(ThyBlackMan.com) Attending WordPress and WordCamp conferences can be life changing experiences.
Talking to Jon and Josh after their experiences and the excitement that lasted several weeks after each conference because of the exposure to new experiences.
The networking opportunity allowed them to speak to industry leaders and innovators.
Josh, interested in programming and had the chance to speak to programmers with decades of experience and access to new directions of technology and integration.
Jon, a talented and passionate educator had the chance to speak to educators that are integrating technology that is leading edge in academics helping students learn new and engaging ways. Helping students to increase their reading levels, and build a love for literature.
Conferences help fill a void for HBCU students that would at one time not have been possible.
These 32 experiences are shared to help encourage HBCU students to attend more learning opportunities and for HBCU instructors and administrators to do more to get students exposed and involved. Collaboration and the combination of higher order and critical thinking skill development makes a difference.
Created by Jon Gregory and Josh Rodriguez
1. Put your best foot forward by putting your best foot forward in creating content and learning from your followers what they need in your content development and creation.
2. Get out and network and get to know people. If you’re an introvert, un-introvert to network strategically.
3. Learn how to collaborate, if your instructor does not know how, find one that does.
4. Understand what a Brand is; how do you develop your Brand?
5. What are your goals and what are you trying to accomplish in your content creation?
6. When using Social Media engage with people not just follow them.
Develop a relationship of sharing ideas.
7. Engagement builds relationships which last longer than just networking and following.
8. Google yourself you may find some interesting stuff that Google has found about you and who your associated with.
9. Use Google to see what the net is presenting about you. When you start posting content you create a digital footprint that people will follow to you.
10. You need to have an accurate “story” of who you are, be sure to monitor and manage your “story.” Never allow others to put false information about you online.
11. Never let anyone tell your story, you have an authentic story that only you can tell.
12. Attend conferences and workshops to gain knowledge, network and potential networking collaborations.
13. When and if you can, speak at events that help build connections.
14. Establish a tech budget as you grow.
15. Get to understand Hashtags and use them efficiently.
16. Volunteer your talents and skills to youth and teens they are the future to keep the web diverse and exciting.
17. Be a digital mentor by encouraging positive content in text and video. Children and teens will follow what they see.
18. Get out of your introvert persona and get engaged.
19. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, the more you know the more you grow. The only dumb question is one you don’t ask.
20. Be authentic to who you are.
21. Establish your culture of digital connection.
22. Leverage your network to people you do not know. Strength comes in growing your network by being engaged with your network.
23. Be a part of a PLN Professional Learning Network or PLC Professional Learning Community
Twitter: #EdCamp #EduMatch #WordCamp #WordPress #FlEdChat #UrbanEdChat
24. Get business cards, there is always opportunity to share and don’t be scared to share.
25. Manage your social networks with occasionally Googling and Hash tagging not just yourself, but your content, Brand and Marketing strategy.
26. Attend Meetups in your communities to build friendships and
connections.
27. Be strategically mindful about what you’re doing in your blogging and content development. Co-blog and post others that share your passions.
28. Encourage girls and women to be involved in technology not just blogging, but in programming, development and creating Apps.
#BlackGirlsCode #BlackGirlNerds #BlackGirlMagic #HiddenFigures
#MoxieMcGriff #actuallivingscientist #WCWinSTEM #VanguardSTEM
29. Encourage children, teens and young adults of color and culture to attend events to allow them to see the world and tech differently.
30. Be careful of misinformation that you may be sending out. This is the quickest way to kill your credibility and damage your Brand.
31. Don’t blog with your emotions, this may lead to hurting your Brand and validity to be factual and objective.
32. Blogging allows you to reach diverse audiences, but that does
not mean people will be listening. Adapt your writing to what people
want to learn with your Brand and Niche.
33. Research, study and apply; does your content have any intellectual merit or value?
34. Did you know that Google and Twitter are using word recognition about radicalization with teens and children?
35. Get out of your introverted self and apply your learning every day.
Staff Writer; William D. Jackson
Students: Jon Gregory & Josh Rodriguez
Find out more about this talented writer over at; OCS For Education.