The rise of social networking sites (SNSs) and mobile devices over the past ten years has been one of the most inuential phenomena in digital technology. They are now used by many people who integrate them into their daily lives, and the services and devices are playing an increasing role in mediating the access to knowledge and cultural resources across different contexts of life. As such, the topic of social and mobile networking demands the sustained attention of the educational researchers.
To date, a great deal of work on the topic is still characterized by techno-centric discourse largely underpinned by a deterministic understanding of the relationship between society and technology. This has arguably led to an underestimation of the potential for, and importance of, agency and cultural practices of the user as well as the content and context generation to support community-building processes through the integration with other socio-technical mechanisms such as social networks. At the same time, the analysis of socio-technical mechanisms which support the content and contextgeneration process requires a better understanding of the affordances and potential of social and mobile technologies. The aim of this seminar is to explore educational and socio-cultural perspectives on the use of the increasing convergence of mobile devices and digital media for social networking in formal and informal contexts of learning. These seminars are intended to offer a space for researchers and practitioners to exchange ideas, experiences and research on social mobile networking for informal learning.
An exciting day discussing new educational research and its applications at UBC:
Time/Date: April 16th, 9:15-11:45
Session: Mobile Devices and Digital Media for Social Networking in Learning. Presented by Social Mobile Networking for Informal Learning
Location: IKBLC, Lillooet Room
Registration: http://www.events.ctlt.ubc.ca/events/view/1561
**A light lunch will be served after this session
Time/Date: April 16th 12:00 – 2:00
Session: Dr. Richard Halverson, What Schools Can Learn from Games and New Media as Information Technologies
Location: IKBLC, Lillooet Room
Registration: http://www.events.ctlt.ubc.ca/events/view/1575
Time/Date: April 16th, 2:15-4:00
Session: A Discussion on the Future of Mobile Learning at UBC
Location: IKBLC, Lillooet Room
Registration: http://www.events.ctlt.ubc.ca/events/view/1563>
Description: Following the morning’s presentations on Social Mobile Networking for Informal Learning, join our guests from the SoMobNet, and special guests from UBC, for a discussion on strategies and mobile initiatives. After reviewing the key issues, and previewing coming initiatives at our university, participants will be invited to explore opportunities, articulate needs and define priorities for future planning.
In addition to the SoMobNet group, we will be joined by Natasha Boskic (EPLT, UBC Faculty of Education) to consider the latest developments in the field. Also presenting will be Jan Carter (Manager, Web Services, Information Technology, UBC) who will preview some of the exciting enhancements to our university’s mobile communication infrastructure that are presently being developed.
Location: Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia (hosted by the Centre for Teaching and Learning Technology, CTLT)
SoMobNet (Social Mobile Networking For Informal Learning) is a capacity building network part-funded by STELLAR, the Network of Excellence on TEL funded within FP7 (see http://www.stellarnet.eu). The SoMobNet Theme Team focuses in particular on how network-based technologies may foster the sense of community and reciprocal learning and aims to investigate the following research questions: (1) How can/do mobile devices support workers’ community building through social networks? (2) What models of assessment are possible through new mobile devices in informal learning situations? (3) How can mobile devices support workers’ training between real (e.g., their ofce, or classroom and so on) and online contexts (e.g., social networks)? SoMobNet website: http://www.somobnet.eu
For more information, please contact Lucas Wright, Learning Technology Specialist, Centre for Teaching and Learning Technology
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