This is just too good NOT to share even though I don't have time.

I know I get excited about weird things -- but the potential and uses for this just caused an explosion in my brain. So while I clean up the mess it made, read for yourselves. But you've been warned.

I've found it in a couple of places - but I think this site is where it's being developed. Read More......

Ports of Call – Social Networking Universe – Scholarly Research

(image by Laura Givens) This is going to be a REALLY quick (though NOT short) “dock”. There are so many “places” to visit and so little time! This whirlwind tour covers just four of the artifacts from my foray into the “scholarly” forest – and not as much synthesis as I would like, but…that’s life. I’ve tried to collect souvenirs that do double duty, that is they are scholarly research about social networks – but also have direct connections to education. Signing into an online library database (such as BYU's) maybe needed before being able to access these links.

Engaging others in online social networking sites: Rhetorical practices in MySpace and Facebook by Vie, Stephanie, Ph.D., The University of Arizona, 2007, 221 pages; AAT 3254886. This dissertation considers “pedagogical implications of social networking sites” . Vie says:

"Online social networking sites can provide teachable moments to talk with students about audience, discourse communities, intellectual property, and the tensions between public and private writing. Thus, if writing instructors ignore the growing conversation regarding online social networking sites, they may potentially miss out on familiar and accessible spaces for teaching rhetorical analysis."

She also discusses surveillance and privacy issues, as well as other aspects of education and social networks including considerations changing the traditional relationships between students and teachers.

In “21st Century Learning and Information Literacy.” Change Mar./Apr. 2005: 21-27 Patricia Breivik makes points that are even more relevant today in the world of 2.0 . She attempts to answer the question: What is information literacy, and what is Education’s role? She begins by explaining the problem:

“Without a doubt, these young people are far more awash in information than their parents were. However, neither all of this information, nor their ease with the computers and Internet that bring much of it to them, are translating into better-educated and informed college graduates or more competent and efficient workers. What went wrong? Why haven't these technological enthusiasts evolved into an extraordinary American workforce?...As far back as 1982, futurist John Naisbitt presciently wrote, "We are drowning in information but starved for knowledge" (p. 24). What is growing ever more obvious is that today's undergraduates are generally far less prepared to do research than were students of earlier generations, despite their familiarity with powerful new information-gathering tools.”

Understanding the Facebook Generation: A study of the relationship between online social networking and academic and social integration and intentions to re-enroll by Kord, JoLanna I., Ph.D., University of Kansas, 2008, 186 pages; AAT 3304096 . This dissertation is surprising (to me) in its findings. Given that facebook’s historical roots were founded in university populations, the conclusions seem counterintuitive and disturbing if true. However, I’m not convinced that other explanations of the results were explored. Correlation is not causation. Kord states in the abstract:

This research contributes to the literature by providing significant findings that online social networking was a negative predictor of academic integration as defined by Tinto (1993). Online social networking was a significant negative predictor for student's perceptions of faculty concern for student development and teaching and for academic and intellectual development. This led to the conclusion that online social networking was a negative influence on the college student academic experience.

Online Networks in Process Change and Innovation by Mortensen, Tye, M.A., Northern Kentucky University, 2008, 108 pages; AAT 1450503 This dissertation explores online networks in organizations and adoption of new forms of technology. From the abstract:

Online networks have experienced rapid diffusion for social applications but have experienced relatively slow diffusion in the organizational world. ... Through an examination of online networks this study explores the history and scholarship of social network models.

He references a G. Gotzenbrucker article (Journal of Communications, 29, 467-494) that I find particularly interesting if this holds in an educational setting:

Seven possible effects of online organizations emerge and are identified by Gotzenbrucker as (a) development of new power structures and hierarchies (b) emphasis on knowledge over organizational status (c) decrease in pressure decisions and snap judgments (d) reduction of emotional components of decisions (e) suppression of personal glorification and need for attention (f) protection against weak cohesion and (g) documentation of various forms of communication. It is also important to note that Gotzenbrucker finds that hierarchal structures are not as prevalent in online social networks. Often hierarchal configurations become less important in online interactions and can often shift or change from the actual organizational power structure. More users are encouraged and have a higher likelihood of participation in this type of setting (Gotzenbrucker, 2004). This is attributed to the fact that more people are willing to voice their opinions and thoughts when they aren’t forced to face immediate response from colleagues and supervisors.

Ahh…times up! (Or at least space!) There’s so much more...but it will have to wait for another journey. Who knows, by the time we make it back here – the landscape may have changed drastically! Read More......

Two 'Other' Articles About Social Objects

I thought I’d really hit PAY DIRT with this one entitled: The Consensual Definition of Social Objects. I mean, someone got consensus on that? Then I want to know what it is! (and let Smith and Searle in on it too).Ms Garretson must have been DECADES before her time!Haha.

