The usefulness of Social software such as Facebook, mySpace, etc in distance education is hotly debated. Certainly networking people together has vertain advantages, but are those advantages truely a learning experience or do they actually aid in the learning experience?
At UNC-CH, one of the first institutions Facebook was 'installed' at, faculty and staff are just now starting to even think about how it can be used for instruction. Several faculty members were suprised to find fan club groups for them already active on facebook. We are literally standing on the edge of a teaching revolution.
Web 2.0 as described by Duke University
http://cit.duke.edu/tools/web20/index.html
Fifty Web 2.0 Tools tell a story... or give a lesson... or just have fun.
http://cogdogroo.wikispaces.com/StoryTools
Hi, I am Dr.Ramakrishnan. The situation ” just now starting to even think about how it can be used for instruction” is same in this part of the globe. I think we are already on the move, here , with proper attitude and approach at LearnHub. Learning experience is also potential teaching experience and teaching experience is indeed learning experience.
I agree with the observation made. When I first discovered Twitter, I thought of it as a silly, unproductive waste. Someone here at LearnHub changed my mind; I don’t remember who it was—sorry. I now see an educational use for Twitter. I consider myself more technology savvy than the average teacher. Most of us here are. If I have difficulty seeing an educational use for an application, those less savvy certainly will. It will take more time, but we will arrive with our new tools and ways of teaching. We certainly are ”. . . standing on the edge of a teaching revolution.”
