the good, the bad and the needy.

  

      OK world, We, (my collective classmates and I, not you and I) have this week been tasked with writing our fourth and final blog for our Social Media and Society course. So far so good....

      I do not consider myself to be a good writer. Generally requiring 2 or 3 times longer than the average bear to create a somewhat compelling read. Believe me, without spell check it would be more "find-a-word" then college course work, and my grammar ain't any gooder. I would say that I am a more.... "technical" writer, not technically good mind you, rather more on the factual, instructional side of things then the storyteller, spin a good yarn type of writer. So thanks, to those of you out there, wherever your "there" is, for reading, commenting, being supportive and understanding.

      The assigned topic this time, #1 what did I find interesting regarding social media this term, #2 how do I think social media will change by the time I graduate, and #3 how do I think social media has changed the roles of students and teachers? So here we go and remember, don't feed the bears, it only slows down their progress.

OK, time to get serious........... kind of.

      Going into this course I was interested but skeptical. I was expecting to learn about what goes on behind the scenes of the major social media platforms, hopefully gaining a better understanding of how they work, the pros and cons and maybe learn something I could use to impress my kids or the cute redhead I see every morning walking her dog. I didn't get what I was expecting and I'm glad, except for that last one. In the end what I have learned is more valuable.

      We used a couple of new tools over the term such a Google Blogger and learned what a blog is and how to create one. Also acquired some experience with sites such as PBWorks and Google Drive which we used to collaborate with a group and write a wiki post in real time. Cool stuff. What I found most interesting, and this caught me by surprise, was reading and commenting on other people’s blogs and wiki posts. Perhaps on some Freudian level I am missing the contact with people I had gotten used to on my previous career path. Or maybe I just like learning and listening to what people say, either way it was fun and enlightening, reading as many wiki posts and blogs as I could fit in with all the other stuff going down.

      In the short term I'm not sure what is in store for social media. I can make some generalizations, but as far as what will be the hot platform, the next big thing, the trends going forward. Your guess is better than mine. One thing I know for sure is that social media will continue to grow, and be more and more in our faces on a daily basis. There is no escaping, it is everywhere we turn. We can bury our heads in the latest copy of Zombie Apocalypses Quarterly, but that doesn't change the fact that more and more of the "things" in our lives are becoming connected. Those connections continue to define how, (the collective WE this time), gather, access, store and work with information. Let’s not forget that, Information is power, access to information, increasingly driven by the global domination of smartphones, will hopefully be the great equalizer. And yes you can quote me on that.

      Having started full-time studies six months ago, I was not accustomed to how much of my learning would be self-directed via the in house DC Connect platform and other online portals. Being a fairly tech savvy person I caught on quickly and found it was very helpful for me. The various forms of online testing, allowed me to complete them in the quiet comfort of home. Submitting work online saves paper and ultimately, time and money. The access to course material 24/7 saved my bacon on a few occasions.

      The role of student is changing as social media, inside and outside the college framework, continues to be more encompassing every term. Most teachers have their class notes posted on DC Connect, some testing is done online, reports submitted, grades posted, etc. If I miss something important my peers will text me instantly. Do I even need to go to class anymore? The flip side is that more and more of my education is becoming self-directed, and for me that is not always a good idea. Being a lazy serial procrastinating perfectionist I do the least amount of work possible, leave everything to the last minute and then keep doing it over and over again until it is perfect. It is unbelievable the time I have wasted doing online labs over and over trying to get that last mark. Time that could have been better spent sleeping or..... no sleeping is what I would have been doing. I have come by the bags under my eyes honestly.

      So to try and make a clear point or two, students need to be tech savvy, connected consistently and for longer periods of time, able to find and filter required information from numerous learning platforms, stay organized and on top of the work load. With the expanding use of online testing and grading, the frequency of tests has increased dramatically. Personally I'm OK with that. I would rather be tested more often, in smaller chucks, however I know it doesn't work for everyone.

      As for the other half of the equation I think the Professors need to step up their game in the use of social media as well. DC Connect has the potential to be a huge hub in the flow of information between Prof. and student. Many are already doing a great job of posting, grades including class averages, assignment walk throughs, test reviews, video lectures, moderating class discussion boards and posting marks as they are earned so we can track our process. However in my six months I have also had teachers that didn't post any content until the week before the final exam. Social Media has turned us into consumers of information; we expect instant access, constant updates and need to know the score after every play. We want and need the feedback, and I would go as far as saying, it keeps us focused, on track, and actively engaged. Another nugget for your use, just make sure to spell my name right.

Peace

see you in the halls.