So many social media tools, so many possibilities . . .

When deciding whether to incorporate any social media tools into course instruction, there are many questions to ponder. The first one to consider involves student learning outcomes, i.e., what should students be able to do after completing the course? Also what are the common characteristics of students taking this course, e.g., are a majority social media savvy? How will you have students use a particular tool and for what purpose? What kinds of tools are available, free, and user-friendly? Which of these will work best for all of the above?

Thinking about these questions along with those that I raised in my last post, I find that I am open to incorporating some of the social media tools we have learned about in this class into a future online library research skills course. But I am also inclined to limit the number of these outside social media platforms for use in building an online student community. I just don’t want to overwhelm students by requiring them to learn too many new technologies, especially those students who already struggle with simply navigating through the course management system (in this case, Moodle).

I like the idea that Moodle offers a variety of its own social media type tools, including blogs and wikis, to help build community within one online space. But I also find in some instances that I actually prefer the interfaces of outside social media platforms and I think students may too. In the case of blogging for example, the options for designing a personalized blog using Blogger seem limitless compared to the features available using Moodle’s blogging software. 

One activity I might incorporate into a course involves students reflecting and blogging weekly about conducting academic research and using a variety of resources, e.g., the library catalog or library databases. While the goal of a blogging activity in this case may have little to do with the actual design of the blog, students might respond better to the idea of blogging in general. They might actually enjoy writing their entries more when they can also personalize their blogging space using a tool that offers many design options (this definitely works for me!).

Another activity that I might into a library research skills course involves asking students to share one or more websites that they have found helpful in the past or have even recently discovered. Students would share the URL link and a website evaluation in either a class wiki or shared document. For this activity I like the idea of using another social media tool outside of Moodle, such as Wikispaces or Google Drive, because either of these allows students to access the information long after the course is over.

I sometimes find the limitless possibilities for using social media tools in education a bit overwhelming. Therefore when considering a tool for future course instruction, I must remember to first ask and answer several important questions to make sure I will also be using this tool responsibly and in the best interest of my students.

Social media tools: What place do they have in higher ed learning?

This is a loaded question and can depend on many factors, including course content, goals and objectives, and delivery system. I am currently pondering this question in relation to teaching an online information literacy and library research course at the community college level.

Personally I like the idea of an online course being fairly self-contained so that a student only need visit one learning platform (Moodle in this case) in order to access everything (content, discussion forums, assignments, etc.) required to complete a course. I also prefer to limit the number of social media tools that I, as an instructor, would need to learn about and use in order to successfully deliver course content and facilitate student learning. I question the value of incorporating social media tools simply for technology’s sake.

I believe that engaging content and a strong community of learners are two of the most important ingredients that make up a successful course, whether online or f2f. The real question for me then is what is the most effective way to present engaging content and help build a strong community within a course? Can these objectives be accomplished best by using the many tools/activities available in Moodle? Or would the vast variety of available social media tools be a better choice? Or perhaps a combination of both?

I think before incorporating a new social media tool into a course, the instructor must consider their objective for doing so. They themselves must be willing to take the time to learn about the tool and its possibilities for classroom learning and community building. If there is already a useful tool available in the course management system, the instructor should weigh the pros and cons of using this tool versus a social media tool; this includes considering the potential student responses to either one.

I'm not sure how willing I am to ask students to register at a social media site just to use a tool for which there may already be a sufficient alternative available in Moodle. Most if not all social media tools require students to either sign in with an email account or be willing to connect to the information from one of their other accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google. Students must be willing to agree to whatever the terms of service are as well. But if a majority of students have already previously registered for a particular type of social media account, i.e. Twitter, this point may be moot.

I plan on continuing to learn about social media tools and their potential for class use. I am especially interested in learning more about Diigo to bookmark and collect favorite website links that students find helpful for research; Twitter, Blogger, and Google+ as possible alternatives to the traditional CMS discussion forum; Google Drive to create shared class documents; Wikispaces to create class wikis that can be utilized by students even after the course is over; and VoiceThread which offers a new and very interactive alternative type of discussion forum.

Social Media: Issues of Control and Choice

When requiring students to use social media tools as part of a course, it is imperative for instructors to help educate students about these types of tools and their associated risks. I think the most important point to emphasize is that once we post something online, we begin the process of losing control over our online personal information and what others choose to do with that information. We may retain some control using privacysettings and other strategies, but more than likely not as much as we assume.

A classmate recently shared an interesting TED Talk link (on.ted.com/e0HHZ) discussing this very issue. In the article, computer scientist Jennifer Golbeck states that “right now in the U.S. it’s essentially the case that when you post information online, you give up control of it. So there are terms of service that regulate the sites you use . . . but even within those, you’re essentially handing control of your data over to the companies.” Economist Alessandro Acquisti also warns, “We really don’t know how this information will be used in the long run.”

Students need to be aware that the digital footprints they’re creating now could affect them for the rest of their lives, in both positive and negative ways. As Eric Sheninger stated in a 2012 NPR interview, “Once you put it on a social media site, it is there for anyone to, not only access, but they can then share that information, they can repurpose it, they can adapt it. . . Once it's archived, it can be accessed.” As instructors, we should encourage students to make mindful choices about the content they post online by helping them understand how their online data can potentially affect the rest of their lives.

In an information literacy and research skills course, one exercise to get students thinking more about their digital footprint would be to assign the article, “How to Google Yourself (and Why You Should Do It)” by Simon Tam. Students would then research themselves using search engines and social media to discover the results, positive or negative, that others might find about them online. While the actual results don’t need to be revealed, students should discuss the research process, as well as their feelings about the experience and about finding or not finding certain personal information online. This activity is designed to encourage students to consider how they would prefer to present themselves online; it also promotes the importance of exercising any and all control (little as that may be) over maintaining a positive online identity.