Online Social Media & Education for Global Interdependence (E4GI)
"Bringing the world closer together one user at a time"
Online social media websites such asFacebook, Twitter and You and others seem to have taken much of the world by storm over the past decade, providing new and previously unimaginable ways for conversation, sharing and collaboration to take place across borders. But what role can these new trends in social media technology throughout the world play in educating individuals to become culturally sensitive and compassionate participants of global society? This section of the website explores some of the challenges and opportunities of social media technology in the educating citizens of an ever more interconnected world. What IS social media? Social media can be defined as media that allows for sharing, exchange and interaction, including but not limited to: blogs, videos, wikis, podcasts, comments and tagging. If traditional media such as television, radio and newspaper can be thought of as a one-way or in some instances a 2-way conversation, social media can be likened to a 360 degree conversation with information being created, shared, modified and commented on by multiple individuals at once both asynchronously and in real time. Social media is largely distributed through "Web 2.0" applications, which were defined in 2006 by Tim O´reilly (the man who coined the term) as "applications that harness network effects to get better the more people use them". Web 2.0 applications and online platforms for social media that allow for online interaction have not only changed the way in which people consume and share information, but have also lead to new types of information and content production. The video " Social Media in Plain English" to the right gives a brief overview of the concepts behind social media, highlighting the emphasis on decentralized production of user-created products. In addition to its interactive nature, social media differs from traditional forms of media (television, radio and newspaper) in several key aspects. In contrast to traditional forms of media and despite the fact that it is generally user-created content, social media has the ability to reach both small and mass audiences on a worldwide scale through the various Information Communications Technologies (ICTs) that join users around the globe. Social media also differs from traditional media in that the level of expertise required to create and publish social media is minimal, given that new online tools have made it possible for virtually anyone with basic Internet and computer literacy to generate, publish and interact with social media from virtually anywhere in the world with ICT connection. Another aspect of social media that differs from traditional media is its immediacy, since most social media allows for instant publishing of information, content and opinions, which can almost instantly transferred around the world through links, blogs, tags and comments. Social Media and E4GI: Opportunities & Challenges The development, access and use of social media online has given birth to new opportunities for interaction, collaboration and exchange over vast distances between people of very different cultures. As more and more people across the world continue to use technology and online social media to connect with one another, opportunities for intercultural communication continue to expand. The videos "Social Media Revolution 2011" and "The World of Social Media in 2011" (right) highlight some of the most recent statistics and trends surrounding the use of social media around the world. During a 2008 presentation before the Library of Congress, Kansas State University Professor Michael Wesch stated that "when media changes, human relations change". It is certainly easy to see how this has been the case when it comes to recent developments and uses of social media. In 2010, we saw how social media allowed people from all corners of the world to come together fast to gather aid for the people of Haiti after a catastrophic earthquake left people on the island in dire need of humanitarian relief. Then, in 2011, the world witnessed as hundreds of thousands of people in Arab nations throughout the Middle East used social media as a platform to promote major political change. Today, social media is even being used by many different types of non-profit organizations as a way to bring people from many nations together to address important international humanitarian issues. Opportunities for Social Media & E4GI
Social media and the many ways in which it can be used seem to be allowing people the world over to break down barriers and make positive international and intercultural connections with one another. Some of the major opportunities factors related to developing positive connections among people around the world through social media include: 1. Rapid Growth: Though the future of what the use of social media may mean for the world remains to be seen, one thing is certain and that is that as access to the Internet continues to expand, the use of social media the world over continues to grow at an astounding rate. Furthermore, as online translation technologies improve, more and more people are being able to interact through social media even though they may not speak the same language. 2. New Voices: Social media allows for anyone anywhere with an Internet connection to join a global conversation and express their opinions no matter what their social, economic or political status. This aspect of social media offers new opportunities for the development of global interdependence. Through social media, users of all walks of life are able to share and discuss information and work together to generate new types of knowledge based on information and opinions of individuals that may never have been able to express their ideas through traditional media outlets. 3. New Connections for New Knowledge : The variety of different social media available online allows users to connect with one another in ever-changing ways. Users of social media are no longer bound by their physical abilities, appearance or geographic location. Students can connect with others to learn about the world and navigate new information and perspectives through diverse types of media including videos, chat rooms, discussion boards, photo sharing, blogs, comments, tagging, and much more! Additionally, social media allows users to choose to connect and collaborate with others in real time or asynchronously. 4. New Communities: Social media is allowing new cosmopolitan communities of learners and educators to take shape. Through online information and communications technology people are able build new communities around shared interests and causes as they become exposed to new ideas from around the world that they may otherwise have never known. Whether brought together by a common interest in a television program, a humanitarian cause, or a research topic, users of social media are coming together to create new communities of shared knowledge and exchange. Challenges facing Social Media and E4GI While there are many wonderful opportunities that social media brings for building global connections through space and time, it is also important to recognize the challenges facing the use of social media to further education for global interdependence: 1. Online Terrorism and Hate Groups: Though social media offers many opportunities for the development of positive global connections, it is important to remember that social media tools are also available for use by terrorist groups and other organizations who are dedicated to spreading messages of hate and causing harm to others. These more sinister uses of social media can counteract the goals of educating citizens to be part of a more connected and harmonious world. 