Snapchat is Fun and Nice, but I am Not Too Crazy about It

Most of us in the class would have tried Snapchat this week and found it somewhat fun and interesting in using the App to capture a photo or video, adding fun filters, captions, doodles or lenses for selfies. At its core, Snapchat is a photo or video messaging App that allows users to send out brief content in the form of "snaps" to their contacts or followers. As a means of communications, Snapchat is easy to use (if you get used to it), and could be effective for businesses, entertainers and personalities to deliver the intended message to their audience or fan bases.

The really funny and unique thing about Snapchat that still stumps me is the fact that snaps would disappear after they are viewed (ok you have actually 10 full seconds to watch and re-watch the snap). First time users may also find the App's main screen to be a little weird and confusing to navigate around, as the App launches right into the camera view and one would definitely have to get used to the buttons and icons around the edges of the screen.

Once I got around the user-interface, my next challenge was finding and adding contacts. Finding friends was a chore, and a key realization at this point was definitely the fact that only a FEW of my friends are using Snapchat! Perhaps I should not be so surprise, as data had also shown that the heaviest Snapchatters belong to the 16-25 age group (I'm 35, so are most of my friends in my network).

Other than sending photos or videos to friends, I also tried the Chat and "Here" features, which essentially connects you to your contacts. Hmm...nothing new or innovative about these functions, so I thought. I think I am rather comfortable with using my other social messaging Apps, such as WhatsApp or FaceTime, etc.

Finally, Snapchat "Discover" is perhaps the only feature that appeals to me, after spending a few days fiddling around with the App. It allows me to find interesting stories from many editorial teams in the areas of Sports, Entertainment, Politics, News channels etc. The really unique aspect of this feature is that each story is presented in a series of snaps, music and text combined, which make the storytelling a little bit more captivating for the audience.

Periscope - A Game Changer in Live-Broadcasting?

So today I participated in the class's Periscope experiment, and my experience once again reinforced my belief that it has the potential to be a great tool to support learning and learner engagement. Actually, the live stream by Vanessa this morning was not the first one that I had viewed, as I had accidentally chanced upon the press conference by the Dallas Police Chief streamed live on Periscope in the earlier hours of the morning.

We all knew about the #Dallas police shooting tragedy that happened last night. And in the next few hours after the incident, I was keenly following news and updates on the Dallas Police Department (@DallasPD) Twitter page when the link on #Periscope to the live press conference by the Dallas Mayor and Police Chief was tweeted out. I then realized that both my Periscope and Twitter accounts are actually linked, which conveniently gave me the opportunity to watch the live stream of the press conference on Periscope.

Immediately, the first thought that came to my mind was how easy, use-friendly and viral this App is in capturing the crucial moments and presenting it to the wider audience. While I was satisfied with following the updates on the Twitter feed, the option of watching the live-broadcast of the press conference was a welcomed surprise. Rather than reading the text updates, the live stream video provided a more enhanced and personable way to present the breaking news, and offered a more unique experience in storytelling to the audience.

My second thought was on the cross-functionality of social media platforms. In this case, I could immediately see how the network and reach of Periscope was exponentially maximized with just a single tweet out via Twitter feed. Viewership in this example was quickly multiplied and contributed by pedestrian users and lurkers who saw the link, and clicked on it. People who followed @DallasPD Twitter feed might also had received notifications of the live-stream and accessed it on their smartphones, mobile device, etc.

Third, the interactivity of the Periscope tool had provided possibilities for the content owner/broadcaster to engage the audience, and vice versa. In the Dallas Police press conference example, we could see viewers offering their condolences, comments and "hearts" live during the broadcast. If designed as a webinar or conference presentation, audience could possibly interact, ask questions and provide feedback during the live event. Users of this tool can also measure the level of engagement that they had achieved with their audience by the number of "hearts" they received during the broadcast.

In conclusion, I feel that Periscope does offer many possibilities for a more creative way of telling stories, present contents or share breaking news. It is definitely a game-changer in the world of live-streaming, due to its easy to use functions, convenience and of course its cross-functionality with Twitter makes it an even more powerful tool than it seems in this new digital age.

Taking My PLN to the Next Level?

In this week, we explore the concept of Personal Learning Networks (PLNs), and how we can leverage on different online tools and resources for the purpose of either personal or professional development. My biggest takeaway from the Spark Presentation in this week's class is that an effective personal learning network must be specially curated and personalized to one's preferences and comfort level, regardless of the size of the network.

Looking at my own PLN, a big part of it do span a few of the major social networks that are popular in today's social media age, such as Facebook, Instagram, etc. Maintaining my channels of communications and connecting with friends, co-workers, professionals and other like-minded people through social messaging Apps or chat groups had also reinforced the efficiency of my PLN when I need information, crowd source for solutions, seek opinions or simply to have a discussion on an issue. In this course, I am also glad that we would be given the opportunity and flexibility to try out many interesting tools that could potentially take our PLNs to the next level.

