Social Media: Making Tangible Connections and Diversifying Trends in Communication Practice


Julie Nolin, M.A.
British Columbia Institute of Technology

Bobbe Cummins Colburn, Ph.D.
City University



Call for Chapters:
Proposals Submission Deadline: September 1, 2011


Introduction
Social media are rapidly changing the way we educate, conduct business, and reach out to others across the globe. As such, we bring both the ‘voices’ of experience and research together, which augment the fields of media, education, and industry along with professional practice.

Because of the advent of social media as a tool for social interaction, more insight is needed into how to harness its power. Although the interpersonal communication needs through social media vary between different fields, this guide will highlight expert experiences and research, while connecting innovation to solutions. By understanding current practices, policies, documentations, trends, needs, and diversified approaches – this book will analyze progress in social media to become more successful through its facilitators.

Book’s Objective
This material will provide educators, professionals, academics, and practitioners with the most up-to-date techniques and practice in social media. This publication will deal with the concepts and applications in this emerging field and area of research as well as knowledge.

Target Audience
The target audience of this published eBook will be composed of students, educators, practitioners, professionals, and researchers working in the fields of media, education, and industry, such as business, psychology, information technology, k-12 education, higher education, and social sciences. In addition, the book will be a helpful and versatile resource which will provide insights about how to build programs to support the needs of learners and consumers alike. In addition, this book will be useful for academic research, government, and public administration.

Suggested Topic Areas
All instructors, faculty, administrators and students – who hold graduate degrees and higher who value online learning and possess firsthand, working knowledge of social media populations – are encouraged to submit. The chapter submitted should include current research, proven practice, effective teaching, instructional methods, standards alignment, integrated policies and applications, and so forth. Techniques which have made you successful in the field of your practice will become part of our voices from the field in this book. Suggested topics for chapters may fall into any of these broad categories:
• Informational and emotional strengths of social media
• Social media assessment methodologies and techniques
• Evolution of documentation, training, and analytics
• Enhancement of intercultural communication practices
• Diversity issues and concepts
• Social capital
• Usage by neomillenials
• Social learning networks and collaboration
• Symbiosis with emerging and/or disruptive technologies in industry
• Incorporation of standards and learner goals
• Creative uses of social media to enhance online learning
• Podcast mobile
• Social marketing
• Analytics through social media
• Social media commuting and presenting
• Laws and ethics of governance
• Gaps in legislation
• Changes in regulation
• Political influences
• Standards in learning
• Policies in relation to learning and teaching learners of all ages


Submission Procedure
The edited eBook will include innovative research on the newest techniques in teaching online and practice from experienced professionals. This will be a 13-20 chapter book. During the editing and peer review process, there will be a second reading prior to final editing and acceptance of approximately two months.

Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before September 1, 2011, with a 5-7 page chapter outline detailing the chapter to be submitted. Describe the ways they have utilized social media to advance their professional practice. Be sure to use APA 6th edition formatting in your submission.

Authors will be notified by October 15, 2011 about the status of their chapter outline. Full chapters should be submitted on or before November 30, 2011. It is expected that 13-20 full chapters accepted for inclusion in the book will be edited with suggestions from peer reviews. Final editing by authors will need to be completed by January 18, 2012, with e-publication on February 28, 2012.

Publisher
This book is scheduled to be published by The eLearning Institute, as an eBook. Visit http://theelearninginstitute.org/default_login.asp for more information about publications and publishing opportunities. This publication is anticipated to be released in the Spring of 2012.

Important Dates

• September 1, 2011: Chapter Proposal Submission Deadline
• October 15, 2011: Notification of Acceptance of Chapter Proposal
• November 30, 2011: Full Chapter Submission Deadline
• December 30, 2011: Peer Reviews Returned
• January 18, 2012: Edited Chapter Submission Deadline
• February 28, 2012: Publication


Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically in a Word document or Rich Text File to:

Julie Nolin
E-mail: jdnolin@live.ca