Social Web 2.0 E-learning

Tales from the Summer:

My bouncing between Bellingham and Kitsap this last summer has made me a web 2.0-a-holic. Armed with my MacBook and any wifi connection, I kept in the know via 'Facebook', Twitter and a handful of add-ons for FireFox 3.0.

To put it bluntly, E-Learning...you better start take notes.

The e-learning debate of asynchronous and synchronous integrations are about to create a gray area; if it doesn't just null and void itself out completely. Not having student connections should no longer be an optional practice in e-learning, rather, common practice.

Social Network+ FireFox+Distance Learning= Effective e-Learning

FireFox 3.0
Yes I am biased when it comes to browsers. I love Safari, however, for some of the things I do, I find it a bit lacking with regards to Java language. FireFox 3 brings with it more than just a better looking default skin like more add-ons that seamlessly connect to online services such as:

• TwitterFox (to Twitter)
  
• Gmail Checker (to Google mail)
• Meebo (web instant messaging)
  

....And hundreds of others. These add-ons flex the power of the browser without any need to install any other software clients. This is indicative of where I and others have been seeing the Internet changing. Aviary, Photoshop Express and even Zoho shows us that the Internet can be, and is, a strong tool in application usage providing that the user has a decent Internet connection speed. On digg, I have been reading about some possible Linux projects that are looking at developing an online operating system, but I do not see this coming out soon. Nevertheless, looking at what is out today-the Internet has produced stronger browsers, now it is up to e-learning developers to utilize what users are using.

New.Facebook.com

The shift to the new UI of Facebook, created some heat online. Much like when Facebook created status updates, users were and are reluctant to accept the new look and usability of Facebook. I find this humorus as I relate this to how institutions are apprehensive to take on a new technologies, LMS's, etc. for their e-learning. But I digress...

It seems that many of the issues of Facebook being 'open' to the public and Facebook's 'tracking of user activity' seemed to have been settled in the last several Facebook layout face lifts. I really appreciate the tab layout. Now you can place a page just for those pesky apps. Granted, I do enjoy a small handful of them (Twitter, Pandora, Tetris Friends and Bumper Stickers), because it really frees up the site for its original purpose- social networking. Recently, MySpace has picked up the torch with social network apps- why is beyond me. The focus should be on the social aspect, which some apps do a great job on...but then there are those other ones...you know the ones. The 1001 different ways to add glitter or stick figures bashing their head on the ground. Why oh why?


Tales from the Twitter-a-holic
EVERYONE who is a Twitter addict can't stop telling (in 128 characters or less) what they are doing. Or with the side service Twitpic, users can't help but add pics on the fly from their phone or computer. These two services are a powerful micro-blogging combination...and highly addictive.

But, this shows an interesting shift in online communications. Facebook was bashed by many of its users when they added the status log. Some users saw it as an invasion on their usage while on Facebook. This seems to have died down greatly as more and more social timeline networks such as Twitter and Pownce are being developed. These timeline networks create this new gray area between synchronous and asynchronous. These are short messages that don't have to be replied to and if replied to, can be public or private.

Web 2.0 services really are focusing on interconnection and the power of social networking. I myself would like to see not more social networks, but rather the ability take my pre-existing social network to other sites I use. For instance, it would be great to have one central social network (for example Facebook) and integrate it as I log into Digg or Twitter, etc. I think this is going to be the next movement, we already see this kind of central hub concept with OpenID- where you have one log in for several sites.

Google Gears:

I have been noticing some more support for Google Gears. This service allows for users to use web based services offline. Think of it as the browser downloading a copy of the site- but unlike cached web pages it is still fully working and can be re-synced to the net or saved locally....let me further explain.

If a LMS would utilize a service like this where it stores a working copy of the last time it visited the LMS, then students would be able to carry their work with them in an on and off line combination. For example: Zoho (I can't rave enough about this service) once logged in allows you to take Zoho writer "offline" which copies over the documents you are working on in your browser for you to use away from your connection. You can work on your documents, save all your modifications offline and when you return to your Internet connection click "online" to sync what you have done to your online account. This kind of service within a LMS would be powerful.

Grad Student's LMS 2.0
Imagine if you would, pieces of the services mentioned above. Students would be able to log in and be greeted by what fellow students have been working on in the class. Once online, be able to download the most recent version of their course as they leave campus or their favorite coffee shop Internet connection to work on their course work at home. But while the student is online, they can utilize all the connection utilities such as a Facebook like live notification and instant messaging bar. Live video conferencing would be available (like that of ustream, MeBeam, or Stikcam) and videos would be RSS enabled (Podcast). If a student misses a live feed- no problem the LMS keeps a copy stored or the student could download it from the educational institution's iTunes U store.

Opinions of the Grad Student
The power of the Internet is being harnessed through the user browser and providing content, opportunity for learning and potential for enrichment both on and offline. Isn't this what we are trying to do with online learning? On top of this, why don't LMS designers take a page out of Facebook's design. The way I see it, 200+ thousand people use and like the UI...that should be a hint to what students are looking for in a LMS (especially seeing as Facebook was originally designed with students in mind). On top of that- they have successfully connected 200+thousand people! E-learning is a global concept, and it should look to the aspects and web philosophies social networking have created. Don't get me wrong, I am not plugging Facebook. Just giving them a tip of my digital hat as it were, to the great job they are doing to use the power of Web 2.0 apps and browser add-ons to connect people. Now, e-learning, your turn.