Social Media And Social Software
What is meant by "Social Media"? They are web-based media for sharing images, writing and voice. Using appropriate social software 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, and much more. Perhaps most importantly we can create, join and participate in virtual communities, form new friendships and reconfirm old ones, recommend websites or products, share jokes or sad stories, and in many other ways engage socially on the Internet.
An industry has grown up around this social networking and there are now many social marketing jobs available. This page helps you find out more ...
From passive reception to socially collaborative
There is a lot of buzz about social media. Whether you are sharing your words, video-sharing or photo-sharing, the most important aspect is the control that the user has 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 and publishers. Social software tools have levelled the playing field.
A very 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. The communities might be mirrors of physical communities (e.g., universities, cities, football clubs) or might be virtual communities based on interests. The use of social technology in education is becoming ever more important as children are brought up surrounded by its use.
Another important aspect of the social revolution we are experiencing is in the speed at which our ideas can be communicated over vast distances and with huge numbers of people. Twitter is a prime example of the way in which communication has been changed in this respect. Major events can be described, and even world-changing demonstrations can be organized by using just 140 characters in a tweet. The infographic below shows the growth of Twitter and its prospects for 2012.
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.
See the "Google Docs in Plain English" video by Lee Lefever on how to create and share documents, spreadsheets and presentations online.
For more information
Check out the videos in the right column. Also check out the following pages:
- Social Media in Education
- Internet Business Infographic
- Infographic: Pinterest as a Traffic Driver
- Social Media Jobs Salary Guide
Use the search facility on this site to find more about social software and media.
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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