Idea to Develop:

Situating Social Software: An Induction Week Group Research Activity

Red Group

Introduction:

An
induction week groupwork research exercise for students that helps
orientate them to Higher Education in terms of social software
tools they may use during their studies.

The
groupwork element is part of the induction week 'getting to know you'
process.  Importantly, as this is an induction week activity it will be
'across disciplines'. Similarly, the research element also works to
introduce students to what they can expect over the course of their
studies. Mick Healey (University of Gloucestershire)
in his 'Mainstreaming research and enquiry through the Curriculum'
paper as pointed to the value that research exercises can have for
animating students during induction week. This induction week research
exercise will focus on the 'digital divide'.

Addressing
the 'digital divide' will present students with opportunities to
reflect on their own opportunities in relation to social software and
how this connects with global access (and non access) to ICT and
education. A key aim is to foster critical, reflective thinkers within
the HE context from the first week.

 

Target Group of Learners:

Undergraduate students across disciplines. 

This would be organised on an institutional basis.

Context of Use:

 Two sets of documentation will be needed. Firstly, on the use of blogs, and secondly, on the digital divide.

1. A blog is a web-based log and using existing suitable blog applications (blogger; word press), students will develop a blog in response to a specific question/theme.

The
blog will be set up by students within a group and group members will post
materials and ideas on the site. Blogs are often used as a way to
disseminate research and to maintain a discussion. In this respect,
students will use the blog as a research platform, as a hub during the
presentation if appropriate, and a post-presentation forum for other
groups to post comments. This is a crucial way to move beyond a 'final
output' approach and to encourage ongoing debate and peer review.

The peer review element is crucial. Jill Walker Retteberg in Blogging has suggested that "blogging is as much about reading other blogs as about writing your own" (2008: 1). This exercise is crucial for understanding blogs as a social and collaborative tool, and for carefully exploring the research findings of others and commenting.

2.In terms of the digital divide, the following points will underpin the discussion.

Students would look at OECD website (www.oecd.org) and look for countries with reduced access to ICT and lower participation in home computer ownership and broadband access.

The following questions are starting points:

Which countries are they?

Choose 1 country (not your own home country) from the lower end of the list and research the following:

Why is this country towards the bottom of the list?

What are the implications for:

• 
  

  the economic development

  
  
• 
  

  education of the people

  
  
• 
  

  employment opportunities for the people of the country?

Is the government trying to improve the situation? Either way, why?

If
the government is working towards improvement in this area what
measures are they taking and/or programs are they putting in place?

Intended Learning Outcomes:

1. Develop understanding of different social software tools and how these can be used within a collaborative research project.

2. Reflect on the implications of the digital divide.

3. Work blog materials/discussion into a 5-10 minute presentation.

4. Present presentation to other groups and use blog as means to extend the discussion beyond the presentation.

5. Work in groups to provide and receive peer review (via postings to other groups blogs)

6. Present a final 'report' including peer review comments.

 

Feedback and Assessment:

The blog offers a place for others to post feedback, (one
group feeding back to another group after viewing one another's
collaboratively created resource). Thus, peer feedback would replace
tutor feedback and be delivered via a blog.

 

Motivations and Expected Benefits:

1. Developing friendships during the induction week period

2. Familiarising oneself with specific skills within HE context (social software, groupwork, research, peer review)

3. Engagement with a contemporary global issue