1. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
Using Social Media to
Lead Learners to
Their "A-HA" Moment
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP
Hudson
Twitter in the Classroom: Watch This Teacher Engage Shy Students in Learning History
http://www.good.is/post/twitter-in-the-classroom-watch-this-teacher-engage-shy-students-in-learning-
history/
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 1

2. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
2
•Define debrief and recognize its importance in the virtual learning space
•Discuss the three basic types of questions that help connect, reinforce, and apply knowledge (RAC
model)
•Recognize and appreciate the need to tailor questions for the virtual learning space
•Explore common social—and corporate!—media tools you can use to help lead learners to their ‘a-
ha!' moment
•Given your available social media tools, apply today’s learning to create debrief questions you can
use to help lead learners to their ‘a-ha!’ moment.
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 2

3. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
We all know asking questions throughout learning and conducting debriefs after learning events are
critical to ensuring knowledge transfer. When you provide learners the opportunity to reflect upon
their experience through guided questioning, you begin to create meaning and value in the
educational transaction. This transforms the learner; they begin to discover how their newly acquired
knowledge affects them, molds them, empowers them. Questioning – the simple practice of guided
reflection – leads learners to have the a-ha! moment.
Questioning then, quite simply, is a very powerful instructional tool.
So what gives these new social media tools the capability to allow people to learn and transform?
Mason and Renniet (2008) wrote that there were four major benefits of learner generated content that
these tools provide:
◦The learners have the tools to actively participate in the construction of their experience, rather than
passively absorbing content.
◦The content can be continually refreshed by the learners rather than requiring expert input.
◦Many of the tools are collaborative in nature, thus the learners develop team skills.
◦Shared community space and inter-group communications are a large part of what excites young
people [and many people of other ages]; therefore it should help to motivate them to learn.
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/hrd/media/social_learning.html
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 3

4. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
How’s it done? Use the RAC model:
REPORTING
asks for reactions, insights, feelings or observations
APPLICATION
asks for how skill / knowledge might be used, expected benefits or challenges
CRITIQUE
asks what people did well / not so well; what changes should they make to do better
There are three simple ways you can construct a question: Reporting, Application and Critique. What
you must keep in mind though is that you should construct these questions in line with the overall
learning objectives. After all, you want to ensure your learners are getting what you're delivering.
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 4

5. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
Short and
tweet!
Embrace the ‘Twitter Mentality”! Make your questions clear, deliberate, and succinct.
Bounce off key words to extend the questions – give them leads to find the information.
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 5

6. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
One good thing Ben Stein did is that he consistently asked questions. Often we tend to fall into the
trap of waiting either until the end of the lesson to ask questions or when a student seems completely
lost.
Don't wait until the end of a lesson or course to check of your learners are getting it; in actuality,
questioning can be used throughout the course – even to introduce a concept! Let's examine the
different ways we can incorporate questioning into our sessions: beginning (engage learners,
measure current knowledge), middle (check for understanding), and end (promote application and
independent thinking).
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 6

7. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
Turning Ideas
Into Action
Think about the questions you currently ask. Now pick one. Complete one of the following:
•Change your question using the twitter mentality
•If you already do this, then change your question to fit another point within your learning experience
(i.e., ask at end? Then how would you ask the same in the beginning?)
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 7

8. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
What are the tools to use:
Externally – Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogs
Internally – SharePoint, Lotus Databases, internal blogging
How does corporate culture affect this? >> you can have all the tools, but if it’s not the culture, then
the point is moot.
•LinkedIn – Professional
•Twitter – social, quick, easy (Yammer is the alternative for corps)
•Facebook – usable, but carries ‘social stigma’
•Blogging – internal/external
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 8

9. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
So what’s the big idea here? Find out what’s available to you, learn it inside and out, and exploit it
according to your learning needs. Common tools available within a corporation include:
• Web conferencing and live presentation (MS Live Meeting, WebEx, Adobe Connect, Skype)
• Internal Social Media (Yammer, MS Communicator, SharePoint, Lotus Notes)
• External Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube)
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 9

10. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
Turning Ideas
Into Action
Split up the group:
1. Web conferencing and live presentation (MS Live Meeting, WebEx, Adobe Connect, Skype)
2. Internal Social Media (Yammer, MS Communicator, SharePoint, Lotus Notes)
3. External Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube)
Take your question and talk about how you would use the tools available to you to present in your
learning activity.
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 10

11. Using Social Media to Lead Learners to their A-Ha! Moment
The more debriefing is integrated
into your company's everyday
activities, the more useful a tool it
becomes.
_Jimmy Guterman
President of The Vineyard Group
and Harvard Management contributor
Twitter in the Classroom: Watch This Teacher Engage Shy Students in Learning History
http://www.good.is/post/twitter-in-the-classroom-watch-this-teacher-engage-shy-students-in-learning-
history/
Elizabeth Raichle Wolfe, CPLP 11