network, I would approach the idea of communicating via face to face allowing a deeper interaction with a person as we gain more insight of each other as professionals and learn from one another doing this, whilst also using social media.
5) What tools and methods do you need to use? What do you know about your current and intended networks, and importantly, what do you now know?
· My current networks help me to engage and develop my knowledge in certain areas. It gives me and insight to what’s new and upcoming.
· Keeps me in the loop and up to date with my social life but also my professional life.
· Opens up new opportunities
· Allows me to share ideas/interests and opinions allowing people to comment and share their thoughts which helps me to reflect on my practice.
· Helps me to communicate and engage with different people allowing me to learn from their experiences but also share my own experiences.
What I don’t know?
· I don’t know how many other networks are out there that I have never came across that I could probably benefit from.
· I could improve on this by searching for various networks and become a part of networks that would allow me to broaden my knowledge and connect deeper with different people
· Following more blogs of professionals in the same industry or who share similar interests could help me open up to new information and ideas gaining an insight to their professional life allowing me to learn from the knowledge they share.
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