Social Software
Video presentation: Dr Terry Anderson
I wasn't able to make the live meeting, on Oct 24, 2011 (link to video), but I did watched the 1:28 hour recorded lecture by Dr Terry Anderson. I'm curious what people thought about the LANDING (i.e. elgg) site? Do you think it's a good tool for a social learning environment? I went into the landing and "lurked" around as Terry put it. I'm not convinced it’s a robust social learning tool. It has a look and feel of a 10 year old system design. It has affordances, but at what cost? I haven't given it a fair trial yet, but so far the features seem to be comparable to E-Lab Portfolio (ie Mahara.) The idea of following a person’s blog, controlling personal data, banning objectionable material... are similar to joining a group in Mahara. Is it possible to use Mahara as a social learning environment? Can we multi-task or configure the current adopted systems to achieve the the social learning objective?
Terry's raised the point of critical mass as a key issue when adopting a disruptive technology in an educational institution. To me, it's like trying to start a fire in a wet field. If you start several small fires around a wet field nothing catches. But, if you focus all your energy on 1 spot then it’s easier for it to catch on. The Landing does have hundreds of subscribers, but as Terry showed the “tail” graph of user participation, it’s a problem. Most users are like me, “lurkers”. This could be, in part, to the fact that several courses require students to create an account for a mark. Those people have not bought into the idea. Maybe there is a reason for that! I’m not trying to be a naysayer, about social learning, just that the tool may not be the best selection for the job.
I’m installing elgg (the Landing software) at: elgg.rhyon.com to give it a fair evaluation. I found the technical support lacking compared to other systems I’ve installed. (ie Mahara, Moodle, Wordpress) After reading up on the tool, I found out that it’s not the most popular system on the market for social blogging. That title goes to Wordpress, (http://blog-software-review.toptenreviews.com/). I setup a Wordpress server to test out as a comparison at: wordpress.rhyon.com. There are over a million subscribers to this product. The added advantage is that Wordpress is portable, configurable and scalable. It can be adapted to work like a social learning environment. Giving it additional affordances and a universal appeal. Students can take their Wordpress site away with them and re-purpose it in the future. On the home page of elgg site, they only boast 7 high level institutions use their system. I think elgg is relatively simple but might not be the best choice for a social learning environment.
Just my thoughts.
Social software is one of the most well-known applications of Web 2.0 philosophy. Dr. Terry Anderson identifies social software as software that addresses social issues such as: meeting, building community, providing mentoring and personal learning assistance, working collaboratively on projects or problems, reducing communication errors and supporting complex group functions. Many of us belong to one or more public social software sites, such as myspace (http://www.myspace.com/) or facebook (http://www.facebook.com/).
Social software can also be used effectively within a distance education environment. In this unit we will examine social software, in particular the Elgg system as implemented on Athabasca Landing. Dr. Anderson will be a guest lecturer for this unit and will discuss his long-term vision for social software and Athabasca Landing at Athabasca University.
Reference: http://cde.lms.athabascau.ca/course/view.php?id=348
External Video
Forum Discussion
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Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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I wasn't able to make the live meeting, but I did watched 1:28 hour recorded lecture by Dr Terry Anderson. I'm curious what people thought about the LANDING (i.e. elgg) site? Do you think it's a good tool for a social learning environment? I went into the landing and "lurked" around as Terry put it. I'm not convinced it’s a robust social learning tool. It has a look and feel of a 10 year old system design. It has affordances, but at what cost? I haven't given it a fair trial yet, but so far the features seem to be comparable to E-Lab Portfolio (ie Mahara.) The idea of following a person’s blog, controlling personal data, banning objectionable material... are similar to joining a group in Mahara. Terry's raised the point of critical mass as a key issue when adopting a disputative technology in an educational institution. To me, it's like trying to start a fire in a wet field. If you start several small fires around a wet field nothing catches. But, if you focus all your energy on 1 spot then it’s easier for it to catch on. The Landing does have hundred of subscribers, but as Terry showed the “tail” graph of user participation, it’s a problem. Most users are like me, “lurkers”. This could be, in part, to the fact that several courses require students to create an account for a mark. Those people have not bought into the idea. Maybe there is a reason for that! I’m not trying to be a naysayer, about social learning, just that the tool may not be the best selection for the job. I’m installing elgg (the Landing software) at: elgg.rhyon.com to give it a fair evaluation. I found the technical support is lacking compared to other systems I’ve installed. (ie Mahara, Moodle, Wordpress) After reading up on the tool, I found out that it’s not the most popular system on the market for social blogging. That title goes to Wordpress. I setup a Wordpress server to test out as a comparison at: wordpress.rhyon.com. There are over a million subscribers to this product. The added advantage is that Wordpress is portable, configurable and scalable. It can be adapted to work like a social learning envirnoment. Giving it additional affordances and a universal appeal. Students can take their Wordpress site away with them and re-purpose it in the future. On the home page of elgg they only boast 7 high level institutions use their system. I think elgg is relatively simple but might not be the best choice for a social learning environment. Just my thoughts. |
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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| Good point, Rhyon. Athabasca began using ELGG (first as Me2U in 2007, then later as Athabasca Landing, and now as simply The Landing). Mahara (eLab) is a relatively recent addition to the list of tools, it was adopted in 2010. As Terry pointed out, each of them have strengths and weaknesses. I like Mahara as a e-portfolio tool. I think ELGG has better blogging and security. I believe that each of these was brought in as a research tool with money from a research grant. Each has strong proponents. Personally, I would like to see AU support a single social networking package - maybe merging Mahara's e-portfolio within The Landing (replacing the Landing's Pages). But, to be honest, that just isn't likely to happen   |
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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Hello Rhyon, I agree that both the Landing and Mahara have similar features, as they both have blogging, connections and you can follow people in Mahara as well as in the Landing. These features are also useful in a system such as Mahara, because many people can produce relevant content in a blog that they may want to include in a portfolio. So, there is definitely an overlap in both types of systems. Mahara, however, is mainly used as an e-portfolio tool, and this is where it excels. For example, you can easily create different views of your portfolio depending on your audience. You can definitely create a portfolio using the Landing, but it would be more difficult. By the same token, as a social networking app, the Landing is richer than Mahara. However, I do find the Landing's look and feel to be somewhat more clunky and awkward than it should be. The location of the features seems to be arbitrary; I find it hard to find what I need to do. Social networking sites such as Facebook are definitely more user friendly. I agree that many people use it because they have to, not because they think the tool will do the job. So, in short, I do agree that the Landing is probably not the best tool for the job. With so many systems out there, I would say use what is out there already, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. It has most, if not all, of the features of the Landing and many people use it and are comfortable with it. Plus, it allows students to build a larger network of connections, which helps in their careers, as they would have access to a larger social pool. I just don't think Elgg can compete with the likes of Facebook or LinkedIn. Just my two cents.
