While I am not an avid social media person, I do have a Facebook account that I read. Facebook would qualify as Web 2.0 as 1) Users as first class entities in the system, with prominent profile pages 2) there is an ability to form connections between users 3) The user has the ability to post content in many forms (Cormode & Krishnamurthy, 2008). Facebook becomes the more narrowly defined ‘social media’ when it becomes…more social… What I mean by this is that this site takes the elements of the read-and-write nature of Web 2.0 and highlights the connection of offline, personal relationships — networking through friends of friends, the detail of profile information, and the higher visibility of the person as the creator instead of the anonymity of usernames on things like forums or sites like YouTube. I am mainly a Lurker on this site as I rarely post information, but I observe what is going on and respond only as a matter of course for things like polls for availability. I am sure that through our use of LinkedIn I will have more to say about how my learning is facilitated through social networking sites, but as of right now through my use of Facebook, I don’t see much valuable learning through my participation (or lack thereof).
Hey Matt,
I too, consider myself more of a Facebook lurker (occasionally participating in conversations, but often absorbing information). As an aside, can researchers come up with a better name for this? It sounds downright creepy to identify as a lurker.
I think your distinction between Web 2.0 and social media is interesting. The question of “What is social media?” is so hard to define because of the inherent subjectivness of what is considered “social”, and also the constantly evolving space. Even Cormode and Krishnamurthy (2008) admit that in addition to sites that are clearly Web 2.0 or Web 1.0 there are some that might be characterized as Web 1.5, which utilize both user to user communication and static information.
You also said that you do not learn much through Facebook. Although you do not use Facebook educationally now, do you feel like you are missing out on an opportunity to learn? In your other post your write about using Facebook to facilitate learning in Makerspaces. Might Facebook be a good way for you to bring creative pieces out of the workshop and showcase them to a wider audience?
Hey Matthew,
Yeah, ever since Brain Arnold introduced me to the concept of a lurker I also felt like, “oh, that’s definitely me…and ew what a bad name…”
I appreciated the designation of Web 1.5 as the strict delineation felt forced. Although the concept opening up to more of a continuous spectrum made my brain hurt after trying to think about which features were more 1.0 and which were more 2.0.
I don’t have a good riposte to your last paragraph. Not leveraging social media for learning is something I struggle with and I justify it by rationalizing that I spend my time learning in other ways. Though, this rationalization may not make it until the end of class 🙂 . I 100% agree that Facebook and other social media are great ways of showcasing maker pieces.
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