Social Media in Education

1. Social Media in Education Joanne Jacobs, Adjunct, AIC Interaction Design & Tech Strategy Consultant Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/familymwr/5548057626

2. Seminar objectives • To discuss: • Value of social media in education • Current practice in social media use in educational contexts • Emergent opportunities for social media in education • To demonstrate: • Importance of social media skills among graduates Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/3132476481

3. The Social Landscape • Massive growth of internet and social media adoption worldwide. • Mobile increasingly the device-of-choice. • Social networking sites now represent longest dwell time among online activities. Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nanpalmero/4278432941/

4. The Social Landscape Image source:

7. Disconnection There is a disconnect between the attitude of educational institutions and the value of social and games systems for business and professional sectors. Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/37165469@N00/374518791

9. Avoidance • Many educational institutions ban mobile devices, use of social networks on campus • Avoidance tactics compromising access; limiting learning Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/22746515@N02/4615381246

10. Tools-based approach • Tendency to treat technology as a tool is unsophisticated • Need to see social media as a facilitator/language • Social media is an interaction environment, not a tool. Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/3200144082

11. Learning Opportunities • Collaborative learning • Socratic debate • Research source evaluation • Cultural differences/diversity • Asynchronous learning • Fostering curiosity Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitudes/143986079

12. Problems with social • Privacy and social networks • Echolalia • Popularity versus accuracy (eg: Quora) • NEEDS: education on appropriate use, source evaluation. Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/80098386

13. Social media & assessment • Social media useful for peer review • Value of social contributions can be assessed in communities • Reputation changes a useful indicator of ongoing value of contributions • Development/adaptation of social media should be assessable. Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/3198995542

14. Barriers to adoption • Institutional Policies: overcome with mobile device use, RSS feeds, hybrid devices (eg: tablets) • Instructor concerns: professional development on use of social media in education • Curriculum standard concerns: growing evidence of improved skills among social media users. Image source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/r00s/4671078529

15. Where to from here? • Reform of institutional policies • Increased investment in professional development in use of social media in education • Research into social as a conduit to cross-disciplinary learning • Learning happens outside classroom – need to adapt teaching to acknowledge Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/familymwr/4929686797

16. Questions • Joanne Jacobs • Tech Strategy & Interaction Design • Ph: 07 948 318 298 • Email: joanne@joannejacobs.net • Web: http://joannejacobs.net/ • Twitter: @joannejacobs • Skype: bgsbjj Unless otherwise specified, all images used in this presentation are Creative Commons images, under an Attribution Licence.