Humans generally have the need to be social. Very few individuals can exist alone. We need companionship to live happy productive lives through socialization. Socialization is a form of communication. We are now using technology as a means of communication. If we look at how quickly social media has become a part of our communication process, we can see the importance and interest it has in our daily life.
By using technological tools such as the Internet to facilitate many different types of collaboration can occur, with this collaboration, we are using constructivism to learn and grow. We can begin to generate our own learning by discovery and experiences. We take our education into our own hands exploring the Internet making connections and sharing information.
The Pew Research Center
Rainie, Lee, Amanda Lenhart, Aaron Smith. The tone of life on social networking sites. Pew Internet & American Life Project, Feb 9, 2012. http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Social-networking-climate/Summary-of-findings.aspx. Accessed on April 11, 2012.
I enjoyed reading your blog, Sherri. You make a valid point about humans being social beings by nature. I like to believe God designed us that way. Studies have shown that social interaction is vital to our physical and emotional health. "Good social interaction is a key part of living well" (Anonymous, 2007). As technology advances, we are finding new ways of making social connections using technological tools. When I was first exposed to email in the mid 1990's it was such a fascinating way to communicate with co-workers and eventually to friends, family and acquaintances. Now we have advanced far past email as a means of using technology to interact with others, and it is still as fascinating to me as email was back then.
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Anonymous. (2007). The importance of social interaction to human health. Retrieved from http://www.traumaregister.co.uk/Articles/Human_Health_Contact.htm
Hey Sherry. I can agree with your post, as even the Bible says that “no man is an island.” It is also said that two heads are better than one; and the foundation of any civilization includes individuals being civil, social, and working together. We have always had a need to communicate since the beginning of mankind. Technology has advanced and enhanced the process of communication, as we can now communicate with others in various forms to include verbally and in writing (both manually and electronically). The technologies that we use today have the potential to greatly improve a students’ learning experience, if used effectively and efficiently. These technologies allow for communication and collaboration amongst students as they learn the necessary content. Additionally, social media is a phenomenon that will only get better as time goes on. It can be beneficial in any setting, if used properly.
ReplyDeleteHi Sherry. I agree with your post too. My background on my Mom's side is African American, and most of my people I grew up with take the communal living set-up very seriously. As a matter of fact, my uncles and aunts had just as much of an investment in my upbringing as did my parents. I also have the fortune of finding out from the family on my Dad's side, whom are Scandinavian, that cooperation is a big deal, even when to most you say to a person in conversation is hello. It will be the actions that follow that make the difference. In both situations, there is a general understanding and expectations of the individuals in contact. I hope this makes sense.
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