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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| Hi Rhyon I don't know the technical side of the Landing and ELGG enough to comment but I do see the personal aspects to mass adoption of the Landing. So many of us have existing online networks - to adopt a new one is disruptive so the advantages need to be clear. As a student, this community of practice in 610 is extremely valuable to me. It is hard enough keeping up with it let alone Facebook, LinkedIn etc. Now that I know I can use the Landing to link up with other MDE students in other classes, I'm keen to use it. Following Terry Anderson and others will also enrich my learning experiences. I'm wondering what other AU students value in terms of learning experiences? Maybe it is too much asking them to collectively create another? How does one start a movement?! Guess I should talk to the Occupiers ... Robin T. |
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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| We need people to use it so we can reach critical mass, because we need critical mass so that people want to use it. ;) I understand the need for including social aspects for a cohort made up of students in isolation. Whether they're isolated only by location (such as our cohort), or also by place in time (such as with the continuous enrolment students in various programs). I understand, and expected it for this course, that we are trying out different platforms deliberately. But I suspect that the use of Moodle, Mahara, and The Landing is just too much for Athabasca students in general, and I have doubts as to whether it will ever reach critical mass without arbitrary requirements. I really like Rhyon's wet field analogy; energy needs to be focused somewhere. A single social networking package would certainly be impressive, but of course, that would take someone at the top of the institution who understands what that means and is willing to allocate time and budget to taking this from a standard configuration to one that is customized to work as needed for the institution and students. Is that asking too much? ;) I did notice in The Landing that although there are 33 specific fields in the profile section, there is no field for facebook, twitter, flickr, tumblr, google+, etc... |
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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| My experience is likely influenced by the fact that I find social networking sights like FaceBook overwhelming. While i have created FaceBook sites, I am reluctant to add colleagues as "friends" as I question whether I want a social connection with many of them. I have found LinkedIn a more promising networking tool as the focus feels more professional to me. I have just begun to use the site and have found groups with like interests and have found some valuable posts relevant to my work. I feel that the landing promises that kind of more focused access to the kind of connections I would want to make to enhance my experience as a student and, eventually (maybe) an alum of Athabasca University. |
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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"While i have created FaceBook sites, I am reluctant to add colleagues as "friends" as I question whether I want a social connection with many of them". Probably a good policy!I don't use Facebook, myspace, twitter etc ... simply because I'm a typically non-social, introverted person. However, within the confines of a secure/safe space such as this course or program, I'd be slightly more willing to participate - slightly, very slightly more willing. However, I don't see the value of the Landing etc ... over focussed, course-based discussion forums/fora. There's a certain amount of effort (mental mostly) required to grow and manage interconnected networks such as what is possible in the Landing. Again, I usually hesitate to start conversations with strangers, even online. I did respond to a question by someone on the Landing a while ago, but there was no followup on their part. It wasn't clear if they still needed help or if they were still around or what. If there was a reason, that didn't compete with course requirements, to engage in the Landing, I'd participate (probably). Just my .02. c |
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Re: Concerns about the Landing (elgg)
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| I, too, am not a social networking animal. I subscribe to some, because it is expected of me, but I always forward things to my favorite aggregator - my e-mail package. Some people use social networks to tell the world what they are doing. I, personally, don't think that you want to know where I live or where I went for dinner (or even what article I published this week). But if you want that - a social network is perfect. I do see the need for a social networking package like the Landing at a DE institution. Moodle, and other LMSs, are great for course-based discussion, but University is about more than individual courses. You need to build a community-and with Moodle, once the course is over, your interaction with those students is over. I see the Landing as something that allows students (and faculty) to build a long-term relationship. So, we get started talking to each other during this course in both Moodle and the Landing. Once the course is over, if we want to continue that communication, it is done via the Landing. I think some people try to force a tool like the Landing to be all things to all people (yes, you can drive a screw with a hammer, but it doesn't do a very good job). We should use the appropriate tool for the job at hand. Thus endeth the second lesson! |
Comments
JulioplareQT
16 April 2018, 12:54 PM