Social Networking in an Academic Library - Term Paper Example

Social networking Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Abstract Web 2.0 improves education through inspiration. The rate at which technological innovation is changing is very fast. This presents teachers and learners with challenges and opportunities. It is important that educators consider adapting technology in their curricula for good educational effect. This paper analyses some of the organizations that implement web 2.0 technology with success. It also highlights mechanisms that technologists and educators can collaborate to make academic libraries productive and more efficient when it applies. Web 2.0. Technology transforms traditional models of sending and receiving information from static Web pages to developing blogs and video sharing among many more techniques that are new. The paper recommends to the university the best way to implement the Web 2.0 program in the academic library while discussing some of the sources that the management can find information regarding the program. This paper ends speculation about the valuable contributions that social networking will add to the education community and especially if academic libraries start using the technology. Outline i. Abstract ii. Introduction iii. Literature review iv. Scope v. Reasons for choosing social networking vi. Social networking services vii. Social networking theories viii. Social networking and project management ix. Conclusion Introduction Web 2.0 is a collection of new sites where people share content, collaborate, apply design patterns, and discuss issues that transform the consumers of information on the Web. The term refers to wikis, blogging, social networking, mash-ups, virtual societies, and multiplayer online gaming. Technology has transformed Web applications over the last decade and this creates excitement among learners and educators within the educational community. The components of Web 2.0 differ in functions and forms. The tools and services of Web 2.0 support learning within academic institutions and are crucial if academic libraries install and use them (O’Reilly 2005). Web 2.0 inspires interaction because its applications are in-built and revolve around sharing of content appropriately among users. It has different forms that facilitate different ways of creating content and enables users to dive their communication processes. Content generation centres on the user. Considering the fact that communication, creation, and collaboration is important to students and educators, applying Web 2.0 in academic libraries will improve learning because it has great potential. Installing social networking operations in academic libraries is an assurance to the education sector that the technology will transform teaching and learning. This will result in education changing the Web and the Web will change education. The Web 2.0 offers the education community a fundamental change in the way students and teachers find content on the Web, apply, and use the same. It is a platform where people promote and harness collective intelligence. Social networking makes the education stakeholders who use the academic libraries participants on the content on the Web as they create and interact with a variety of services and other users. Literature Review O’Reilly (2005) explains that in the over the last ten years Web 2.0 has penetrated most institutions and the education community is not an exception. Web 2.0 combines various technologies that include mash-ups, Web services, new systems of applications that include social networking, interaction methods that are new, and fresh organizational standards. Back (2008) underscores how libraries can use Web 2.0 and its technological applications to transform learning and teaching. Alpar (2008) explains how his quantitative empirical research identified the objectives that academic libraries can set out to achieve and further mentions challenges that could arise while implementing social networking. Creswell, (2008) examines conceptualization of the social networking as well as explaining how it diffuses along with technological innovations. Creswell, (2008) further covers the range of applications within the education community and important factors of success. He specifically uses the content structuring method of assessment. In his analysis, Client Vela, (2008) castigates other researchers for failing to define Web 2.0 precisely. Bughin (2007) supports Creswell, (2008) assertion by claiming that most studies do not classify different types of application, organizational standards, and technologies in social networking. To support his statements, Bughin (2007) mentions that no scholars illustrate institutions that use social networking in their libraries. They dwell on the technical aspects of social networking forcing the definition of the term to revolve on combinations. Core Media, (2007), explains that the greatest advantage that academic libraries can take is that the level of popularity of social networking among the users of the Web averages over ninety percent. The education community interacts with the outside world highly yet the enterprise sector uses the Web to the degree of over seventy percent (IBM, 2008). Adapting this technology will therefore, expose the users of the academic library because it increases their levels of interaction with people and services (Leibhammer, 2009). Scope The university will install the social networking program for use by all people who access the library. The university will hire experts in technological innovations to conduct an orientation on the usage in addition to installing the required programs. The system will create an interactive platform for educators, learners and other library users to create, post, and develop content. This will enable them to post articles, journals, and other literature materials. The social network will make it possible for educators to assess learners’ assignments while students will get the opportunity to interact with their instructors online (Young, 2007). The program will allow the institution to interact with the outside world because it will post major issues, ceremonies, and events on the social network for both the corporate enterprises and the entire public to access. The program will allow accessibility basing on user rights. The University will need to invest hugely in this program because the benefits are worth the input. Reasons for choosing social networking The number of internet users keeps increasing tremendously by virtue of the entire world going digital because of technological innovations. Increase in the number of users translates to an increase in engagement. The social networking program permits virtualization of interactive exchange practises among students and educators in the university. It for these reasons among many more that the university should start using Web 2.0 in the library because it will emphasise the intense and outstanding activities on the web creating a positive culture among the users in the institution (Client Vela, 2008). The education sector is experiencing diverse development in technology, increased mobility, and development in bandwidth. This increases the level of engagement; as such, the university requires a bigger storage capacity. Through social networking, members of the university will experience high speed streaming on the media and quick processes of