Reaching Students Through Facebook, YouTube, Digital Storytelling and Second Life (Discussion Session)

Rice University has undertaken an initiative to start using the things that their students are already using.  Students indicated that they don't use email (email is for old people).  They use their social networking tools.  Watch this video.

Comments from the audience:

• Students do want you (the instructor) to use these tools.
• We must decide what the scholarly model is for the use of these tools.  How do we do it, where do we fit in?
• As an instructional designer and instructional technologist we are willing to use the tools, but we need to find out where our graduates are fitting in by using these tools.  Are these tools actually used in the corporate sector?  What about their security issues?  What about computer information literacy?  Are we graduating students who can go into society and function?  Are we preparing them for the work environment or a social environment?
• Do the students understand the difference between just using wikipedia and actually knowing whats factual and whats not.
• Can't we add information literacy into the curriculum?
• Employers do go out and google students to see their myspace and/or facebook page
• Technology should not be driving our thought process but the marriage between technology and theory.
• When it comes to assessing material it depends on how the students are using the technology in the class.  For instance blogging - some students like it, some students hate it.
• Texas State Univ., are using Second Life for Engineering. 
• One participant uses facebook to keep in touch with the students.  Mainly for keeping in touch with the students.  He says that facebook has allowed even the teachers to network with each other, and because of the scaffolding effect of facebook, other people are linking in because of groups/friends relationships.
• Use myspace as a helpdesk to assist students.  Since they are already in there anyway.
• Do we go to what the students want or use?  Or should the students be made to go to what we want to use?  We spend so much money for Blackboard and WebCT why should we go outside of these technologies?
• Someone else uses secondlife, flickr and blogspot.  Students are interested, they particpate more.  It's their medium.
• Academic advisor uses Myspace to talk to all of his advisees.  The students were willing to sign waivers (privacy) in order to participate.  They like it.
• Some participants wonder if older adult students are interested in these social networking tools?  How do we bridge the gap between the younger student and the older student?
• The average age of second life users are in their 30's.  So it's not so much the younger 20-somethings.
• There are some senior citizens who are embracing these technologies.  Grandparents who have myspace pages.
• World of Warcraft is played by 50 and 60 year olds... so don't count the older student out as uninterested, uninformed or out of the loop.
• Some people are using facebook to push out information and resources to their students.

Great discussion ... which I feel should be continued (anyone want to continue on Facebook or Myspace?) :)