2. Integrity of Information: With all of the information available through social media outlets, some (notably: Andrew Keen and Nicholas Carr) argue that it is becoming harder and harder to decipher between reliable information and deceptive or ignorant messages and amateur opinions from online "self proclaimed experts". Such arguments bring to light the reality that when using social media as a tool for education, information must be viewed with a critical eye that considers both the source and context of the messages being transmitted. It may be helpful for educators and learners to view social media as fragments of an ongoing, global conversation with many different possible perspectives. Just as the power of social media allows for rapid dissemination of valuable information and educated opinions, it also can pave the way for the instantaneous proliferation of inaccurate and misinformed presumptions. As students continue to use social media as a way to collect and analyze information, educators play an ever more vital role in helping their students to develop the skills they will need to successfully filter and interpret growing amounts of information from an ever more diverse array of sources. 3. Digital Divide: As the use of social media technologies continues to expand as a way for humans to connect and exchange ideas with others around the world, access and literacy for such technologies is becoming increasingly important. Government policy surrounding the prevalence, training and use of social media technologies for transnational connections and collaboration will play a major role in ensuring that segments of the population are not "left behind" when it comes to the benefits that global interconnectedness through technologies such as social media can provide. 4. Privacy: While many praise the way social media is bringing people across the globe closer together, there are those who see social media as bringing people a little too close together! Privacy has become a major concern for those who use social media as people who create closer connections with each other online become more likely to share personal information with online communities. Furthermore, social media makes it easy for private information to be made public. Those learning to use social media to connect with others around the world must be aware of the ways in which online communication differs from physical face to face communication and learn basic measures that can help them to maintain their privacy. Conclusions & Thinking About the Future: The ways in which online social media and communications technologies change information consumption and creation as well as human relationships and connections have important implications for education. Both students and educators can benefit greatly from harnessing the power social media and other communications technologies to become more educated and informed citizens of an increasingly interdependent world. In order to take advantage of these great benefits however, all of those involved in education must keep an open mind that allows for new definitions of how, when, where and with whom learning takes place. It goes without saying that with new technology usually come pitfalls and challenges. Ultimately however, the more humans are able to use new types of technology to collaborate, exchange and collectively create knowledge, the more value is added to our lives and the more opportunities we have to form part of a global community of compassionate lifelong learners. |
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Take a look at some of the links below for more information about social media and its implications for topics related to global interdependence:
Users of the world, unite! : The challenges and opportunities of Social Media
ANDREAS M. KAPLAN & MICHAEL HAENLEIN
The concept of Social Media is top of the agenda for many business executives today. Decision makers, as well as consultants, try to identify ways in which firms can make profitable use of applications such as Wikipedia, YouTube,
Facebook, Second Life, and Twitter. Yet despite this interest, there seems to be very limited understanding of what the term ‘‘Social Media’’ exactly means; this article intends to provide some clarification.
http://iranmanagers.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Users-of-the-world-unite.pdf
ANDREAS M. KAPLAN & MICHAEL HAENLEIN
The concept of Social Media is top of the agenda for many business executives today. Decision makers, as well as consultants, try to identify ways in which firms can make profitable use of applications such as Wikipedia, YouTube,
Facebook, Second Life, and Twitter. Yet despite this interest, there seems to be very limited understanding of what the term ‘‘Social Media’’ exactly means; this article intends to provide some clarification.
http://iranmanagers.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Users-of-the-world-unite.pdf
Social Media Around the World: Current Trends and Future Growth
MICHAEL BONFILS
Blog entry by Michael Bonfils giving an overview of social media platforms used around the world.
http://searchenginewatch.com/author/1833/michael-bonfils
MICHAEL BONFILS
Blog entry by Michael Bonfils giving an overview of social media platforms used around the world.
http://searchenginewatch.com/author/1833/michael-bonfils
Why Social Media Is Driving Political Change in the Arab World
PAUL J. ZAK
Interesting article by Paul J. Zak analyzing the psychological reasons behind the success of social media in connecting people.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-moral-molecule/201103/why-social-media-is-driving-political-change-in-the-arab-world
PAUL J. ZAK
Interesting article by Paul J. Zak analyzing the psychological reasons behind the success of social media in connecting people.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-moral-molecule/201103/why-social-media-is-driving-political-change-in-the-arab-world
4 Ways Social Media is Changing the Non-Profit World
BETH CANTER
Blog post by Beth Canter highlighting some of the ways in which non-profit organizations are using social media in order to improve quality of life for people around the world.
http://mashable.com/2009/05/22/non-profit-social-media/
BETH CANTER
Blog post by Beth Canter highlighting some of the ways in which non-profit organizations are using social media in order to improve quality of life for people around the world.
http://mashable.com/2009/05/22/non-profit-social-media/
Social Media: The Privacy and Security Repercussions
JOHNNY WIDERLUND
Article discussing some of the changes that are taking place and possible repercussions related to concept of privacy on social media platforms. http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2065928/Social-Media-The-Privacy-and-Security-Repercussions
JOHNNY WIDERLUND
Article discussing some of the changes that are taking place and possible repercussions related to concept of privacy on social media platforms. http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2065928/Social-Media-The-Privacy-and-Security-Repercussions
Mashable Website
Excellent website for keeping up-to-date on the latest developments in online Social Media and Web 2.0 applications.
http://mashable.com/
Excellent website for keeping up-to-date on the latest developments in online Social Media and Web 2.0 applications.
http://mashable.com/