Social Network Services as Tools for Teaching and Learning Edward Podgaisky, Russian State Hydrometeorological University EUMETCAL 2008, Toulouse, France 27 August 2008

Outline Mobile content usage perspectives (from CALMET 2007) Mobile content usage perspectives (from CALMET 2007) Social networking sites overview Social networking sites overview Example of a SN site usage for learning content distribution, incl. mobile Example of a SN site usage for learning content distribution, incl. mobile Example of a SN site usage for rising public awareness/learning Example of a SN site usage for rising public awareness/learning

Tablet PCs personal media players video game consoles Smartphones mobile phones PDAs Wearable PDAs Mini digital camcorders Portable DVD players netbooks digital voice recorders Era of Mobile Devices Personal Response Systems

Commuting time…

There is software to produce small screen audio- enabled presentations: Articulate Presenter, expensive Articulate Presenter, expensive Camtasia Studio $179 educational license Camtasia Studio $179 educational license FlashSpring $99 educational license FlashSpring $99 educational license …and many more! …and many more!

Update from 2007: iSpring 3.5 is now available free of charge iSpring 3.5 is now available free of charge FreeScreencast software – free of charge FreeScreencast software – free of charge Articulate Presenter and Camtasia Studio have newer & more powerful versions, remaining commercial leaders Articulate Presenter and Camtasia Studio have newer & more powerful versions, remaining commercial leaders

St Petersburg student community: peculiarities of mobile phones usage August, 2006: SIMs sold = population August, 2006: SIMs sold = population Late market boost (monopoly till mid-2001) Late market boost (monopoly till mid-2001) Advanced neighbours Advanced neighbours Students – most advanced mobile users; Students – most advanced mobile users; Independence Independence Social status Social status Well being Well being

Questionnaire (early 2007) Commuting time Commuting time Mobile phone usage Mobile phone usage M-learning and CAL potential M-learning and CAL potential

How is the commuting time spent? %

73% fully utilize their mobile phone’s features 73% fully utilize their mobile phone’s features 68% are ready to use audio narrations 68% are ready to use audio narrations 55% are technically able to watch video 55% are technically able to watch video 46% plan to buy new mobile in 12 months 46% plan to buy new mobile in 12 months Only 39% phone memory exceeds 10 MB Only 39% phone memory exceeds 10 MB Summary of mobile phone usage

Conclusions we made: Small chunks of mobile learning content Small chunks of mobile learning content AVI, 3GP or FLV video 128x128 or 320x240 pt available to more than 50% AVI, 3GP or FLV video 128x128 or 320x240 pt available to more than 50% Not substitute – only complement Not substitute – only complement

How to market the optional learning content among the students?

Is there an opportunity? University of Minnesota study, 2007 University of Minnesota study, a_Videos/social_network.htm a_Videos/social_network.htm a_Videos/social_network.htm a_Videos/social_network.htm File://D:/EUMETCAL/MySpacePkgGrfx-medium.flv File://D:/EUMETCAL/MySpacePkgGrfx-medium.flv File://D:/EUMETCAL/MySpacePkgGrfx-medium.flv

What is a social networking site? a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use it to keep up with friends, upload photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. (Facebook creators) a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use it to keep up with friends, upload photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet. (Facebook creators)

University of Minnesota, 2007

What social networking site is the best? Ask your students! Best site for you is the one where your students are

SN websites usage by country (Alexa, Aug 2008)

Let’s try it! * * Not available without registration on the SN website Not available without registration on the SN website

Another example of learning on SNS * * Not available without registration to the SN website Not available without registration to the SN website

Thank you for your attention! – RSHU universitywww.rshu.ru Edward Podgaisky

Videos used: Research on educational benefits of social networking sites - video available here Research on educational benefits of social networking sites - video available here a_Videos/social_network.htm a_Videos/social_network.htm a_Videos/social_network.htm a_Videos/social_network.htm Small videos on weather-related issues for public awareness: Small videos on weather-related issues for public awareness: Locally produced videos available on demand Locally produced videos available on demand

Analytics online: Mode=general&CategoryID= &Sta rt=1&SortBy=Popularity&R=True Mode=general&CategoryID= &Sta rt=1&SortBy=Popularity&R=True Mode=general&CategoryID= &Sta rt=1&SortBy=Popularity&R=True Mode=general&CategoryID= &Sta rt=1&SortBy=Popularity&R=True review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/ review.toptenreviews.com/

Sharing screen-/slide-/webcasts There are several options to share screencasts online: There are several options to share screencasts online: - based on FreeScreencast Recorder software - free - based on FreeScreencast Recorder software - free based on iSpring software - free - based on iSpring software - free -free online conversion -free online conversion based on TechSmith products (fee-based) - based on TechSmith products (fee-based)