I found an interesting article by Donald Norman entitled Sociable Design. He is the author of “The Design of Everyday Things,” “Emotional Design,” and “The Design of Future Things.” He lives at www.jnd.org.

While not about social objects in the theoretical or abstract so much, it’s definitely informative about concrete ‘social objects’ and their design. The last sentence of this quote intrigued me:

“Design of both machines and services should be thought of as a social activity,one where there is much concern paid to the social nature of the interaction. All products have a social component. This is especially true of communication products, whether websites, personal digests (blog), audio and video postings mean to be shared, or mail digests, mailing lists, and text messaging on cellphones. Social networks are by definition social. But where the social impact is obvious, designers are forewarned. The interesting cases happen where the social side is not so obvious.”

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Educational Social Objects (Edsobs?)

If, as Martin Weller posits, a social object is "something (real or virtual) that facilitates conversation", then educational content, assessments, and/or assignments can be social objects. The strength of the educational content as a social object would be directly related to how well or how much conversation is facilitated by it.

It seems to me that there are two ways that something might facilitate conversation: by enabling the process of conversation, or by stimulating a conversational response.

The compatibility of an LMS and (educational content as) social objects might logically be measured by how well an LMS enables the process of conversation, as well as how strongly the educational content it contains stimulates a conversational response.

Food could be considered a social object in that it enables the process of conversation by drawing people together. It also naturally stimulates conversational responses about it’s attributes (flavors, quality, preparation, effects, etc) and people’s preferences and experiences with it.

Food could serve metaphorically for education in that its quality and availability does not guarantee consumption – though it is often correlated with it. Certain types of food are preferred over others based on such things as personal preference and interest, as well as cultural and biological factors. Food can nourish as well as poison. It is possible to consume much food, and still be malnourished dependent on the food’s nutritional value, as well as the current nutritional needs of an individual. Nutritional needs are in part determined by conditions in which an individual lives, and the performance requirements and expectations placed upon them. Unmet nutritional needs, due to inaccessibility or inferiority of food, especially early in life, can have pernicious and lasting effects.

For me the best example of a social object both metaphorically and literally will always be an individual human being. An individual enables the process of conversation, as well as stimulates conversational responses. Individuals draw people together, especially and dramatically as they enter and leave the human existence. Individuals create, destroy, share, give, receive, judge, and value (or not), all other social objects. They are the “nodes” of any social network. The implication of this ‘metaphor’ for education is something that educators (formal and informal, aware and unaware) would all do well to remember: though there may be a “body” of educational content, it is only through the individual that it will ever have context, meaning, or worth.

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Would Whacky Wikis Work?

I think that David Wiley may have created a monster. I could blame it on his encouragement. But I won’t. I’ll stand accountable for my own thoughts. And my thought processes. Though I can’t blame him for my thoughts, YOU can blame him for me feeling a little more willing to share them with you. After all he encouraged me never to lose my perspective about unintended and off-the-wall uses of technology.

Wiki’s …where to start. First I must admit that I didn’t feel “so inclined” to edit a Wikipedia article. I have a hard enough time editing my OWN writing, why would I want to take on the responsibility of someone (or somethousand) else’s? So, if I don’t HAVE to I won’t. At least today. But I will add it to my class "bucket list" - something I want to do and experience before the class is over. Actually I guess we all edited a wiki when we added our blogs to the syllabus – but the syllabus isn't really like Wikipedia (yet?). But I digress…Here are some thoughts I’ve had about Wikipedia and wikis.

First of all I found an interesting website that lists weird Wikipedia articles (most of which are not up to Wikipedia standards by the way). On it, I found this referenced Wikipedia article about “open cola". It was especially amusing to me on several different levels (and connections). While still in that sort of recursive-folding-in-on-itself flavor I hit a gold mine with this Wikipedia article about unusual Wikipedia articles! That’s interesting in and of itself – HOWEVER- talk about educational uses! If you couldn’t hook some hard-core, I-dare-you-to-TRY-to-teach-me-something students with this, I don’t know what would. Of course I must first warn you that there are some less-than-rated-for-general-audiences entries here. However you could look through those and find many harmless yet extremely interesting or entertaining possibilities to tempt the ‘non-interested’ student.

Next I wandered off on the tangent in my mind that told me that the history feature of wikis alone holds a wealth of possibilities. Couldn’t that be a natural deposit of “real” data that is free-for-the-asking, and just waiting to be mined for the social ‘sciences’? I think so!