downloading files. This is because of the high-speed broadband connectivity that comes with the installation of social networking services. The wireless social networking connectivity makes the availability services ubiquitous. This gives an additional benefit to users in need of mobile connections. Users who include educators and learners can carry their laptops, iPods, android phones, and other mobile phones for use while in the library. The program will enable them to access internet on their wireless gadgets. The cost of central data storage is the lowest now and the price keeps reducing. This makes it affordable for users to download and upload materials. Social networking makes the exchange of ideas and knowledge universal and a perfect convivial platform for interaction of users. Since users are always on, it gives them a chance to create communication channels relevant for them to use (Koch, 2008). Social networking will transform the university from the traditional mortar and brick institution to the modern electronic flows in the virtual world. This is the real world where people reduce overheads and strive to cut on prices of goods and services. The institution will extend its welfare services to members through free access to the internet because most Web 2.0 services are free. However, the university will use the program to generate income through marketing and advertisement using alternative premium versions. Social networking services The social networking program will offer reflective, expressive, and exploratory services to the users within the library. In addition, users will enjoy leisure activities that include social games. Computer games are competitive and this makes it possible for people in different geographical locations to participate in a structured manner. The games can involve educational trivia, crosswords, puzzles, and essays. The program offers an expansive space for media design, publications, and sharing of knowledge (Creswell, 2008). It increases the capacity to share files, downloads, and materials produced in amateur forms. The need for these services is the reason behind increased manipulation of digital media that also enhances creativity. The program will allow the university to introduce expressive activities that are real in digital materials. Through this, users will access internet subdivisions that allow broadcasting of literature, sharing, and publication of literature materials. Learners and educators will develop content and post for review by others. The Web 2.0 technology replaces traditional reflective outlets that include notebooks and diaries. A variety of formats provided by Web 2.0 includes social networking and is more available online. It is convenient for users to develop individual identity and create a rapport among them. They will be able to post and exchange digital materials among people with similar interests. Social networking gives room for searching and filtering exploratory activities. The network increases the participatory nature of the users making them to remain constantly in touch with current information. Syndication is software that users use in the network to use feeds that generates requested information automatically after logging into the system. Since it is installed for academic use, podcasts, and portals will help users to explore and publish files (Komus, 2008). In summary, the Web 2.0 will help users to collaborate, publish, literacy, inquiries, and development of new forms learning. Social networking theories Connectivism theory describes the process of learning in a digital model. It centres its reasoning on the fact that learning is a process that involves the formation of a network. It adds the social aspects to the learning process. The theory has several principles including the assertion that learning requires diversity of suggestions and the process permits the selection of the best mechanism. The learning process lies in formation of networks and linking specific sources of information. Connectivism theory holds that the urge to venture into new areas surpasses the comfort of known knowledge and gaining knowledge is a constant ongoing process and not a product. The education is sector thrives on recognising patterns to make sense from ideas, concepts, and varied fields (Core Media, 2007). Social networking involves relations that support associations in multiple disciplines involving hobbies, interests, research goals, competence, and work. This allows the learners to apply the connective capacity to become more creative. Other theories suggest that technology supports the process of acquiring knowledge. The cognitive context that comprises of cultural characteristics, environmental characteristics, and situational settings determines the shape that learning takes within different environments. Social networking and project management The standards and benefits associated with social networking help to improve communication within the project team. When the leadership of the project team borrows the techniques from diverse platforms, they make their communication channels efficient and effective (Herrmann, 2007). People share information and communicate through these platforms. Social network has become part of people’s lives because they always visit their sites to keep themselves updated with what happens in the world. People post their comments as they converse with their friend. This is important since it helps them to communicate quickly and easily (O’Reilly 2005). The Web 2.0 offers managers a better platform that they use to improve project plans, processes, allocate resources, delegate duties, identify tasks for project members, and manage documents. Technology makes the work of managers, better, enjoyable, and easy. Conclusion Academic institutions must embrace and appreciate development in technology. The use Web 2.0 is real and installing the same in the library will transform the learning and teaching process. Social networking is part of the various forms of Web 2.0 that the management of the university needs to install in the library to facilitate the learning process. Other enterprises are enjoying the benefits that Web 2.0 and if the university will successfully outline its organizational principles, the network will help the user to capture, use, reuse, and transfer information quickly and efficiently. References Alpar, P. (2008). Blaschke, S. (eds.): Web 2.0. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Back, A. (2008). Understanding the Value of Web 2.0. New York: John Wiley &Sons. Bughin, J. (2008). Building the Web 2.0 Enterprise, Retrieved from: http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/. Client Vela, V, (2008). Web 2.0 in practice. New York: Pearson publishers. Core Media, (2007). Research in technology in education. New Jersey: Pearson Publishers. Creswell, J. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. New Jersey: Pearson Publishers. Herrmann, H. (2007). Internet and Intranet 2.0 – Retrieved from: http://www.oscar.de/. IBM, (2008). Impulse: IT and E-Business in organizations. New York: Mc-Graw Hill. Koch, K, (2008). Enterprise Web 2.0. New York: Mc-Graw Hill. Komus, (2008). Management of social networking. New York: Pearson Pub. Leibhammer, J., (2009). Analysing the impact of Web in project management. New York: Mc-Graw Hill. Young, P. (2007). Social Software: A Revolution for Communication? New York: John Wiley &Sons. Read More