E-learning, cloud computing, distributed work, and telecommuting (Techwatch Radio interview)

I had the pleasure of joining my friends Sam Bushman and Jay Harrison, the hosts of Techwatch Radio, last Saturday on their weekly tech talk show.  I’ve been a fairly regular guest on their show over the last 5 years and always enjoy the discussions we have. What I love about their show is that, much like this blog,  they take a practical approach to technology and living a digital lifestyle.

The program consists of fast-paced news, callers, guests, and features such as the website of the week and the do’s and dont’s of tech. Sam and Jay focus on balancing technology in your life and letting hi-tech serve you, not own you! Their fun, casual way of simplifying complex issues will help the average person get up-to-speed on the tricks and tools for the times we live in.

Last week I joined them for the second half of the show and we discussed elearning, managing remote workers, the growth of telecommuting, why I’m drinking the Apple Kool-Aid (and switching to a Mac soon), cloud computing, and the shifts involved with successful distributed work. You can listen using the player below and I invite you to comment on this post and share your thoughts on these topics and our discussion.

Techwatch Radio can be heard Saturday mornings from 10-11am ET.  You can listen live from anywhere online or download past shows from their RSS feed.  I subscribe to their podcast and listen on my iPod Touch so I don’t miss a thing!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:36 — 3.4MB)

University Programs in Mobile Work

Post Graduate Programs in Remote and Distributed Work?

A blog visitor, Christian M., sent this question:

I’m a 27 year old business consultant in Germany. I want to write a PhD thesis about “work anywhere, anytime”. Do you know a professor at a university, business school etc. who could supervise a PhD thesis about this topic or do you have an advise for me to find one? He could be located anywhere in the world.

I hope you know somebody doing scientific research about this topic.

Thanks a lot,
Christian

My reply to Christian was as follows:

We do not personally know any one who does scientific research into remote work or global business teams, but I may be able to suggest a few places to begin your research.

I am listing below a few universities which offer graduate level programs in areas closely related to your field of interest. Unfortunately, only the first is a PhD program. I believe the other 2 are MBAs but perhaps someone there could offer insight. The final link is to a resource which lists PhD programs in information related fields.

It seems odd given the prevalence of distributed work in our world that the field is still so young and unformed as an academic discipline. I discovered much the same thing when I studied Comparative Religions. I always felt that one of the benefits of that was the diversity of faculty and departments I got to work with – I would get to study under  Anthropologists, Historians, Doctors of Divinity, Sociologists, and Psychologists all in the same program, with only the subject as a unifying principle. So while the newness of telework as a subject of serious study presents some challenges, it likely also presents great opportunities and flexibility.
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Social networking – a shift in the way we communicate

Let’s face it you can’t read an article anywhere these days without someone mentioning social media, social networking, Twitter, YouTube, or Facebook. These tools not only affect the way we connect to each other as people but also how we share information and communicate.

Businesses of all size have now adopted the use of social media from large corporations and small businesses to solo-preneurs and freelancers.  Much in the way desktop publishing and blogs put the power to spread information in the hands of the masses – social media has provided unprecedented ways for us to connect and network with one another. Check out this eye-opening video I found on YouTube that shares some amazing stats about the social media revolution.

One of the common myths we often dispel with virtual teamwork is that using technology makes relationships less personal and you can’t build trust or get to know people who you rarely or never see.  I don’t agree – using these tools like Twitter and Facebook allows you to connect (or re-connect) with people, stay in touch, and get to know each other. Read more

Special interview with federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra – CNET Blogs

Back in April, President Obama announced that Aneesh Chopra, formerly Virginia’s secretary of technology, would be the United State’s first Chief Technology Officer.

“Aneesh will promote technological innovation to help achieve our most urgent priorities — from creating jobs and reducing health care costs to keeping our nation secure,” said Obama.

“Aneesh and Jeffrey [Zients, the newly appointed chief innovation officer] will work closely with our chief information officer, Vivek Kundra, who is responsible for setting technology policy across the government, and using technology to improve security, ensure transparency, and lower costs,” he added.

After hearing the news of Melissa Hathaway’s resignation I got to wondering how Mr. Chopra was holding up. I found this interview he gave on Buzz Out Loud just a couple of weeks ago.

BOL 1033: Special interview with federal CTO Aneesh Chopra | Buzz Out Loud Blog – CNET Blogs.

If you are interested in some background on Aneesh Chopra, Tim O’Rielly posted a comprehensive article on his O’Rielly Radar blog back in April entitled Why Aneesh Chopra is a Great Choice for Federal CTO.

How to use Twitter for Business (The Official Twitter Guide)

Have you been hearing about Twitter just about everywhere you go?  The microblogging service has been getting a lot of press lately and as an entrepreneur or small business owner you might be asking yourself – “What is this social networking service all about and how can I use it to connect with others and increase my business?”

I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon a few months back and I am loving it.  I find it a great way to find and connect with like minded individuals. I’ve me some great entrepreneurs and others that are passionate about working from anywhere – digital nomads and others interested in workshifting and being location independent.

To be honest, when I first heard about Twitter I thought “What a waste of time . . . why do I want to know that someone has just taken the trash out or just had a delicious ice cream sundae?” But after some time I saw the light and started to understand how Twitter can be used for business networking and as a way to meet some wonderful people.

Twitter must have realized many people were asking the same questions I was because they just launched their Twitter 101 Guide for Business – which is a great overview of the business uses for Twitter.  It covers topics such as:

• What does Twitter do for businesses and how does it work
• Learning the lingo
• Best practices
• Case Studies
• Links to other resources

If you are an entrepreneur, small business owner, solo professional or freelancer – you need to know about Twitter! If you have been wondering what all the Twitter buzz is about and how you might use this service to grow your business I suggest you check out the Twitter for Business guide as well as these resources:

• Tweeting for Companies 101
• 50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business
• 10 Useful Twitter Presentations
• Tweeting for Your Business
• The Ultimate Video Guide to Twitter for Business
• Twitter Jumpstart Guide for Non-Profits

As you start to follow more people you will probably find that you need more than the Twitter website to keep up with the Twitter stream and manage your followers and friends.  I recommend two programs to do this – Tweetdeck or my favorite Seesmic Desktop.

If you join the Twitter community, and I hope you will, please follow me @philmontero and say hello.  I’d love to connect with you and find ways we can help each other grow our businesses and share common interests!

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