So, the past year or so I've been using Facebook with an OU hat on - thus, as an OU Associate Lecturer on various modules, past and present - mainly in biology, health and access.  My thinking was that it could provide another way of connecting with OU students, OU colleagues and others.  Regarding 'others', by creating interest in the OU, then that may help disseminate how the OU is an interesting place to study, and some sense of what OU modules may contain, to the wider community.  I started this Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/catherine.scanlon.5) in 2010, in part stimulated by attending some of an OU training on using social media, and continuing until the present, feeling my way into the medium, and developing a style which I think can be of interest.

Although quite small in number, I have had connection with various OU students, past and present, a regional line manager, central colleague, and an academic at another university.  It seems to me that contact can be quite limited, and a social component is missing, which might be achieved in a coffee room, or brief contacts which would be achieved in face-to-face locations, such as seeing someone in the corridor, or sitting across the table in another meeting.  These posts can enrich connection, I believe.

The following are five examples of how I used posts, and the kinds of responses received.

1.  Direct interest to students? - post to Facebook on OU referencing - immediate student response

I posted a link to a video aboutreferencing, made by an OU colleague.Overnight one of my students had liked it.  This suggests that students do keep an eye on my posting, and like very focussed academic pointers like this.

2.  Posting about online work/ scholarship for Health and Social Care.

I posted a copy of one of my slides with an explanatory comment about what I'd been doing - of the five people who 'liked' it, one was an ex-OU student from a module with me, and another was an HSC central academic colleague.  Others ranged from among my aquaintance.  Thus, the work of the OU is being disseminated, hopefully sparking interest in our online teaching methods.

3.  Facebook private message - Asking a student what they'd like in an OU tutor's Facebook

Having made contact with a student who was moderating a rather lovely Facebook closed site for an OU module, I asked her (via Facebook message) what she thought would make my Facebook page more interesting to students on this module.  To my surprise, she came up with very module-focusses points, such as when final results would come out, posting on the day of  End of Module Assessment (EMA) submission, since she reckoned many students wouldn't have absorbed this information from the material provided, and naturally would be wondering.  This surprised me since that did seem to be something that would be covered by the national or local tutor group forums for this module.  And, to be honest, this is not something I would want to do on this Facebook page, since I see it as something more general, and should be of more interest to a wider audience - however, food for thought, eh.

4.  Social chat

I was quite surprised to get quite a few likes when I posted a picture of a certificate I had been given for attending a training on online tuition.  I had posted it because it was somewhat personal, somewhat 'academic' linking to my OU work as a tutor in distance learning, and illustrating the Open University interest in online learning.  The range of people who noticed this post, as measured by 'likes' included a line manager and old OU students, as well as others.  And so it can provide a kind of 'alumni' experience for people who have studied with the OU.  Some people find the OU quite a lonely place to study, and miss having connection with it afterwards - this can provide some of that need for social ongoing connection. 

5.  Posting about matters relevant to module, as well as of general interest.

I often think it's good to give a personal twist to Facebook posts.  This post noted the end of a module special to me; and generated comments from a range of people, including an ex-student who told how she had gone on to complete her degree successfully.  Additionally, there was a sympathetic comment from someone who was external examiner at one point, who I knew from academic conferences, and as a member of the exam board.  And so, again, here is an opportunity to discuss the passing of a module, and express emotion about it - about it's passing, about its preciousness as an academic topic that the OU had run.

Concluding

To conclude, it has been fun, and quite easy to do this.  It is worth noting however that there is some skill attached to doing it, and holding appropriate boundaries as an AL looking out to the wider world.  A reasonably optimistic, if sometimes critical style was held.  There were no major difficulties that arose thankfully - at one point, my account was hacked and sending out slimming advice; but thankfully a tip from my nephew, as well as OU colleagues in the Common Room/ IT forum helped me damage limit, and stop this.It is worth noting how family members and other friends can also play a part in our expertise in using IT as OU staff.  I tend to advocate a semi-personal style, but which links to the OU and subject area.

What do you think? - feel free to use my blog comment area to share your experiences - what worked well? were there any problems?anything else?