One thing I had noticed is that the size of our PLNs to change from time to time. For instance, through engaging in our preferred communities, sharing valuable information and other social interactions, I learned how to build and manage a network that best serves my various interests. Over time, I also got to understand and select what is useful and what is not. Have you ever reach a point where you start to periodically review your Facebook's (or other social media platforms) contacts/links/pages and decide who or what remains? The number of contacts one has is an easy way to define the size of one's network. For example, the graph for my Facebook network over time would look something like this:

This is a simple graph that basically shows my Facebook network's (as defined by number of contacts) size over time. In the beginning, I had tried to expand my network as big as possible, but as time progresses, I learn to downsize (or rightsize) my network in an effort to streamline what proved to be useful for my consumption. Over time, I also went through a series of expansion and contraction in my network, as I engaged new people and new communities, but eventually I will reach a level that I am comfortable with.

Would your graph look somewhat similar to mine?

What is your approach to building your PLN, and do you use any other interesting tools to cultivate your PLN which you might want to share?

My Social Network Diagram

In this week's voicethread, Vanessa shared with us her Social Network Diagram, which I though was a very interesting and effective way to analyze one's degree of exposure on the social media space and areas where there might be context collapse. This has of course inspired me to look at mine, and this is how it looks like:

                                                                My Social Network Diagram

I think it is not surprising to see that Facebook forms the largest piece of my Social Network Diagram, and you could also say that it dominates the majority of my social media airtime. Being one of the earliest form of social network available in this digital age, I believe most people are connected via this platform, including myself who have families, friends, colleagues, classmates, past and present all in one huge network. Instagram, which totally overlaps with Facebook, forms the next piece of network that I belong to. Though not as big as Facebook, I think it is pretty sizable, and certainly increasing as I do frequently get "following requests" from people who are also within my Facebook network. Now Twitter, a network that I had purposefully set up for this course, is relatively small, and inevitably overlaps only a little with my Facebook network. Though I use Pinterest occasionally, I have not really connected with anyone via this platform, and that explains its isolation from the rest of the networks.

Well did you notice the two grey Snapchat and Periscope circles? Those are the new technologies that I may going to try this week, and potentially I can already see some overlaps there with my existing networks. 

So how does your Social Network Diagram look like? 

You may also have notice the green WhatsApp circle on the top right. Though WhatsApp is not really a social network, but a cross-platform mobile messaging app, I am inclined to put it there as I am a rather heavy user of this tool to connect and communicate with a lot of people. Who knows what the potential of this tool could be, considering that Facebook had just bought WhatsApp for $19 Billions not long ago? 

Networks Connect, Communities Care

One of this week's main topics is on Networks and Communities, and it has been extremely interesting for me as I delve deeper to look at the definitions and differences, and trying to draw out some of my personal experiences for examples. On first thought, "Networks" seem so much bigger than "Communities" in terms of sheer sizes. Networks to me are webs of connections, directories consisting of multiple nodes and links that help facilitates personal interactions and relationships. Communities on the other hand, are relatively smaller groups, comprising of people who are more connected at a personal level, sharing a common identity, and being involved and passionate for a common purpose. Based on this perspective, one can simply understand that networks connect, while communities care. Networks are collections of human resources, while communities are connections of human beings. Perhaps the graphics below can give you a better idea of what I mean. 

     

                                                         NETWORKS                                            COMMUNITIES
                               
A simple example of a network that I can illustrate would be the military organization that I work in; a huge web of personnel doing different jobs and serving in different capacities but with a common purpose. The people in this network may not know each other very well personally, but when the need arises for whatever (operational) reasons, contacts and linkages can be easily established through this network. Operating and thriving within this huge network are communities; smaller different groups of personnel who represent a more collective intention and purpose. For example, Infantry branch of Army is a community. The pilots of the Air Force has their own community. The logistics and engineering groups have their own communities. As a community, the people within communicate at a deeper level, and seek to collaborate more closely.

What I have discussed so far are offline examples of networks and communities. What about the networks and communities in the online spaces? I found this interesting graphics online which may provide some clues to what we need to know:

This illustration seems to suggest that (social) networks and communities that we can find in the online space are fundamentally different based on the "glue" that holds them together. For example, Facebook and LinkIn operate largely by connecting their members based on past, present and future relationships, while the social media tools on the right hand side operate as communities that thrive on shared interest that brings people together. What do you think of this delineation between networks and communities?

