Welcome to the Digital Literacy Workshop Learn about Facebook, Twitter, Blogging and Pinterest so that you can keep up with what’s happening in social media. Trainer – Karen George

The Australian Communications & Media Authority What is digital media literacy? Digital media literacy is often understood as the ability to access, understand and participate or create content using digital media. Developments in digital technology have had significant effects on the way individuals interact with communications and media services. An increasingly wide range of sources of information, ways of doing business, services (including government services) and entertainment are now commonly made available and accessed online and/or through digital media.

Social media For many young people belonging to an online social network shapes the nature of peer relations not only online but also in other contexts too. A growing body of research suggests there are a number of positive benefits associated with the rise in online social networks, which include greater opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and more self expression, including participation in new creative forms through blogs, video-production, video or picture manipulation. Some scholars suggest that the ability to embrace participatory cultures has become a new form of ‘hidden curriculum’ which is starting to shape who will succeed and who will be left behind as people enter school and move out into the workplace. However, the ACMA research indicates that almost 50 per cent of Australians don’t know where to find information about protecting personal information when using social media. Effective participation in social media activities depends not only on knowing how to access and use broadband services and social networking websites, but also understanding when and where it is appropriate to divulge personal information online. The Australian Communications & Media Authority

Facebook is a popular free social networking website that allows registered users to create profiles, upload photos and video, send messages and keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues. The site, which is available in 37 different languages, includes public features such as: Marketplace - allows members to post, read and respond to classified ads. Groups - allows members who have common interests to find each other and interact. Events - allows members to publicize an event, invite guests and track who plans to attend. Pages - allows members to create and promote a public page built around a specific topic. Presence technology - allows members to see which contacts are online and chat. What is Facebook?

What is Twitter? Twitter is a free social networking microblogging service that allows registered members to broadcast short posts called tweets. Twitter members can broadcast tweets and follow other users' tweets by using multiple platforms and devices. Tweets and replies to tweets can be sent by cell phone text message, desktop client or by posting at the Twitter.com website.microbloggingtext messageTwitter.com The default settings for Twitter are public. Unlike Facebook or LinkedIn, where members need to approve social connections, anyone can follow anyone on publicTwitter. To weave tweets into a conversation thread or connect them to a general topic, members can add hashtags to a keyword in their post. The hashtag, which acts like a meta tag, is expressed as #keyword.Facebookmeta tag

Pinterest is a social curation website for sharing and categorizing images found online. The site’s name is a portmanteau of the words “pin” and “interest.”social curation Pinterest categories include architecture, art, DIY and crafts, fashion, food and drink, home décor, science and travel. Users can add a “Pin it” button to their browser and then select and“pin” online images to virtual pinboards, which are used to organize categories. Pinterest requires brief descriptions but the main focus of the site is visual. Clicking on an image will take you to the original source, so, for example, if you click on a picture of a pair of shoes, you might be taken to a site where you can purchase them. An image of blueberry pancakes might take you to the recipe; a picture of a whimsical birdhouse might take you to the instructions. Users can browse or search for image content and can follow the boards of other users and can “like” or repin other users’ pins. What is Pinterest?

What is Blogging? A blog (short for weblog) is a personal online journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs are defined by their format: a series of entries posted to a single page in reverse- chronological order.Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or reflect the purpose of the Web site that hosts the blog. Topics sometimes include brief philosophical musings, commentary on Internet and other social issues, and links to other sites the author favors, especially those that support a point being made on a post.

LinkedIn is a social networking site designed specifically for the business community. The goal of the site is to allow registered members to establish and document networks of people they know and trust professionally. A LinkedIn member’s profile page, which emphasizes employment history and education, has professional network news feeds and a limited number of customizable modules. Basic membership for LinkedIn is free. Network members are called “connections.” Unlike other free social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn requires connections to have a pre-existing relationship.Facebook Twitter What is LinkedIn?

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