I Tweet Therefore I Am? Challenges in Learning Identity by Teaching Web Presence

I Tweet Therefore I Am? Challenges in Learning Identity by Teaching Web Presence Dr Tama Leaver, Internet Studies, Curtin University of Technology [email_address] www.tamaleaver.net Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com

Outline
Context & Design Challenges
Example of Web Presence
Initial Evaluations, Responses & Reflections
Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com

Context & Design Challenges Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com

Unit Context(s): Internet Studies 202/502 & Net 11 (all become Web 101 for 2010)
Three modules:
Internet Foundations : history/emergence of the Internet and World Wide Web
Web 2.0 : Blogs, Wikis, Social Networks (incl. Facebook & Twitter), Content Sharing (incl. Mashups & Flickr)
Social Me(dia) & Web Presence : Internet Footprints, Digital Shadows, Social Me(dia) Rivers

Web 101 Assessable Learning Activities
Short Q & A
on Internet Foundations
Short Essay
on Web 2.0
Portfolio
Ongoing reflective piece on all of unit
Web Presence
what we’re talking about now!

Considerations in Developing Web Presence ...
“ Authenticity”?
Being Online? (And thus in public! )
Confidence and/or privacy?
Copyright?
Equity given previous skills?

Authentic?
Authentic as in aligned with learning outcomes and ideal education (thus distanced from ‘real world’) or as in directly applicable to real-world problems and strategies (Allen, 2009)?
Authenticity for internet communications ?
Little difference between simulation and actual.
Online knowledge work = in public .
Web 2.0/Social Media = always emerging tools and approaches – no definitive correct ‘answer’!
Authenticity = personal for social media. (Also: thus ‘naturally’ constructivist.)  About identity !
Reference: Matthew Allen, ‘Authentic Assessment and the Internet’, EdLearn 2009, AACE Conference , Vancouver, October 2009, PDF at http://netcrit.net/ .

Working ‘in public’
Authentic context = ‘real’ internet (versus the secluded black boxes of most Learning Management Systems).
Most web 2.0 tools = (mainly and most effective in) public.
Consistent ‘identity’ begins with name/handle/ username (thus namechk.com ).
Authenticity demands real name & real identity. But ...

Confidence and/or privacy?
Unit teaches ‘presume anything put online lasts forever’!
Reconcile longevity of information with need for authentic (real) identity?
Compromise one: use consistent name (but not necessarily full name) or handle if preferred.
Compromise two: at first-year level (ie this unit) the identity can focus on one theme (so Erin the journalist, or Ahmed the chef). Identity + theme focuses and diminishes tension!

Copyright?
Working online = outside of the ‘fair dealing’ exclusions to copyright law in Australia (ie no special privileges once you ‘publish’ online).
Challenge: most web presences have visual elements, but this unit is not a graphics or design course.
Solution: use either (a) material you’ve created or (b) material you’ve explicit permission to reuse – most often under a Creative Commons license.
(See http://bit.ly/tamawiki for list of CC and public domain resources for student work.)

Equity given previous skills?
Some students are high-school leavers with minimal technological skills, others are mature-age web designers (wide range!).
Compromise: everything for web presence must be made or set-up for this unit (ie no existing presences, tools, etc.).
Benefit: focuses on conceptual level (ie why these tools and approaches? ) and less about complex tool use (ie no coding or CSS etc.). Can be created using only existing ‘easy-to-use’ tools.

So ... Web Presence Creation Assignment
Required elements:
Central node (eg blog or wiki)
Three supporting nodes (eg Twitter, Flickr, Delicious)
An ‘About’ page.
An exegesis page.
(Annoying but necessary) conditions:
Must have a theme (identity + theme) eg Erin the journalist or even Ahmed the chef. [Purposeful.]
Since live online, must respect copyright. [Legal!]
Each element must be made for this unit . [Fairness.]

An Example of Web Presence Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com

Example Web Presence: Emily, Part-time Environmentalist (Main page: http://parttimeenvironmentalist.zxq.net ) /

Example Web Presence: Emily, Part-time Environmentalist (About page)

Example Web Presence: Emily, Part-time Environmentalist (Contributing Node: Twitter )

Example Web Presence: Emily, Part-time Environmentalist (Exegesis)

Example Web Presence: Emily, Part-time Environmentalist (Additional: ‘Green Living’)

Initial Evaluations, Responses & Reflections Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com

Internet Studies 202: Understanding Web Presence Assignment? Positive: 94% Negative: 0%

Net 11: Understanding Web Presence Assignment? Positive: 88% Negative: 12%

Internet Studies 202: Working in ’public’ as motivation? Positive: 59% Negative: 29%

Net 11: Working in ’public’ as motivation? Positive: 76% Negative: 20%

Internet Studies 202: Web Presence useful after the unit? Positive: 100% Negative: 0%

Net 11: Web Presence useful after the unit? Positive: 84% Negative: 12%

Internet Studies 202: Web Presence as meaningful learning experience? Positive: 100% Negative: 0%

Net 11: Web Presence as meaningful learning experience? Positive: 84% Negative: 12%

Planned Revisions ...
Reinforce the longevity of the ‘web presence’ concept (it re-occurs in Web 206 and Web 309 – second and third year).
More ‘how to’ assistance guides for different tools (eg Google Site Builder or PBWiki).
Distance web presence submission from portfolio submission (both ‘end of unit’ submissions so far).

Comments or Questions? Image courtesy of www.lumaxart.com

I Tweet Therefore I Am? Challenges in Learning Identity by Teaching Web Presence

by Tama Leaver on Jan 27, 2010

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