Cathy Clarke, Digital Media Specialist
Simon Ting, Instructional Developer
Why Social Networking?
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2008 Technology Symposium presentation
◦ Cathy Clarke & Simon Ting
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Demonstrated multimedia tools and services
on the web
Discussed potential classroom uses
Now we are experimenting with ways to
integrate these tools with IdeaTools
◦ IdeaTools: Course management system with
included suite of multimedia applications
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A community of people
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Often with a shared interest or background
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Social Networking on the web is a group
connecting online
◦ Status, actions and notifications
◦ One person does something  others in the group
know about it
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Two perspectives
◦ Passing trend, something to do for fun
◦ Communications channel—a way to connect
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Can this be used in the classroom?
◦ Being explored by developers and educators
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Typical online course: static materials
◦ Collection of handouts, articles, schedules, etc.
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Social networking: interactive communication
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 Adding a layer of interactivity
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Users can discuss, subscribe, and author
◦ Building knowledge and content together
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Getting users interested in the site, get them
to return frequently
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Demonstration of what is possible
No solid proof that these tools improve
classroom/student experience
Informal messages and
interaction in a course
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Similar to Facebook or
Twitter updates
Instructors and
students post
short messages
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Text
Video
Images
Links
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Unique to each course
Any course member who is logged in can
post
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Users can comment on other posts
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Instructor can delete/disable any post
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Brief introductions
Students post their
favorite artist,
website, book, etc.
Course
announcements
Links to relevant
articles, videos, etc.
Students who want
to contact other
students
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Benefits
◦ Encourage informal
interaction and
discussion
◦ Very easy to use
◦ Secure, Private
 Limited to the course
instructor and members
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Disadvantages
◦ Discussions can get
off-topic
◦ Little control over
what gets posted
 Instructor can delete
messages, but only
after they’ve been
posted for members to
see
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ideatools.rit.edu/demos/writing
Blogging within a course
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Open-source blogging platform
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Authors post text, pictures, videos
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Readers can comment on posts
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Installed on our server
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Linked to a course no duplicate logins
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Instructor decides how to use it
◦ Allow students to comment
◦ Allow students to author posts
◦ Create posts from within the course structure or
link to the blog as a separate environment
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Arts of
Expression
blog
◦ Students post
and get
feedback on
drafts of their
memoirs
◦ Students post
journal entries
link
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Co-op
Students
◦ Share their
co-op
experiences
with students
while they are
away from
campus
link
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Benefits
◦ Encourage interaction
◦ Students are authors
◦ Plugins, widgets and
games
 Add entertainment value
◦ Secure, private
 Limited to the course
instructor and members
◦ RSS, e-mail
notifications
 Get notified of new
posts, comments
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Disadvantages
◦ Permanence
 Future of plugins,
widgets, etc.?
◦ Getting used to new
process
 Posting to the correct
category for better
organization
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ideatools.rit.edu/demos/writing
Final thoughts
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Students are already using social media
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We like adding it to an online course because:
◦ Engage user interest
◦ Connect with users and share resources
◦ Encourage interaction outside of the classroom
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Caveats
◦ Some schools block access to web
◦ Not everyone is interested in experimenting with
social media
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We are happy with these applications, hoping
to see more instructors experimenting with
them
We think users are more willing to try
something when it’s integrated into their
online course
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What are your ideas or experiences?
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Any questions?
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Our Next Presentation:
◦ Video Communications Processes
in Online Courses
 Tomorrow, 11am
 LBJ-2590
Quick overview
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Microblogging
◦ Twitter
◦ Yammer
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Video sharing
◦ YouTube
◦ Vimeo
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Photo sharing
◦ Flickr
◦ Picassa