Social Networking in Education Andy Carvin NPR Digital Media [email_address] twitter.com/acarvin andycarvin.com

About This Presentation Defining social media and social networks A (revisionist) history of social networking’s educational roots Social networks and education Where it’s (maybe) going next

Defining social media and social networks

A (revisionist) history of social networking’s educational roots

Social networks and education

Where it’s (maybe) going next

About Me Social Media Strategist for NPR Former director, Digital Divide Network Blogger, PBS learning.now Blogger, andycarvin.com DC correspondent, Rocketboom

Social Media Strategist for NPR

Former director, Digital Divide Network

Blogger, PBS learning.now

Blogger, andycarvin.com

DC correspondent, Rocketboom

What’s Social Media? Digital tools & services that allow people to: Publish and share content Collaborate with others Form communities of interest Provide added value and context to knowledge AKA Web 2.0, the Read/Write Web, etc

Publish and share content

Collaborate with others

Form communities of interest

Provide added value and context to knowledge

AKA Web 2.0, the Read/Write Web, etc

What’s a Social Network? Podcasting Folksonomies Rating Tools Vlogging Geotags Aggregation discussions personas blogs Tagging Instant Messaging social voting RSS Reviews Wikis … and a whole lot more

Podcasting Folksonomies Rating Tools

Vlogging Geotags Aggregation

discussions personas blogs

Tagging Instant Messaging social voting

RSS Reviews Wikis

… and a whole lot more

What’s a Social Network? discussions personas blogs

discussions personas blogs

Personas A personal user profile User name, photo, bio Personal interests Their contributions to the network Comments from other participants Example: Facebook

A personal user profile

User name, photo, bio

Personal interests

Their contributions to the network

Comments from other participants

Example: Facebook

Discussions Bulletin boards where users start topics Multi-featured discussion groups Discussion boards News announcements Content sharing (links, photos, video, etc) Example: I (heart) NPR

Bulletin boards where users start topics

Multi-featured discussion groups

Discussion boards

News announcements

Content sharing (links, photos, video, etc)

Example: I (heart) NPR

Blogs Simple (or complex) publishing tools Facebook’s “ news feed ” DDN Blogs May just contain text Many tools allow “user-generated content” Youtube : a video social network Flickr : a photo social network (primarily)

Simple (or complex) publishing tools

Facebook’s “ news feed ”

DDN Blogs

May just contain text

Many tools allow “user-generated content”

Youtube : a video social network

Flickr : a photo social network (primarily)

The Birth of Social Networks? Friendster (2002) MySpace (2003) Facebook (2004) Bebo (2005) But social networks can trace their roots to the Net’s earliest online communities - and have a long educational heritage....

Friendster (2002)

MySpace (2003)

Facebook (2004)

Bebo (2005)

But social networks can trace their roots

to the Net’s earliest online communities -

and have a long educational heritage....

The Early Days: USENET Distributed bulletin board system Conceived of in 1979 Contained thousands of forums, or newsgroups Messages were threaded Hugely popular at universities – they had access!

Distributed bulletin board system

Conceived of in 1979

Contained thousands of forums, or newsgroups

Messages were threaded

Hugely popular at universities – they had access!

Email Discussion Lists Developed in 1970s Forwarding email messages to a group of people Listserv launched in 1986 Popular in education community EDTECH (1989) LM_NET (1992) WWWEDU (1994)

Developed in 1970s

Forwarding email messages to a group of people

Listserv launched in 1986

Popular in education community

EDTECH (1989)

LM_NET (1992)

WWWEDU (1994)

Cleveland FreeNet One of the First “Community Networks” ’ 84: “St. Silicon’s Hospital” at Case Western Electronic community helpline ’ 86: Becomes Cleveland Freenet Discussion boards Messaging system “ The Kiosk” news space / WELCOME TO THE... _! !_ _!__ __!_ __ ! ! _! !_ ! ! ! ! ! ! / ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !___ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !_!_ ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! _! ! !_!_ ! ! !_ ! ! !_! ! ! ! ! ! CLEVELAND FREE-NET ! ! COMMUNITY COMPUTER SYSTEM ! !____________________________________!

’ 84: “St. Silicon’s Hospital” at Case Western

Electronic community helpline

’ 86: Becomes Cleveland Freenet

Discussion boards

Messaging system

“ The Kiosk” news space

FrEdMail and Global SchoolHouse Created in 1985 by Al Rogers of San Diego Office of Education; Free Education Mail Store-and-forward email system Used at 12,000 schools Became GlobalSchoolNet.org Pioneered student-generated content NewsDay: student newswire CyberFair: student-made community edu resources

Created in 1985 by Al Rogers of San Diego Office of Education; Free Education Mail

Store-and-forward email system

Used at 12,000 schools

Became GlobalSchoolNet.org

Pioneered student-generated content

NewsDay: student newswire

CyberFair: student-made community edu resources

IEARN : The International Education and Resource Network 1988: Originally a Cold War-era collaboration between 24 schools in New York and Russia Grew into a network of 20,000+ schools in 115 countries More than 150 online projects worldwide Projects all teacher- or student-generated

