Education Use of Social Objects

Can educational content be a social object? Why or why not?

Absolutely! Social objects, by definition, are objects that gets people “talking.” A video clip for example could be shown, with the instruction to discuss its implications afterwards. That video clip becomes a social object. An interesting challenge for educators is how to make their content “social” while still maintaining the necessary content and rigor.

Can assessments or assignments be social objects? Why or why not?

I believe so. I want to throw out something I’ve done and see if it fits the bill. In the Book of Mormon classes I teach, I have the students bring a written (yes, on paper) summary of insights they have gained from their scripture study that week. I will often have student read each others papers as class begins and give each other (positive) feedback on it. In this respect I’m trying to take an assignment they’ve done and turn it into an object for social conversation.

If you've ever taken a class that used a learning management system (LMS) like Blackboard, how compatible does the idea of social objects appear to be with the notion of a learning management system?

I’m using blackboard for the first time this semester and so far it seems like a less-effective way. There are probably features I haven’t explored yet; but it seems mostly like a good way to transmit information (download assignments, take quizzes, etc.), rather than an effective way of encouraging conversation. Wikis or blogs would probably do a better job of that.

A good post on the educational use of social objects was:

http://nogoodreason.typepad.co.uk/no_good_reason/2008/01/whats-a-social.html

A key takeaway I gained from this article was that content itself is a key “social object,” although it often gets pushes aside in favor of other, flashier, objects.

The second post I found was http://opencontent.org/blog/archives/437 Curiously enough this post was from David Wiley and he quoted from the exact same blog I had just read. Weird. Of course, it has good insights—and—just for fun, let’s carefully examine this phrase:

“The campfire does, of course, have important nonsocial functions (like providing heat) just like educational content has important nonsocial functions (like conveying information), but the most important function of both the campfire and educational content is the manner in which it draws people together.”

What is the most important function of the campfire? As one who hates camping (ouch) I have still sat around a few campfires in my day. When I first read this statement I thought, “Well the most important part of a campfire is the warmth” (leading to, the most important part of educational content is conveying information). I was remembering some cold nights.

But as I thought on more recent camping trips I have been on, the campfire really wasn’t for warmth. If you go too close it was uncomfortably hot and there was smoke (I’m sure there are educational analogies to this as well). What kept me warm were my clothes, and at times, a sleeping bag.

This led me to reason that there are other ways of conveying information as well—time spent in class is not the only way students will gain knowledge.

After thinking more about it, I think an analogy similar to the campfire is the dinner table. Yes, part of the family sitting down together to eat is to build caloric intake; however, the most important reason for sitting down together is the social interaction that takes place.