When World's Collide

I was excited for the Barry Wellman guest online lecture this week, and, even with the technical difficulties, appreciated the anecdotal stories that went along with his slides and told a story like only he could.   

And then, this evening, I decided to take a look back at the slides, and found this gem: 

Photo Credit: Barry Wellman, "The New Social Operating System: The Impact of Networked Technologies on Community, Family & Work." www.chass.utoronto.ca/~well

I don't know if I just missed it when watching the webinar, or perhaps just wasn't in the headspace at the time I was watching, but sitting here on a Saturday night knee deep in qualitative and quantitative data, all I could do was laugh and enthusiastically yell "YES."

Yes, lets stop looking for proof and start looking at everything that is changing and happening.  Yes, lets come to terms with the obviousness of our personalized networks and how differently we are now connected (loosely or not) to others in a more global sense.  Yes, lets start having more conversations about things like this (free access to internet in San Francisco) and continue to think about moving forward with regards to how the tools of web 2.0 and technology help us.  

It is a conversation that has evolved, but hasn't peaked, in higher education.  I still hear far more concern about students looking down at devices, contacting parents too often, sharing things too anonymously (or not), not being able to have personal conversations, or do research, or respond in more than 140 characters... or...

I think these are valid concerns, some of which I share, some of which, by nature of when the web became "a thing" in my life, I have moved past.  And while I think it truly is a shame students today don't have the opportunity to learn the art of expressing themselves through angsty AIM away messages or perhaps staying up all night due to a riveting game of Snood (seriously though), I do think we have the opportunity to think about how tools can make us better educators (as we are learning about in this class), not only in the tools that are out there, but in the tools that students are using everyday.  I've talked about how we can do more in terms of digital capital and student learning through Twitter here (shameless plug), and even made it a requirement for discussion (much to a few moans) in courses I've taught, but know there are so many more opportunities available. 

I wonder, too, who is truly utilizing Web 2.0 to help with additional student services, from assessment and admissions to internships and resumes.  (And beyond the college level, what is being looked at in K-12, because if nothing else, those Google Maps for Education are pretty darn nifty!)

In just a few short weeks, we've learned of probably half a dozen things that I've never heard of to continue or support learning, how can we best transition these into our colleges and classrooms to create seamless learning experiences, using new tools, and teaching our digital natives (Crook, 2012) effective strategies not necessarily learned through on-the-app participation?  

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Crook, C. (2012). The 'digital native' in context: tensions associated with importing Web 2.0 practices into the school setting. Oxford Review of Education, 38(1), 63-80. 

Rainie, L. & Wellman, B. (2013). Networked: The new social operating system. Boston, MA: MIT Press. 

Wellman, B. (2015).  "The New Social Operating System: The Impact of Networked Technologies on Community, Family & Work" Webcast Lecture for Florida State University.  www.chass.utoronto.ca/~well