Social Media and Learning EDC&I /9/11

Starting Questions Something you learned using social media – What? How do you know you learned it that way? Something you tried to learn – But didn’t succeed! Best tool/system to support learning Worst tool/system to support learning Desired tool/system to support learning?

The Range Social Media – Facebook (800M users), LinkedIn, etc. – And clones in all parts of the world – Qzone (China; 480M) – Mobile device tie-ins; IM systems, etc. Sharing Services – YouTube, Flickr, PhotoBucket, etc. Wikis – Wikipedia – 400M/month; 82K editors; 19M articles – Domain specific versions: law, medicine, police, etc. – WikiSym (ACM Conference annually) Blogs/Microblogs/Status Updating – (Twitter – 360M) Collaborative Filtering – Amazon, Netflix, etc. – Cf. Shirky: Here Comes Everybody

What’s Learning Got to Do with It? Are these new systems pertinent to learning? – Not “OMG! Fred broke up with Louise!” – Something with more lasting consequences Does “learning” require a platform that’s organized in a particular way? – E.g.: Textbooks; formal courses; exams, etc. How important is it to “credentialize” learning? – Process of assessment = critical here?

Peer-Based Learning Formal vs. informal learning – Integrating peer-based learning into traditional environments = not likely a quick project Vygotskian sense – Not just “learn from peers,” but “progressive initiation of new generations” How to “monitor for quality”? – When do peers become not just sources of info, but also sources of feedback?

Interest-Based Learning Range and variety of interests – Some directly linkable to traditional academic work, others not – Topics are of interest, but not in the curriculum Digital creation, design and sharing Game play and interaction about game play

Projective Stance Identity formation and participation in online communities Possibility of “trying out” roles, activities

Remixing and Curriculum Much of young people’s online activity = “remixing” View this as original/creative work, or just derivative? Should young people be taught how to do this? Implications for © and IP rights?

Emerging Forms Visualization tools Content aggregators Online agents & bots Modes of online interaction – Professional development possibilities Games: Will we ever harness their fascination to education?

Research Agenda? Info seeking patterns Info extension vs. info isolation – Do people seek info that confirms current views, or seek out alternative perspectives? Cultural specificity of online activity? – Are there differences across countries, cultures? – Are they significant? Identity formation Digital citizenship