I also really liked Lyndell’s blog where she mused about family uses of wikis – because I had already thought of using a wiki for my family. I thought it would be a great way to build a family history – but in a very easy and fun sort of way. First of all someone thinks of a memorable family event that took place in the past like : “The Christmas Mom Really Delivered” – which has reference to when my youngest brother was born. This person then writes about the event as THEY remembered it and how it affected their perspectives, day, life, etc. They let others in the family know it's there (if they don't have an RSS feed) and encourages them to add (or edit) in their 2 cents worth! I’ve noticed that when all of us get together to reminisce we all remember things a little differently. Sometimes we argue about the differences, sometimes we laugh, but I always wish we could record everyone’s version. A wiki could do that, and even the editing wars might be fun –if there were any- because you never really lose anything, and part of the charm and interest is to see the history anyway.

Lastly, I had a way-off-the-wall thought about: what would it be like if laws were created and changed by wiki??? I mean isn’t that BY the people? Well at least those with access to the internet… What if you tried THAT out as a simulation in a highschool government class – or even at girls’/boys’ state? Or try the same thing with class rules or – gasp- grading policies? Something to think about anyway…as if there were a dearth!

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Some Educational Uses for Blogs

Hmmm...let's see isn't that something like: Some Educational Uses for Reading and Writing? Besides using and encouraging those two quintessential educational skills, with Blogs you can easily add multimedia, hyperlinks, and cool “widgets”. The possibilities for educational uses are limitless - and so it seems are the blogs/webpages that discuss educational uses for blogs like what you see here and here and here and here (and I could go on ad nauseum).

So what did I find ‘out there’ that was interesting or insightful? I liked a Reuters article about businesses use of blogs. Think about it: in many ways students are educational clients, and hopefully consumers, if not paying customers. Read the following excerpt and see how it could apply to education:

'Indeed, one of the best ways to achieve credibility when your business is small is through an informative and educational blog, say veteran business bloggers. Let key debates and other important topics affecting your industry drive the content, and always provide a way for readers to become part of the discussion. Post frequently and monitor your traffic. "It's really just information and talking about all areas of the process," says Robin von Halle, Conception Connection's president. The blog "does foster a sense of community and enlist people in every facet that we work with...' (emphasis mine)

The one blog about educational uses for blogs that made me want to comment the most (though I didn’t there so I will here) is this posting on how NOT to use blogs. Though there are probably some useful guidelines about any type of technology, I really couldn’t decide whether the author of the post was trying to be the 'blog police' or truly wanted to ‘rescue’ others from spending time in an effort that is doomed for failure. Sorry, no rescuing necessary. I’ve observed that just as much (often more) can be learned from a failure as from a success. So I think bloggers will soon come to their own conclusions from their own experiences about whether or not a particular use of a blog is an effective educational use.

I really need to say at least something about three of Christoph Merrill's four 'rules':

• 1) Never never approach blogs as discussion boards, listservs or learning management systems

First of all, should you ever say “never” (much less “never never”)? Yes, the learning management system seems a bit of a stretch, and granted if all you have is a hammer, everything is going to look like a nail, but “never approach blogs as discussion boards” – really? Does he mean to say that if you want the function of a discussion board (discussion in a particular format) don't use blogs? Why not? He doesn't really say. Maybe I’m totally missing his point – but to me it still seems to be a sweeping (and misled) generalization.

I think Mr. Merrill’s second rule rates (only) a flat-out “HUH?!?” from me:

• 2)Group blogs are a bad idea and don’t work: Sure there’s a place for collaborative/group blogs but that place is not in education.

“HUH?!?”

Lastly I must take issue with his third ‘rule’:

• 3)Don’t try and force blogging into something else.

Though potentially dangerous, using something for which it was not initially intended* is how many great ideas are generated. If you're using a blog for a web-site because it’s easier, so what? It re-confirms the Simple Wins article.

In fact, in opposition to this “rule” what I’d really LIKE to see (but haven't yet) are any off-the-wall, out-there, ultra-creative educational uses for blogs. You know, the kinds of ideas that are catalysts for other similarly ‘non-conforming’ ideas that may end up generating a whole different type of application or use. Ideas that are usually so different, yet so simple that everyone says: “I wonder why no one thought of THAT sooner!” So...do you have any of those types of ideas spasm-ing just outside your consciousness that you could bring to the surface with a little extra thought (or sleep deprivation :-) ) ? Please…by all means…share!! And maybe in the morning I’ll have a few too. For inspiration try something like Cahlan Sharp: BLOGS = DONUTS?

*As a mother of five (four of which are boys) I have ample personal experiences with this - but those are being saved for a future 'I survived Motherhood' blog. If you're curious - ask me about the vacuum cleaner used as a novice exterminator's tool. Read More......