ePals - The Human Network

The website ePals is one of many profession orientated social networks. This one focuses on teachers. Have a focused, on topic network is invaluable in the often chaotic world wide web where taking in information is just as important as being able to effectively comb through it. I was referred to this website by a teacher, thus I can't say I found it with my information sorting skills, however how one uses information within a given network does take that combing skill.

EPals is a pretty well organized site and clearly meant for a registered user to seek out possible colleagues and collaborators. The site's very specific filter system is main reason for this.

ePals screenshot - filters are at left with the results displaying on the main part of the screen.

Those filters theoretically allow a user to find a fellow teacher who is in almost the same exact situation as he or she is. Or in the type of the situation that the user is wishing to explore. The use profiles go into even more specific detail provided that they are filled out. It is this that makes this site stand out for me from Google+ groups where the starting point is shared content, however here it is the teachers' current situation. That said, there is no perfect network and in the course of a student and professional life, an individual will likely create a "human network" that has members in various content-specific networks. It will be the managing of this meta-network to suit the demands of one's field that will likely be the ultimate networking skill.

I see myself as possibly using ePals to find similarly situated to myself and having an online discussion to start. This could lead to finding some good content sharing groups for the actual practice of teaching. Through ePals, and provided the classes are close enough, some users suggest possible class cooperation in activities such as field trips. This seems quite interesting and it could be used to have the students start thinking about the actual networking themselves.