Spring-clean your minds!

Well, Christmas lethargy has almost passed. One hopes the cold and snow has gone for this year too. Now’s the time for a little spring-cleaning! That’s what we’re doing in our house at the moment and it occurred to me that’s what needed with our minds sometimes. We carry around so many thoughts and ideas that it’s difficult to focus on what is actually the most important. What is it that actually needs to get done? What is it that needs to be written on our blogs, or what that we have written needs to be posted.

An excellent example of latent thinking and writing surfaced over the weekend in Kelly Page‘s “Social ways of working in Higher Education“. In a tweet, Kelly mentioned that she’d written this post a year ago but hadn’t been sure whether to post it, or not. How often is that so true. How many other ideas and thoughts are getting cobwebs collecting around them that are crying out to see the light of day. How many others just need to be swept away, to allow others to emerge and grow?

So that’s the theme of the next Thought grazing Social Media Cafe (#tgsmc) to be held on Wednesday afternoon, 29th February, from 2.00pm at Costa Coffee in Park Place. Come and do a bit of thought spring cleaning as well as have a good chat and cup of coffee (and a cake), or two.

Coffee & cakes time again

In a bit of a rush this time, but felt we all needed another cup of coffee and possibly a cake (for Simon & Joe). So suggesting we meet up again in Costa Coffee, Park Place, next Tuesday – 15th November from 11:00 to 14:00 for a general chat over all things social media, including (as ever) changing the culture of the organisation, good practice, new tools, new gadgets and of course progress on existing programmes of work and initiatives – grant funded and unfunded, sponsored/initiated by the university/department or independent.

Come along and join the “regulars” – we had 11 at our meet-up last month. We all have a passion – “damn fine coffee” …

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PcoMrwEa5o&w=640&h=480]

Enjoy

New term, new venue, same format

We’re kicking-off the new academic year with a meet-up at the new Costa Coffee on Park Place – the old Registry Office building – on Thursday 29th September. The quality of the coffee has been an issue through the past 12 months, indeed it has been suggested to be the main reason why we haven’t attracted thousands to our social media cafe events, so we’ve moved quickly to try out this new venue … and it has CAKES too!

The format of our meet-up is the same as ever … that is, it has no format other than the topics brought along by the people who chose to join us for as long, or as short, a time as they wish, or are able, to attend. Someone will be there from 11:00am and we expect to be coffee’d out by about 2:00pm. Then fully caffeined-up you will spill out to write the blog post you always wanted to, to investigate Google+ (well some of you might), to engage with the digital literacy agenda and CU’s JISC-funded project, or to play with the new whizzy Web 2.0 tool you’ve just learnt about.

One thing for certain is that there will be iPads, iPhones, Android-devices etc a plenty and they’ll probably be using Eduroam, MiFi and other networks to keep us all connected. So you need not miss anything going on in the outside world and you might just benefit from chatting with someone else who’s interested in using Social Media in Higher Education.

See you there!

Btw. There is no truth in the rumour that “Thought grazing” will have a pre-release iPhone 5 to examine – but that doesn’t stop us talking about it.

Last Cafe before Christmas

So we’re nearly in December, and this Friday – being the first in the month – brings around the next Social Media Cafe event (hashtag #tgsmc from now on).

What’s happened in the last month, apart from me having a bit of leave and learning a bit more about photography which is forcing me again to think about blogging, social networks and CONTEXT. I’d thought I’d put that one to rest … but I haven’t, and I’d like to talk to you folk about this on Friday at the Grad Centre from about 11.00am on.

I’ve also talked to some other folk at Newcastle and they’re interested in the concept of #thoughtgrazing and #tgsmc so I’m going to go and talk to them when I get back from Australia with @joenicholls. [Now there’s a country (according to my son who lives there) who are way in need of social networking!! :-).] In particular Joe’s ideas on tasks, extended digital literacies, and core’n’chore resonated well with folk from the Netskills team when I met them at a Conference just recently.

Joe and I also wondered whether any one wanted to talk about mobility. What does this actually mean for learners and researchers. What opportunities and challenges does it bring? What’s the role and responsibility of the provider of service (content or tools) to meet their aspirations and requirements.

So we have a couple of topics to get you thinking – but you’ll hopefully bring your own.

This’ll be the last #tgsmc of 2010. We’ve met three times. I’ve polled for days and Friday seems to be a favourite; but knowing that not everyone can manage that day, we’ll try and set up an alternative #tgsmc – maybe even at a different venue. What do you think?

Finally, what about you becoming an author on this blog. Please let Joe or I know, and we’ll add you to the list of folk who can post to the site. You’d be very welcome!

Social media cafe launches at Cardiff University

Thought grazing’s social media cafe launches this October in Cardiff University’s Graduate Centre in the Student Union Building on Park Place. A place to come every month and meet other social media practitioners working in Higher Education and have a chat over a cup of coffee.

Break down those divisions between disciplines, add to your social networks, meet those virtual colleagues (your followers, or those you follow) in the flesh, work-up project ideas together with the leading educational social media practitioners in the university or just come and learn … or drink coffee.

No expertise barriers to entry. Just an interest in the use of social media and its application in research and education.

So if you’re working in HE – post-graduate, researcher, lecturer or service provider – why not come and join others like you on 22nd October, 11:00 – 14:00, Graduate Centre, Students Union, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff

Let us know you’re coming and use the space below to give an indication of things you’d like to chat about.

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