Social media has become the newest and fastest way to learn and to get "connect" for the mass public. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google rely almost entirely on users posting personal information that is then shared with a network of “friends” through newsfeed stories. The popularity of YouTube is not simply linked to its capacity to act as a repository of mainstream videos, but also for its capacity to offer a venue for people to express themselves through video-making.
Most of social media sites are user-friendly design through complex technical processes. In order to be part of these sites, users need to create accounts by disclosing a lot of personal information. Then the user's information and personal search history/or contents are captured and recirculated by software through data-mining and marketing, about how the presence of commercial forces is facilitated both at the software level and at the economic level of commercial partnerships, and about how users’ participation is re-channeled as marketable data.
I'm a very private person and do not like to disclose my personal information through social media sites although I do have Facebook and Twitter accounts but I seldom use them. If I need to get in touch (connect) with my friends, I'll simply call or text them. I don't see the need to post "everything" I do on social media to "entertain" others. In this article, Dr. Friesen showed how Google is collecting user's searching histories as a way to target their commercial strategies. Furthermore, it stated that, " Google, in the first quarter of 2010 alone, it earned over US$2 billion from its advertising programs [Adsense, 2010]."
Users need to be aware whenever you turn on your computer or go on to a browser, you are engaging in a commercial transaction in a mediated public space which is being increasingly contested by Apple, Microsoft and Google. The information stored in the "cloud" are evidences of where and what you have done in the virtual world.
Q1. Why social media sites are so popular?
Because it provides opportunity to meet new people/friends, most of the social media sites are user-friendly, people can join groups that share same interests, and they're free.
Q2. Can teacher use social media as teaching tool?
Yes, I think teacher should use social media in the classroom it will make class fun and increase student engagement.
I feel the same way about being careful of what information I put out there on the web. I usually use Facebook just to check what my family and friends are up to, but very seldom post anything about myself. I only use my Twitter account for work to share ideas I have found with other educators.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it really depends on what the educator use as social media and how they teach kids to use it. Students need to be trained properly, especially when it comes to what information to publicize.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not have a Facebook, but I agree with you that people often put way to many personal things on social media and I am a private person so that does not appeal to me. I agree that educators can use social media in the classroom, and I think it will increase student engagement because it will appeal to the students interest.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the idea of not posting many things on a social media site. I do miss the time when social media such as MySpace did not exist. It took me a long time to get a Facebook account, but I rarely post personal things on it, but I do use it for friends and family. However, it can be distraction for me at times, so I believe that social media use for education purposes can be effective if students are taught appropriately.
ReplyDeleteI agree that posting "every" detail of personal information can be dangerous and lead to identity theft or undesirable consequences. I also do agree that social media sites do parse your data for marketing purposes, but you seem to err on the side of caution. What is your stance on connecting social media to the classroom curriculum? What are your points on doing so as you do answer "yes" for Q2?
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