Read sections 1 and 2 of this handout. After reading the articles please respond in the comments to the following questions:
1. Discuss what is new, if anything, about web technologies that changes how students and teachers can work and collaborate and demonstrate their learning…
2. Define “social software” and discuss some of the characteristics of it that make it different from traditional computer software…
Be prepared to discuss your ideas at our next session…
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July 28, 2008 at 9:18 pm
1. The author is suggesting that a current trend in education and a current trend in technology could come together in a very powerful way. In education, we are moving away from a view of school is for content only towards a more holistic approach view of school is for content, building skills to deal with change, and how to be life-long learners.
In the previous view, demonstration of learning usually took the form of tests, research papers, perhaps speeches or other verbal presentations that were completed by the individual, almost isolated from the other students.
With the new technological trend the possibilities of social interaction are endless. The author highlights all the ways we can learn new information and the number of collaborative and on-line venues for learning are growing. Examples include posting a paper on-line and receiving feedback from viewers, to creating group wikis on a topic such as Harry Potter. Students may create their own blog which could is like a portfolio, and teachers can be updated on the changes and improvements through e-mail updates.
2. “Software that supports group interaction” defined by Shirky provides a clear and simple picture of the new term social software. It follows the belief that everyone who uses it gains when contributors act in “sociable and community-oriented ways.” In order to be social software, Shirky has 3 defining characteristics that it should follow:
1. The software should support conversational interaction to create a collaborative space.
2. Not only should there be dialogue between contributors, but there should be space available to receive feedback.
AND 3. The software should support social networks that help build and maintain healthy human relationships amongst users.
All three of these characteristics are much different than the software I am familiar with using, such as PowerPoint, Word, Excel, etc, because they are for “my eyes only.” It can be quite cumbersome in fact to try and share these documents with others. They have a one-way only mentality, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it is also important (especially as a teacher) to try and find ways to use collaborative technology.
August 1, 2008 at 4:13 am
2. Social Software is software that allows people to interact with each other. It is different because it sets up a place in the cyberworld that people from all over the world can meet with out leaving their home. It allows collaboration of ideas with people outside of your physical “neighborhood”. Back before cars people had limited interaction with people outside of their town. When cars and planes came along those with the means could enrich their lives through travel. See places, meet people and grow their knowledge. With Social Software that enrichment is attainable to those who can’t travel.
It is a place people can “talk” back and forth, share documents, share information and collaborate.
August 1, 2008 at 4:21 am
1. There are so many thing available to aid teacher student interaction and learning!
there are the blogs, wiki’s etc that allow a classroom to collaborate, interact, share documents and information. And the kids participate.
There are cool tools like the radio waves that the kids can creat and share with.
I liked how the article talked about redundancy. the skill of creating and collaborating on an idea is one our kids need. That is how you succeed at intel anyway. Using collaborative tools and interacting is part of what we can teach if we use Social Software in the classroom.
I do believe that the web and the tools it offers now can foster creativity which as we saw in the video this last day of class is very important.