To what extent do lecturers & UG students at the Salford University Dissertation

To what extent do lecturers & UG students at the Salford University prefer to use social network or Black Board for the benefit - Dissertation Example Far more than a medium by which taxes can be filed and checkbooks can be balanced, computing technology has evolved in recent years to permit a level of social interactivity never before possible. The mere transmission of messages from person to person is an obvious consequence, but was already a telecommunications reality long before the onset of the digital age. Of vital consequence of the proliferation of computers becomes not simply a way to send simple text messages across any terrestrial distance, but a way in which vast groups of people, all over the world can interact with and know one another despite any challenge of geography. McLuhan in 1962 described the concept of a 'global village', (McLuhan, 1962) a new realm in which the transmission of information between individuals would accelerate in an unprecedented way. One message can be read by 10,000 people with no more cost or exertion to the original sender than the click of a button. This is a function of social media webs ites. Surveys indicate that over 50% of Europeans alone spend more than 3 hours on social network sites. (57%) (ComScore inc., 2009). For more statistics details on social media traffic see appendix section (Diagram L2). 1.2 DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF SOCIAL MEDIA In this context, a social network can be defined as an online, web based site that permits users to perform the following: 1. Create a public profile within a bounded system, though varying privacy options exist. 2. Publish a list of other users of the site for which affiliation, association, or affection exists. 3. Control their listing of connections, as well as explore the collections made by others with whom they have access as designated within the site. 4. Prepare post and share content in a variety of formats: text, video, and audio files. In the other hand other researchers have differing opinions on the validity and constitution of social media websites. Alternative definitions expand upon – for a more thoro ugh understanding of the 'nuts-and-bolts' of social media and social enterprise Moro-Soto defines such an outlet: i. Discussion forums (mandatory) ii. Blogs (mandatory) iii. Wikis iv. Instant messaging v. Videoconferencing vi. Documents sharing (mandatory) vii. Collaborative documents creation viii. Project or tasks management ix. (Moro-Soto et al. 2009 p.6) In the appendix section diagram (L1) shows the launch day for some of the social media. These functions of a networking site are more useful in the establishment of collaborative learning experiences. Efficient options for computer users are embracing a more directed purpose. Certain office related functions involving creative projects that require the expertise of many individuals would benefit from this approach, especially where the above-mentioned applications are facilitated using 'cloud' computing. 1.3 WEB 2.0 Through the internet, communication and various forms of exchange have been possible for years; but the above appl ications have been dubbed by certain researchers (Redecker) as Web 2.0. Higher level collaborative interactions and interconnectedness between individuals was not ease possible in earlier eras. The functions that comprise Web 2.0 have been defined as possessing the following utilities. (Redecker C. 2009p. 31-39), (Ala-Mutka, 2009 p.36,37): 1. blogging 2. podcasting 3. collaborative databases 4.