SOCIAL SOFTWARE FOR INSTRUCTION

SOCIAL SOFTWARE FOR INSTRUCTION

MEREDITH FARKAS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/universityofscrantonlibrary/3720985079/

WHY USE SOCIAL SOFTWARE FOR INSTRUCTION?

WHY USE SOCIAL SOFTWARE FOR INSTRUCTION?

Usually free software

Easy to maintain on the systems side

Easy to use for the non-techie

Easier to update than a typical website

Ways to provide up-to-the minute content

Mechanisms for subscribing or “liking”

Feedback mechanisms

BLOGS FOR POINT OF NEED

INSTRUCTION

BLOGS FOR POINT OF NEED

INSTRUCTION

BLOGSBLOGS

Why blogs?

Easy to install the software and maintain

Easy to use

Good for both timely and static content

Students can subscribe to get new content

Searchable and browseable (through tags)

Why not blogs?

An individual blog is difficult to organize for supporting multiple subjects

WIKIS AS SUBJECT GUIDES

WIKIS AS SUBJECT GUIDES

WIKISWIKIS

Why wiki?

Better for supporting instruction in multiple subjects than a blog

Easy to install the software and maintain

Easy to use (for the non-web designer)

Easy to update on-the-fly (like during an instruction session!)

Searchable and browseable (through categories)

Why not wiki?

Not conducive to content re-use

Not good if posting timely content is the priority

FACEBOOK FOR THE ULTIMATE PORTAL

FACEBOOK FOR THE ULTIMATE PORTAL

FACEBOOKFACEBOOK

Why Facebook?

Our students are already there

Students can “like” you and then find you easily

Why not Facebook?

FB is constantly changing the layout and limitations of pages

You do need to know HTML to make this work

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING FOR

GUIDE CONTENT MANAGEMENT

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING FOR

GUIDE CONTENT MANAGEMENT

SOCIAL BOOKMARKINGSOCIAL BOOKMARKING

Why social bookmarking?

Can reuse microcontent (link/title/description) across multiple web pages/guides

Only need to update a resource in one place

Why not social bookmarking?

Reliant on a 3rd party service

Limitations on display of content unless you have programming skills

TIPSTIPS

Protect your content – don’t use third-party hosted platforms

Figure out if you want to have timely content

For blogs and Facebook – regular updates are critical

Have a maintenance plan

Have a marketing plan

Promote in instruction sessions!

Questions?Find me at

meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress

mgfarkas (at) gmail.comflickr, twitter: librarianmerfacebook: meredithfarkas

Questions?Find me at

meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress

mgfarkas (at) gmail.comflickr, twitter: librarianmerfacebook: meredithfarkas

Slides and links athttp://meredithfarkas.wetpaint.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/trucolorsfly/2401196653/