The document discusses how social software can be used in education. It defines social software as tools that allow online communication, collaboration, and community building. Examples of social software discussed include blogs, wikis, social networking sites, podcasts, and screencasting. Specific educational uses are provided for each type, such as using blogs for student reflection, wikis for group projects, and podcasts for recording lectures. The document concludes by providing considerations for educational use of social software, such as avoiding "technolust" and ensuring technologies are sustainable.

1. Social Software in Education Meredith Farkas Norwich University

2. Our students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach . -Mark Prensky, “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.”

3. At the same time… The Web has also changed

4. Web 1.0 Democratized Access to Information

5. Web 2.0: Democratized Participation

6. Social Software To be defined as social software, a tool must meet at least two of the following conditions: it allows people to communicate, collaborate and build community online. it can be syndicated, shared, reused or remixed, or it facilitates syndication. it allows people to easily learn from and capitalize on the behavior or knowledge of others.

7. Characteristics of Social Software

8. Easy content creation and sharing

9. Online Collaboration

10. Conversations

11. Conversations

12. Capitalizing on the wisdom of crowds

13. Transparency

14. Transparency

15. Personalization

16. Portability

17. Social Software Applications in Education

18. Blogs How do you define a medium used by teenagers, Nobel Prize-winners, car companies, rock bands and educators?

19. Blogs Frequently updated website where postings are displayed in reverse chronological order. Uses Course management system Faculty communication with students/parents Reflective learning Discussion Language or writing practice Share ideas/get feedback

20. Course Management System

21. Faculty Communication with Students/Parents

22. Faculty Communication with Students/Parents

23. Reflective Learning

24. Reflective Learning

25. Reflective Learning

26. Reflective Learning

27. Discussion

28. Discussion

29. Discussion

30. Language or Writing Practice

31. Language or Writing Practice

32. Share Ideas/Get Feedback

33. Wikis Allow a group of people to develop a website without any web design skills Uses: Courseware Group Projects Collaboratively-developed resource guides

34. Courseware

35. Courseware

36. Courseware

37. Group Projects

38. Collaborative Resource Guides

39. Social Networking Software Online community with the goal of building identity and publicly articulating one’s social network. Uses: Courseware Feedback mechanism Portal to library/school content

40. Courseware

41. Feedback Mechanism

42. Feedback Mechanism

43. Portal to Library/School Content

44. Portal to Library/School Content

45. Portal to Library/School Content

46. Podcast Audio broadcast in MP3 format syndicated through RSS. Uses: Lectures and guest speakers Student projects News and marketing Language classes

47. Lectures and Guest Speakers

48. Student Projects

49. Student Projects

50. News and Marketing

51. Language Classes

52. Screencasting Movie taken of one’s desktop. Uses: Recording lectures Commenting on student papers Tutorials

53. Recording Lectures

54. Comments on Student Papers

55. Tutorials

56. Things to Consider

57. Avoid technolust

58. Don’t assume all of your students are tech-savvy

59. Play with technology! Kick the tires!

60. Don’t be afraid to try things out with your students

61. Don’t be afraid to let your students “drive”

62. Consider the maintenance burden and sustainability of any technology

63. These are just tools!

64. Thanks!