New resources are appearing every day about social media marketing, networking and other forms of social media. What is it, and how are educators using social media? Social media is defined as the online technologies and practices used to share opinions, ideas, experiences, perspectives and insights with other people. Therefore, in the education world, social media is changing the way we learn, teach, interact and access others worldwide. People everywhere are having conversations online.
Social networks were only beginning to gain traction in the spring of 2007. Now their memberships are in the hundreds of millions. For the latest trends check Author Paul Gillin's book, The New Influencers and its website - NewInfuencers.com. But following is a quick rundown of some of the activities involved in social media:
1) Websites that are properly optimized - so people can find them via search engines online
2) RSS feeds, or Really Simple Syndication - people can now publish online
3) Optimized article submissions linking back to your website
4) Blogs and Vlogs - to share content and videos (e.g. YouTube or Google Video)
5) Webcasts/Podcasts/Videocasts - Another way to share information from a desktop
6) Social networks (MySpace, Flicker, Stumble Upon, etc.)
7) Socializing web content (tagging and bookmarking) - it's a library online
8) Communities online - niche groups according to interests and topics
Today, many businesses have been using social media and now employers are finding the benefits of using social media including: 63 percent are using social media to build and promote their brand, 61 percent are using it to improve communication and collaboration, and 58 percent are using it to increase consumer engagement. Study Finds Rapid Enterprise Adoption of Social Networks.
For many educators, the implications of social media are huge. Blogging is an enjoyable way to share information, to learn from others, and also to make professional acquaintances, while podcasts or videos can help others learn anytime, anywhere. Just take a look at my own website, http://www.roccobasile.org/, where you can note all the educational articles that I have compiled having to do with the programs I am involved with for my educational charities.
What amazes me is how fast kids have adapted to the concept of social media. MySpace is a huge congregation of sharing among kids. And as another example, at one of my charities known as ChildrenoftheCity.org, one of the ways in which we raise funds involves online social media marketing to share our successes and to let others know the good work being done.
Anyone can use social media tactics for one of the following goals:
1. Conversation Mining. Research and mine consumers in vertical and horizontal networks and communities.
2. Invite influencers (customers/teachers/parents) into the circle to share and learn.
3. Choose the tools. Subscribe to tools and assign several people to watch and listen to online conversations about education in your area.
Social media in education also provides the ability for students to interact across cultures, both virtually and directly. It also allows intercultural researchers to create new forms of study abroad via co-seminars, to create or even analyze culture creation through new social technologies. This could radically transform our approaches to international and intercultural education.
Here are some social media networking sites for educators, networking and sharing information:
Education Futures - exploring the rise of innovative knowledge societies
Twitter - where people can share in real time
Facebook.com - (Sign up; review groups; use Friendster)
LinkedIn.com - ask “Questions” and “Answers” on Linked-In
Squidoo.com - a place to post and share topical information
Gather.com - where you can post educational content
Skype - for instant messaging using audio/video
Second City - for virtual teaching and conferences
In summary, social media today is blending innovative technologies with social interaction, and the co-construction of new knowledge into popular social media outlets for online interaction that are centered around Web 2.0. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!
-- Rocco Basile
Social networks were only beginning to gain traction in the spring of 2007. Now their memberships are in the hundreds of millions. For the latest trends check Author Paul Gillin's book, The New Influencers and its website - NewInfuencers.com. But following is a quick rundown of some of the activities involved in social media:
1) Websites that are properly optimized - so people can find them via search engines online
2) RSS feeds, or Really Simple Syndication - people can now publish online
3) Optimized article submissions linking back to your website
4) Blogs and Vlogs - to share content and videos (e.g. YouTube or Google Video)
5) Webcasts/Podcasts/Videocasts - Another way to share information from a desktop
6) Social networks (MySpace, Flicker, Stumble Upon, etc.)
7) Socializing web content (tagging and bookmarking) - it's a library online
8) Communities online - niche groups according to interests and topics
Today, many businesses have been using social media and now employers are finding the benefits of using social media including: 63 percent are using social media to build and promote their brand, 61 percent are using it to improve communication and collaboration, and 58 percent are using it to increase consumer engagement. Study Finds Rapid Enterprise Adoption of Social Networks.
For many educators, the implications of social media are huge. Blogging is an enjoyable way to share information, to learn from others, and also to make professional acquaintances, while podcasts or videos can help others learn anytime, anywhere. Just take a look at my own website, http://www.roccobasile.org/, where you can note all the educational articles that I have compiled having to do with the programs I am involved with for my educational charities.
What amazes me is how fast kids have adapted to the concept of social media. MySpace is a huge congregation of sharing among kids. And as another example, at one of my charities known as ChildrenoftheCity.org, one of the ways in which we raise funds involves online social media marketing to share our successes and to let others know the good work being done.
Anyone can use social media tactics for one of the following goals:
1. Conversation Mining. Research and mine consumers in vertical and horizontal networks and communities.
2. Invite influencers (customers/teachers/parents) into the circle to share and learn.
3. Choose the tools. Subscribe to tools and assign several people to watch and listen to online conversations about education in your area.
Social media in education also provides the ability for students to interact across cultures, both virtually and directly. It also allows intercultural researchers to create new forms of study abroad via co-seminars, to create or even analyze culture creation through new social technologies. This could radically transform our approaches to international and intercultural education.
Here are some social media networking sites for educators, networking and sharing information:
Education Futures - exploring the rise of innovative knowledge societies
Twitter - where people can share in real time
Facebook.com - (Sign up; review groups; use Friendster)
LinkedIn.com - ask “Questions” and “Answers” on Linked-In
Squidoo.com - a place to post and share topical information
Gather.com - where you can post educational content
Skype - for instant messaging using audio/video
Second City - for virtual teaching and conferences
In summary, social media today is blending innovative technologies with social interaction, and the co-construction of new knowledge into popular social media outlets for online interaction that are centered around Web 2.0. Who knows what tomorrow will bring!
-- Rocco Basile
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