3. Developing a Professional Online Presence and Effective Network

This chapter focusses on the value of showcasing academic achievements as a student or educator, and looks at how this can demonstrate student learning gain and teaching excellence. There are a variety of different ways to present academic work through the use of multimedia and digital portfolios, and key to the success of this is understanding how social media can be used in a professional context to maximise reach. Furthermore, a framework will be introduced to exemplify the fundamental areas to focus on. Readers will then learn how they can utilise their profile to network with others and identify how this can open ‘virtual doors’ to new job opportunities, work experience, CPD and informal learning, and potential collaborations for future research.