Institute For The Future

Oh no, not more homework! (a.k.a. Homework, Part 3)

This part of the pre-conference prep work is an opportunity for you to get your feet wet or your hands dirty exploring some social media sites.

First, we would like you to go to Facebook and open an account (if you don't already have one), then:

• "friend" Rod Falcon, Jerry Michalski, and me (Vivian Distler) (and one another, if you like)
• search the Facebook application directory (www.facebook.com/apps) for health-related apps
• install one or two of them

We would also like you to visit (www.wellsphere.com) and:

• sign up (link in upper right corner) by providing some basic information and joining at least one "community"
• depending on your comfort level, provide as much or as little information as you want (there is a skip button at the bottom of each page)
• please continue all the way through the registration process in order to see several interesting features -- like signing up for text messages that will remind you of your goal(s); joining teams of other community members who can provide you with support; and asking your friends to be your "cheerers" while you are trying to reach your goal

If you have major privacy objections to Facebook and/or Wellsphere (or merely want extra credit):

• open a Twitter account under a suitable pseudonym (www.twitter.com)
• "follow" iftf and jerrymichalski
• on www.twitterholics.com, visit one or two of the Twitter enhancements profiled

Want extra credit?

• search Wikipedia for two terms you know very well that are related to heart health
• post a blog entry here (instructions are in the first blog post on the project homepage) that provides a critique what you find in Wikipedia
• extra, extra credit--edit a Wikipedia entry (if you are unfamiliar with how to edit a wiki, please see this "how to" page)

We look forward to hearing about your forays into the world of social media!