Social Media And Social Software
There is a lot of buzz about social media and social software. This page helps you find out more about blogs, podcasts, photo-sharing, video-sharing, making internet TV and other social media.
What is meant by "Social Media"
"Social Media" are the new web-based media for sharing images, writing and voice. Using appropriate tools and web hosts, we can write and share blogs, record and share podcasts, upload photographs for nominated friends or all to see, make internet TV, or upload and share videos.
Whether you are sharing your words, video-sharing or photo-sharing, the most important aspect of social media is the control it gives to any user to publish whatever they want to the web. Internet users are no longer passive recipients of information placed there by organizations and institutions. Instead they are active contributors. Social media tools have levelled the playing field.
Another important aspect of social media is in the word "social". They are designed to build a sense of community amongst the users. So working on a computer is no longer a private, individual pastime - it can be a communal activity.
Collaborating online with social media and social software
Collaborating online is so much easier now with the social software available. Instead of sending drafts of documents to all those working on a particular document, it is now possible for them to work together modifying documents stored online. This is particularly useful for teachers wanting to share information and collaboratively create courseware. It is also useful for class work in which groups of students work together on a project.
"Google Docs in Plain English" is a video by Lee Lefever on how to create and share documents, spreadsheets and presentations online using Google Docs. It's rather small, so you may want to click on the "full screen" icon.
For more information
Use the search facility on this site to find more about social media.
Check out the video introduction to social media in the right column. It is small there, so you may want to click on the "full screen" icon.
Use this link to find programs and schools.
You can also use this link to search for online degree programs
Remember to compare the admission requirements and course content of several schools before you choose a program.
Antony Mayfield on "Social Media"
Social media is best understood as a group of new kinds of online media, which share most or all of the following characteristics:
Participation
Social media encourages contributions and feedback from everyone who is interested. it blurs the line between media and audience.
Openness
Most social media services are open to feedback and participation. they encourage voting, comments and the sharing of information. there are rarely any barriers to
accessing and making use of content – password-protected content is frowned on.
Conversation
Whereas traditional media is about “broadcast” (content transmitted or distributed to an audience) social media is better seen as a two-way conversation.
Community
Social media allows communities to form quickly and communicate effectively. Communities share common interests, such as a love of photography, a political issue or a favourite tv show.
Connectedness
Most kinds of social media thrive on their connectedness, making use of links to other sites, resources and people.
(Quoted from What is Social Media? an e-book by Antony Mayfield from iCrossing)
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