Virtual Professional Development and Informal Learning Via Social Networks

Most of the contributors are in education, instructional systems, and communications and are concerned with the media for virtual learning, but others are from professions that would be taught through social networks. They focus on the role the Internet plays in informal learning and professional development. Their topics include professional development through Web 2.0 collaborative applications, linguistic aspects of informal learning in corporate online social networks, developing professional competencies through international peer learning communities, social media as a learning tool in medical education, a Brazilian experience of online mentoring as a tool for professional development and change of novice and experienced teachers, and dermatological telemedicine diagnosis and andragogical training using Web 2.0 mobile medicine video conferencing. Annotation c2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)