Group items tagged

Wow, such an interesting direction that online/distance learning is taking through MOOCS (Massive Open Online Course). There is a lot more I can say on this topic, and I will! ____________________ Among the tens of thousands of people signed up for the University of Toronto's online computer science course Learn to Program: The Fundamentals, there are a lot of unconventional students.Of late, MOOCs have dominated the conversation around online learning. They drastically change distance learning, breaking down the barriers of geography and fees, while connecting students across the globe with each other and with some of the world's top teaching talents.

An example of technology and social shaping -- how blogs have changed over the last ten years.

Although this article was written last year, it still resonates due to the fact that more schools seem to be adopting iPads while others are banning the use of iPads. This quote is also insightful: Daniel Brenner, the Roslyn superintendent, said the iPads would also save money in the long run by reducing printing and textbook costs; the estimated savings in the two iPad classes are $7,200 a year.

As more people turn to brands on Facebook, it's important to know why they do-or don't-click "like." Consider these new findings. I find this surprising. Maybe because I don't "like" brands on Facebook to avoid a cluttered page and newsfeed. Personally, seeing a brand's post all the time would turn me away from the brand. I'm not sure why, but I still seem to have this mentality that Facebook brand pages aren't as "legit". But that's just me. Check out the infographic.

OTTAWA - Tony Clement may be king of social media in political circles on Parliament Hill, but he didn't get to be mayor of his own Twitter town hall. During an online chat on the subject of open government, the Treasury Board president, who is a prolific tweeter, had a ghostwriter doing most of the work for him.

I thought this was an interesting article connecting the social media platform of twitter with the political world.

Gawker's Adrian Chen tracks down the identity of reddit.com's violentacrez. I'd never heard of this person, but the headline grabbed my attention. The article has some really great insight into how reddit is run and the role of moderators on the sites boards. Also an interesting read in regards to the politics of online identity protection and the role of anonymity in online communications.

An older article from 2011; however the topic resonated with me in light of the recent suspension of columnist Margaret Wente. "Changes in media and technology are rippling through our society, shifting the power structures that have traditionally shaped the public square of news and information in America."

Really interesting article about a new app that will lock cell phone texts/phone calls to prevent digital eavesdropping/monitoring. I think it will be interesting to see how this plays out and what the long term affects/reaction (both socially and legally) will be. "The legal barrier for eavesdropping has never been lower. We've learned to be comfortable with it because, for the most part, we've never had any means of escape, but Silent Circle could change that."

An article on how to break down Globe and Mail's paywall. Brings up the question: Should news be geared to the privileged?

This is an article that applies some rhetorical tools in a leadership context. It explores things like: -Threats or consequences -Passion, pathos -Humor, wit -Imperfection -Surprise -Wonder

Another article showing how social media has responded to major events.

This is our future? Are the days of the Archie comicbook now obsolete? Wil our kids and grandkids, now use tablets to peruse the world of comicbooks?

The Obama tweet mentioned below, got me thinking about social brands. This article elaborates on the concept and provides three ways companies can tell a social brand story. It addresses this key question "How can brands continue to inspire, stay relevant, and excel in this socially charged ecosystem?"

Facebook is now automatically creating 'couple' pages for anyone who is linked to another person through relationship status. There is no opt out option and Facebook pulls in any pictures or check in's in which you have both been tagged. I'm not sure if I'm more bothered by the gross invasion of privacy or the fact that Facebook thinks we would be interested in seeing couples pages (uh no).

wow.....thats scary

I almost posted the same topic. Yes, it is scary, especially since I found my profile listed on this new page. Very intrusive. Here's a similar article: http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/12/tech/social-media/facebook-couples-pages/

Not sure if technology replaces an intimate, interactive learning environment. The problem is defining which classrooms benefit from it rather than a university-wide policy. (I meant to post this when I first read it but came back to it around after watching another digital education seminar).

This article is about how social media can influence a company or brand's reputation negatively or positively. The author gives examples of social media backlashes based off of a misguided tweet or one customers posted grievance.

This is a great article that touches on many of the things we talked about in Janice's class this week. There are also some links to the innovation/diffusion readings for virtual org.

Even though we live in North America and pay much more attention to platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google+, I think it's also important to be informed of trends in other parts of the world as well. This article explores the success of LINE, a popular social networking site in Japan.

This article summarizes the use of Twitter during the recent battle in Gaza. It brings up some important questions regarding ethics and use of social media during military conflicts.