First class covering course requirements and introduction to web 2.0, social media, online community, etc.

1. Web 2.0 & Online Communities, Summer School 2011
Day 1: It’s really happening!

2. Andrew Long (me)
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3. Why this course?
The Internet has undergone a seismic shift in the way
people communicate and share information online.
Social web‐based tools coupled with greater access to
higher‐speed Internet have enabled user communities
to form worldwide around common interests or goals.
It is within these communities that users can easily
share, communicate, and participate to foster a
thriving online information sharing space.
Consequently, an increasingly necessary skill in the 21st
century for both individuals and organisations is the
ability to create and manage community‐facing
websites.
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4. In general we will
... an understanding of the social and
technological developments underlying the
use of the Internet for the sharing of user‐
generated content, the formation of social
networks and other types of community, and
communication within these communities.
Students will devise, plan and develop (in
groups) a website for an online community to
cement these concepts.
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5. But more specifically
Gain a solid grounding in social media
concepts and services
Practical experience implementing social
media to foster and grow online communities
Appreciation of wider societal issues resulting
from changes on internet
Practical experience writing and setting up
blogs and generating other online content
Opportunity to work collaboratively on an
web technology centred project
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6. Expectations
Attend and actively participate in all classes
Contribute to online discussions on related
social spaces (e.g., wiki) and add content
Work collaboratively and constructively with
your fellow students
Create Twitter, Facebook and blogging
accounts and keep active (using your own is
fine)
Provide feedback by talking, tweeting,
completing online surveys, etc.
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7. Course will be delivered thus
3 x classes per week on Tuesday, Wednesday,
& Thursday from 10:00‐12:00
No textbooks or paper
In this room (COG05/Macgregor lab)
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8. Assessing your performance
Assessment Weighting Total
Blog assignments 3 x 5% 15%
Group project: 40%
• Report 15%
• Prototype 15%
• Presentation 10%
Final Examination 45%
Total 100%
Group project with 3 other students
Presentations to expert panel (df. Dragon’s Den)
Final examination to be digital?
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9. This week (Week 1)
Tuesday:
– The course
– Introductory material
Wednesday:
– Set up social media accounts
– Add content to own wiki pages
– Explore blogs
Thursday:
– Social media services (closer look)
– Social capital, online community & social networking
Fill out survey (frontpage of wiki)
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10. Internet Research Group of Otago (IRGO)
http://irgo.otago.ac.nz
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11. End of part 1
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13. Is it a revolution?
[Made by Socialnomics]

14. [Source: Wikimedia Commons]

15. The original web (read only)
[Adapted: http://www.sizlopedia.com]

16. The new web era (read/write)
[Adapted: http://www.sizlopedia.com]

17. What is social media? (Wikipedia)
“Social media describes the online
technologies and practices that people use to
share opinions, insights, experiences, and
perspectives with each other.”
“Social media can take many different forms,
including text, images, audio, and video.
Popular social mediums [sic] include blogs,
message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs.”

18. 18
Broad categories (Wikipedia)

19. Typical Characteristics
Participation:
– Readers/viewers/consumers/producers ...
– User generated content (UGC)
Accessibility:
– Anyone can participate regardless of ability
Conversational:
– Two‐way, interactive as opposed to broadcast
media

20. Typical Characteristics (cont’)
Community:
– Over time communities form around common
interests/purpose
Connectedness:
– Links to other websites, people and communities
Transparency:
– Actions are public and persistent
Attention:
– Maximising eyeballs and committment

21. Why do people do things online?
Fun/easy/free Peer pressure
Reputation Efficiency
Reciprocity Sharing
Group identity Ambient intimacy

22. The long tail phenomenon

23. Living in the cloud

24. What about old media?
“It is difficult, indeed dangerous, to underestimate the huge
changes this revolution will bring or the power of developing
technologies to build and destroy ‐ not just companies but
whole countries.”
“This knowledge revolution empowers the reader, the student,
the cancer patient, the victim of injustice, anyone with a vital
need for the right information.”
“... is the success of a company we bought last year called
MySpace.com.”
[Source: Rupert Murdoch of News Corp, 2006]

25. Support Presidential campaigns
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26. 26
Top 10 websites by traffic (Alexa.com)

27. [Source: Sakey, 2010]

28. Considerations
Social media is not: Other issues:
– ... a panacea – Authentication
– ... free – Privacy & security
– ... one‐way traffic – Permanence
– Copyright
– ... ROI immediate
– Migration
– ... casual
– Equitable access
– Exhaustion!

29. How much about you is revealed?

30. The end
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