Social Networking Wiki Outline Feedback

Hi everyone. I have compiled this feedback from my own comments and those of Prof. Burbules. While the two of us have written out these comments, it should be noted that the evaluation of the projects is being done as a joint effort, with all the co-instructors involved. Now, the point here is to offer some suggestions for how you might proceed with your project, based on what you all have presented in the outline. Overall, what you have here looks great. You’re off to a wonderful start. The below feedback should, however, give you a better sense of what we’ll be looking for when it comes to the final product. If you have any questions or comments about the feedback, don’t hesitate to email me at thibert2@uiuc.edu, or just leave a comment on this blog. We’ll look forward to seeing your first draft on Monday!

All the best,
Jeff

Social/Cultural Context:
• Be sure to talk here about how the ‘new wave’ of social networking (sites like Facebook or MySpace would be included here) emerged. I think you’ve got a good set of topics here, though.
• One more thing: pay attention to the sequencing of your topics. It would probably make sense to put the most important topics first. So, for instance, do you think that “Need for Security” is the most important social and cultural change? You might decide that it is, of course, but in general, do keep sequencing in mind throughout the project.

How technology affects and is affected by society and culture:
• I like that you’re noting how social networking is not really a new thing. We’ve used technologies to connect socially for quite some time. You might use this to discuss how some of the issues raised by social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace are not so new (although some of the issues undoubtedly are).
• Be sure to look at social networking on a global context—does it look different in China than in America? Are there issues raised in China that aren’t as important in America?
• The games section here is especially relevant for students today—you might want to focus on this especially.

Educational Opportunities/Challenges:
• You’ve got a great set of topics to explore here. As you compile information on these topics, think about how you might implement social networking in an educational setting, if you would at all. Also, the issue of ‘cyber-sharing’: consider the line between sharing and cheating. This may be a thorny area, but it’s an important one to negotiate. This is a good example of how a technology can provide an opportunity but offer a challenge at the same time.

General Comments:
• Quite an outline you have here—very detailed. This should make the next stages of the project a bit easier for you all, since it’s clear how you’re going to be approaching the ‘three questions’ mentioned in our evaluation document.
• It might help to flesh out this outline with some brief comments on what exactly the divisions mean, and a few major sources that you’ll be using. Of course, this is what you’ll be doing as you work towards the first draft of the wiki, so focusing just on the organization and breakdown of the project is a fine move for now.
• It’s hard for me to get a sense from the outline of what kind of information you’ve come across so far, though it’s clear that you’ve done research, else you wouldn’t be able to break the topics down so well. As you flesh out the outline, do keep in mind that the wiki will be serving both as a sort of information clearinghouse on the topic of social networking—it’ll be a primer on the topic as well as an excellent entry point for research—and as a ‘position’ paper—you’ll be presenting your own stances on the issues that you raise. For instance, you’ll want to compile the information that’s out there on the educational opportunities and challenges associated with social networking, but you’ll also want to be clear about what you think the opportunities and challenges are. Would you implement social networking in educational settings? Given the opportunities and challenges you’ve researched, how exactly would social networking best be used for educational purposes?
• This is a good start. As you flesh out the outline, keep the following in mind: be sure to keep tabs on what the other group members are doing to see if there are points of overlap, points where efforts might be combined; the wiki doesn’t have to be ‘finalized’ until the end, so you might consider including information in the wiki about who is working on what, what information still needs to be added, helpful resources, and suggestions; think of the wiki as potentially someone’s first exposure to the topic of social networking, while also being a resource for someone who has had more exposure to the concept. You’re serving a wide audience here, so you’ll need to cover the basics while also getting into the more complex issues.