Comments on: Why students may want to spend more time on Facebook http://www.higheredmorning.com/now-what-are-they-using-facebook-for Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:37:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Kevin Kelly http://www.higheredmorning.com/now-what-are-they-using-facebook-for/comment-page-1#comment-6554 Kevin Kelly Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:23:36 +0000 http://www.higheredmorning.com/?p=53#comment-6554 I teach a similar class, "How 2 Lrn w ur iPod" (actual course name). Started in 2008 as a hybrid class, I now teach it as a fully online course for over 100 students each semester at San Francisco State University. The highly interactive class uses constructivist methods through Moodle to help students a) learn how to improve their learning and b) learn how to use over 30 technologies to facilitate learning improvement. In the first three weeks, students learn about learning, take Felder and Solomon's comprehensive learning styles questionnaire, and begin to assess themselves as learners. The rest of the class is broken into four-week chunks around learning with technology for three purposes: --sharing content for learning through audio (iPods and mp3 players, podcasts, iTunes U), text (RSS feeds, social bookmarking, Creative Commons, discussion forums, wikis), and video (YouTube, digital storytelling sites) --interactivity for learning through text (IM, chat, SMS, blogs, Google apps, wiki and forum participation, social networks), audio/video (vlogging, podcasting, Skype, moblogging, online meetings), multimedia (Flickr, VoiceThread, swickis, ComicLife), and virtual worlds (Second Life, Whyville) -- assessment / self-assessment through virtual labs and simulations, games and MMOGs, ePortfolios, multimedia (digital flashcards), intelligent tutors, online presentations, and online quizzes and exams The students learn about the technologies, reflect on which ones might accommodate their personal learning styles through individual essays, and research how specific technologies might accommodate all learning styles through team projects and peer review assignments. Key external goals for the class are a) to include the student voice in the academic discussions about how to use technology for learning and b) to share learning objects and instructional resources from the class with other instructors via MERLOT, social bookmarking sites, social networking sites, and more. I teach a similar class, “How 2 Lrn w ur iPod” (actual course name). Started in 2008 as a hybrid class, I now teach it as a fully online course for over 100 students each semester at San Francisco State University. The highly interactive class uses constructivist methods through Moodle to help students a) learn how to improve their learning and b) learn how to use over 30 technologies to facilitate learning improvement.

In the first three weeks, students learn about learning, take Felder and Solomon’s comprehensive learning styles questionnaire, and begin to assess themselves as learners. The rest of the class is broken into four-week chunks around learning with technology for three purposes:
–sharing content for learning through audio (iPods and mp3 players, podcasts, iTunes U), text (RSS feeds, social bookmarking, Creative Commons, discussion forums, wikis), and video (YouTube, digital storytelling sites)
–interactivity for learning through text (IM, chat, SMS, blogs, Google apps, wiki and forum participation, social networks), audio/video (vlogging, podcasting, Skype,
moblogging, online meetings), multimedia (Flickr, VoiceThread, swickis, ComicLife), and virtual worlds (Second
Life, Whyville)
– assessment / self-assessment through virtual labs and simulations, games and MMOGs, ePortfolios, multimedia (digital flashcards), intelligent tutors, online presentations, and online quizzes and exams

The students learn about the technologies, reflect on which ones might accommodate their personal learning styles through individual essays, and research how specific technologies might accommodate all learning styles through team projects and peer review assignments.

Key external goals for the class are a) to include the student voice in the academic discussions about how to use technology for learning and b) to share learning objects and instructional resources from the class with other instructors via MERLOT, social bookmarking sites, social networking sites, and more.

]]> By: Gerald Robert Burns http://www.higheredmorning.com/now-what-are-they-using-facebook-for/comment-page-1#comment-4749 Gerald Robert Burns Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:49:41 +0000 http://www.higheredmorning.com/?p=53#comment-4749 As a retiree, I have found Facebook to be a wonderful way to reconnect and stay connected to many old and current friends and relatives. I recommend all seniors to consider using the internet and the social networking sites such as Facebook to maintain contact with friends and family. The cognitive and affective simulation can play a very important role in the maintenance of high quality of life. Aging tends to turn seniors into recluses without them really being aware of the regression. The social networking provided by Facebook can play a very valuable part in retarding this process. As a retiree, I have found Facebook to be a wonderful way to reconnect and stay connected to many old and current friends and relatives. I recommend all seniors to consider using the internet and the social networking sites such as Facebook to maintain contact with friends and family. The cognitive and affective simulation can play a very important role in the maintenance of high quality of life. Aging tends to turn seniors into recluses without them really being aware of the regression. The social networking provided by Facebook can play a very valuable part in retarding this process.

]]> By: Thomas Bishop http://www.higheredmorning.com/now-what-are-they-using-facebook-for/comment-page-1#comment-929 Thomas Bishop Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:37:55 +0000 http://www.higheredmorning.com/?p=53#comment-929 I took an Internet Security class (a subject that should be taught to everyone old enough to click a mouse) and learned about Facebook and other social networking sites that ask for and distribute everyone's personal information to the world. So I was turned off by them. But upon further investigation of Facebook, I learned that they are very concerned about user privacy and that your profile settings are highly customizable and you can choose what type of information is viewable by the public, your chosen 'networks', your chosen 'friends', etc. Nearly my entire family is on Facebook and I can now see what they choose to post as their activities, feelings, interests, photos, traveling, etc. I check it daily to see what folks are up to, and post my own thoughts occasionally. It's a wonderful free tool for keeping in contact with friends and family. As with most social activities, moderation and etiquette apply. Young people, especially, should learn how to behave online. I took an Internet Security class (a subject that should be taught to everyone old enough to click a mouse) and learned about Facebook and other social networking sites that ask for and distribute everyone’s personal information to the world. So I was turned off by them. But upon further investigation of Facebook, I learned that they are very concerned about user privacy and that your profile settings are highly customizable and you can choose what type of information is viewable by the public, your chosen ‘networks’, your chosen ‘friends’, etc. Nearly my entire family is on Facebook and I can now see what they choose to post as their activities, feelings, interests, photos, traveling, etc. I check it daily to see what folks are up to, and post my own thoughts occasionally. It’s a wonderful free tool for keeping in contact with friends and family. As with most social activities, moderation and etiquette apply. Young people, especially, should learn how to behave online.

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