Most writing about social media focuses on how to use it for marketing, but there's a larger story to tell, according to Tony Bingham and Marcia Conner, co-authors of The New Social Learning, set for release in late summer. This book is for those who are interested in how social media helps people in organizations learn quickly, innovate fast, share their knowledge, and engage with peers, business partners, and the customers they serve. Co-author Marcia Conner spoke on the subject of social learning today at the Enterprise 2.0 Conference.

Co-published by ASTD and Berrett-Koehler, The New Social Learning explains why classic business models, which assume that relevant information is created and shared through management or training, isn't enough today. There's too much to know and make sense of, too little time to gain perspective, and information changes too fast to dispense. A virtual water cooler becomes a gathering place to share ideas and ask questions beyond the limits of formal organizations, company meetings, or classrooms.

Using examples from a wide range of organizations-including Deloitte, IBM, Mayo Clinic, TELUS, and even the CIA-The New Social Learning shows how people in organizations across the globe are using social media to collaborate and learn.

More so than any other technology, social media allows us to embrace the needs of changing workplace demographics and allow people of all ages to learn in ways that are comfortable and convenient for them. And, as the authors assert, emerging technologies enable a new kind of knowledge-building ecosystem with people at its core.

Connect with the authors online at http://thenewsociallearning.com .