I've created a quick Social media skills test while doing my MBA research considering social media leadership. This test got it's roots from my own experiences and also from my observations how colleagues are acting and struggling while trying to use social media as part of their leadership.
As test's results there are four levels for social media (SoMe) users:
- the 0- level person is SoMe- Preventer, who has never been in online social media networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). He or she is afraid of social media and defences himself/herself against social media which is nonsense and waist of time. He/she feels fear against social media.
- the 1- level person is SoMe- Suspector, who has created profiles or accounts to social media networks. He/she is a passive watcher, who follows what others are doing, but he/she is not participating e.g. online discussions. He/she feels unsecure while being on social networks.
- the 2- level person is SoMe- Tester, who is both active and passive social media user, while sharing and participating online communities. He/she is wondering is or isn’t social media "my cup of tea". He/she feels unsecurity/security while acting on social networks.
- the 3- level person is SoMe- Crowdsourser, who is an active social media user in several social media networks. He/she gets positive feedback from others participants and therefore he/she is also engaged in social networks development work. He/she feels security and success while acting on social networks.
These four levels aren't really as linear step by step as the picture describes. We all humans have better and worse days. Sometimes we have time and energy to participate online groups and sometimes not. Therefore, time from O- level SoMe- Preventer to 3- level SoMe- Crowdsourcer may vary from some months to some years. It has taken three years from myself to become active on social networks.
I'm developing scores for this social media quick test. What do you think? What are reasonable scores for today’s school organisations to pass this kind of social media user's test? Should all personnel work at least on 1- level as SoMe- Suspector or is it OK that some are still on 0- level as SoMe- preventers?