And also as evident from the above graphics, there seems to be an untapped space in the middle of the line; so do you think there is a middle ground where networks and communities on social media can co-exist as one to provide more value for consumers like us?

Does Social Media make an Experience Less Pure?

Today I came across a rather interesting article where the writer interviews two high-altitude climbers about their experiences and the controversial use of social media on their big climbs. The article is titled "Is Social Media On Big Climbs Destroying The Purist Experience In The Himalaya?", and is accessible via this link here. When asked if social media takes away the experience of climbing, this is their response:

"There seems to be a nostalgia that propagates the idea that climbing was somehow more pure before the social media world erupted. It’s the idea that climbers used to blast off into the great unknown only writing the sparing letter, and returning war-ragged with a harrowing tale. The implication is that the use of social media somehow makes the motivations less pure and that it pollutes the soul of the adventure. Fact is, most expeditions have always employed whatever means available during that specific era to tell the story in as near real-time as possible. When social didn’t exist, people didn’t have the option. They would use runners, then telegraph, then sat phone, then satellite internet, until now when you can have coverage in many areas of the Khumbu and some areas on the North side. It’s just part of the evolution of communication. But to imply not telling a story as it unfolds is somehow more soulful is both a misunderstanding of the evolution of adventure storytelling, and an over-indulgence in one’s own “importance.” We think not to share is far more selfish, and it’s high time we all stop taking ourselves so seriously."

Well, this certainly got me thinking deeper on the arguments for both sides, as well as how our lives today have been so connected to social media that it would almost be impossible to ignore or disregard the use of it. As pointed out by the writer, social media could arguably dilute the "pureness" of the true experience. Should people truly immerse themselves in a particular experience, or let social media "take over" their experience? It is very common to see people anxiously whipping out their smartphones, recording and posting on social media videos of firework displays, performances, shows and other experiences, instead of living in the moment and indulging in the real-time experience. But of course, from the consumer's perspective, one could hardly complain watching all these fascinating and beautiful personal sharings on social media and living vicariously through others' experiences.

From the perspective of the climbers, it is simply a case of the evolution of communication, where there is almost an entrenched sense of inter-connectedness and inter-dependency between the social media and the human element that necessitates the way we tell our stories in today's world. To share or not to share an experience on social media may also be based on personal reasons, and certainly would not be the most difficult decision to make in your lifetime, but it is kind of reassuring to know that social media is just a few clicks away if we ever need to use it to tell our stories.

Can Twitter Really Support Learning & Performance?

Just this week, I set up my first ever Twitter account for the purpose of this course, and am still getting used to the habit of tweeting and sharing relevant information and perspectives on the topics being discussed in the class. Well, we all know that structure drives behavior, right? Similarly, I believe that it could also be argued for the case of exploiting and utilizing social media tools to support learning and performance. I admit I was skeptical in the beginning, questioning how could a tool with a limited 140 characters possibly help me to foster a learning environment or experience? But as I played around more and got familiar with Twitter, I think this might actually work. To reinforce my beliefs, I looked up the internet, and indeed there are many resources out there to suggest how educators or professionals in this field could use Twitter to effect learning. Hence, I will summarize and share my perspectives in this post the ways we can harness the power of Twitter to support and enhance learning or performance.

1. Optimize your lists
Vanessa has shared in the class blog on how to create lists and separate our streams based on topics and interest. I shall also add that the key success factor is not just to create the lists, but to optimize the lists. From the perspective of supporting learners, lists done right could enhance classroom management, provide timely updates to learners, grow the learning communities, focus the conversations, direct learners to the right resources, content and materials, etc.

2. Encourage participation and sharing
Twitter should be a participatory experience; the more active learners are on the platform, the more engaging the experience and the learning they get out of it. Twitter is 24/7 and can be accessed anytime, anywhere. This provides enormous opportunity for instructors and learners to share valuable perspectives, ideas, thoughts, links and related resources without delay. This allows the learning experience to be more current and authentic as learners constantly draw connections and reflect on the different perspectives.

3. Use chats to facilitate discussions, track and follow the issues
Twitter chats could be a great synchronous tool to facilitate discussions and debate on issues, provide immediate feedback, allow learners to ask questions, participate in polls, etc. This process can certainly close the gaps and enhance the interactions between instructors and learners. The Twitter environment could also strengthen collaboration and understanding in the class, encouraging informal information exchange, a critical adjunct to structured learning events.

4. Twitter is "social" media, and it helps!
People like Twitter because it connects them to the society at large! Learners crave a sense of belonging to communities, and this is exactly what Twitter can provide; a personalized experience and unconstrained connections to areas of interest. When used appropriately, educators can certainly use the tool to support and help learners to accelerate their learning curves, optimized their learning experience and expand their "social" circles.