1988: Originally a Cold War-era collaboration between 24 schools in New York and Russia

Grew into a network of 20,000+ schools in

115 countries

More than 150 online projects worldwide

Projects all teacher- or student-generated

Big Sky Telegraph Launched in 1988 by Frank Odasz Based at Western Montana College Distance learning network for rural educators Online course materials initially Later incorporated bulletin board, collaborative workspaces, messaging, etc

Launched in 1988 by Frank Odasz

Based at Western Montana College

Distance learning network for rural educators

Online course materials initially

Later incorporated bulletin board, collaborative workspaces, messaging, etc

Tapped In Launched by SRI in 1997 Online community for educators Educators can open virtual offices Conduct real-time “office hours” Virtual professional development activities

Launched by SRI in 1997

Online community for educators

Educators can open virtual offices

Conduct real-time “office hours”

Virtual professional development activities

TakingITGlobal Launched in 2000 by a pair of college students One of the first true social networks Focus on global development Users create profiles, participate in topical or geographic projects Projects attempt to affect intl policy Almost 200,000 participants worldwide TigEd.org : TIG projects for educators

Launched in 2000 by a pair of college students

One of the first true social networks

Focus on global development

Users create profiles, participate in topical or geographic projects

Projects attempt to affect intl policy

Almost 200,000 participants worldwide

TigEd.org : TIG projects for educators

Social Networking in Education: What Tools Make Sense? Youtube 101 (no, I’m not kidding) TeachJeffSpanish.com Facebook education apps : 1600+, but any good? Facebook groups Example: chemistry groups Bad example: Dungeons/Mastering Chemistry Solutions (Ryerson U. Study Group)

Youtube 101 (no, I’m not kidding)

TeachJeffSpanish.com

Facebook education apps : 1600+, but any good?

Facebook groups

Example: chemistry groups

Bad example: Dungeons/Mastering Chemistry Solutions (Ryerson U. Study Group)

DIY Social Networking Tools A More Productive Option? Tools that allow users to create social networks from scratch More control, flexibility than Facebook et al Public and open or private and invite-only Example: Ning.com Hosts hundreds of thousands of social networks Classroom 2.0 , Stop Cyberbullying

Tools that allow users to create social networks from scratch

More control, flexibility than Facebook et al

Public and open or private and invite-only

Example: Ning.com

Hosts hundreds of thousands of social networks

Classroom 2.0 , Stop Cyberbullying

Using DIY Social Networks Private networks for individual courses Cross collaboration with other courses, schools Officially sanctioned study groups Publicly accessible social networks Emphasizing authentic assessment Student contributions addressing community goals Professional development networks

Private networks for individual courses

Cross collaboration with other courses, schools

Officially sanctioned study groups

Publicly accessible social networks

Emphasizing authentic assessment

Student contributions addressing community goals

Professional development networks

Up and Coming: Cross-Platform Networks Twitter Utterz Seesmic and Kyte.tv Qik.com

Twitter

Utterz

Seesmic and Kyte.tv

Qik.com

Twitter Cross-platform group messaging service “ Microblogging” Example: me Mobile-friendly Allows for continuous conversation Keeps students connected - too connected? Keeps teachers connected!

Cross-platform group messaging service

“ Microblogging”

Example: me

Mobile-friendly

Allows for continuous conversation

Keeps students connected - too connected?

Keeps teachers connected!

Utterz.com A “mobcasting” network Users post podcasts via voicemail Follow other users, reply with voicemails Ongoing audio conversations Lots of educator interest, though few good examples in practice

A “mobcasting” network

Users post podcasts via voicemail

Follow other users, reply with voicemails

Ongoing audio conversations

Lots of educator interest, though few good examples in practice

Real-Time Video Social Networks Allow users to post short videos Video clips as a form of conversation Seesmic.com Kyte.tv New twist: live mobile video via qik.com

Allow users to post short videos

Video clips as a form of conversation

Seesmic.com

Kyte.tv

New twist: live mobile video via qik.com

Opportunities DIY social networks have clearest potential as educational tools, greatest flexibility Newer audio/video social networks hold promise, but are largely untested Today’s students generally comfortable in social networking environment

DIY social networks have clearest potential as educational tools, greatest flexibility

Newer audio/video social networks hold promise, but are largely untested

Today’s students generally comfortable in social networking environment

Challenges Students expect online social networks to be social, not necessarily educational How do you keep things running smoothly? Defining goals Staying on topic Clear participation rules – a public charter

Students expect online social networks to be social, not necessarily educational

How do you keep things running smoothly?

Defining goals

Staying on topic

Clear participation rules – a public charter

Overcoming Fears Online threats – how real are they? Predator Panic: The Dateline NBC Effect Keeping threats in perspective The filtering dilemma The Byron Review

Online threats – how real are they?

Predator Panic: The Dateline NBC Effect

Keeping threats in perspective

The filtering dilemma

The Byron Review

Thanks! Andy Carvin NPR Digital Media [email_address] twitter.com/acarvin andycarvin.com