Final OLJ Blog: Evaluative Report

Shirley Garcia

Student ID #: 11468539

Info 506: Social Networking for Information Professionals

Lyn Hay—Fall 2010

Part (a):

Through the OLJ assignments, I have had the opportunity to not only explore various types of social networking platforms, but to engage in them and understand the theory that underlies their use. This theory, for me, is the ‘take-home’ message: The specific tools utilized are of lesser importance than the idea or concept behind these tools. The ways in which individuals are learning and communicating are changing. In order to facilitate an environment that encourages growth, the importance of these tools and their applications need to be understood. In my opinion, Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 are concepts that are slowly catching on to many information professionals. I believe this is because younger generations have grown up with many of these tools and find it easier to integrate them into their lives and creative/learning processes. Older models of learning and information seeking are becoming antiquated. Attempts must be made to merge Web 2.0 tools as they evolve and become popular with pre/existing paradigms of learning and their associated methods.

When I began this course, I had a limited understanding of these tools, let alone the concept behind them. Both personally and professionally, I could not connect to their value. Admittedly, I still have reservations regarding privacy and information sharing (see my December blog: information exposure). I do feel that regardless of the mechanisms in place on various social media platforms regarding privacy, once an individual creates or shares information on the internet, it becomes public by the very nature of the tool itself. Yet, despite this feeling I have begun to understand through this course how important these tools are. Privacy is still a matter to be considered, but with responsible use, negative ramifications become greatly minimized.

One example would be my opinion regarding Second Life. I had never used Second Life before, though I have known a few people who used it for various purposes, none of which I would have considered educational at the beginning of this course. I began, as my first post on Second Life describes, as a confused and frustrated user (see my December blog: Adventures in Social Networking Stuff…Part Three). I could not understand it’s value and had to get past technical difficulties of uploading the program and navigating within Second Life. I continually focused on the idea that individuals were forgetting about the simple pleasures of life that are not technology based. This value judgment made it difficult initially to see how Second Life presents the user with the opportunity to learn. While using Second Life, and after finally being able to visit the CSU SIS Learning Center, it began to occur to me how wonderful this program can really be for exploring and learning. For me, the idea of being able to visit learning and information centers that exist all over the world was an amazing realization. There are so many places I would love to visit and learn from, and I can only imagine that many, many people feel this way. I am fortunate in the fact that I live approximately forty-five minutes from Manhattan. I live in a beautiful, quiet, historic part of the United States, and yet I am close enough to still have access to resources like the New York Public Library, Central Park, The Rubin Museum of Art, the MET, the Guggenheim, and the MoMa. As I began exploring Second Life, it occurred to me that using such a tool did not have to be about forgoing what I often refer to as “real-life” (i.e., face-to-face encounters, physical activity etc.-), but it could be about (according to the user) enhancing real-life (see my January blog: Second Life). Programs like Second Life can give the user the opportunity to experience (albeit in a virtual world) and learn about things they may not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in or gain exposure to.

The environments fostered by various Web 2.0 tools can be confusing to the uninitiated. The idea that these tools co-opt more traditional ways of learning can lead many (myself included) to be dismissive of these tools and/or against their use entirely. Learning about these tools (who is using what tool and why), exploring what works for one’s needs (educational needs, basic information sharing, teaching with tools that reach students, etc.-) and what the benefits and drawbacks are of each tool is essential.

It is also essential that one considers his or her own personal preferences (as a writer, I love blogs, I have found Delicious to be a wonderful way of organizing information I find, I entertain myself and learn from YouTube, and enjoy creating Wiki’s, which I do quite often) when choosing which tools to use. In this way, the learning does not cease, but is enhanced for all who participate. Personal strengths can be matched to various needs and desires (especially important when trying to reach a specific population). These tools will continue to change rapidly, yet the message behind them remains the same: It is the experience and process of being an active participant in learning and creating, of knowledge seeking and sharing. To me, that is truly real-life enhancing!

Part (b):

Before beginning this course, I believed that an individual’s immersion in social networking tools depended primarily on whether or not the individual had become accustomed to using these tools at an early age. This course has taught me that this notion is changing rapidly. Yes, many of the articles I have read for this course explained how entrenched young people are in social networking activity, and how they are more apt to learn when engaged in a way that meets their learning style, but many individuals who did not grow up with these tools are also engaging in their use both personally and professionally. Further, these are the individuals who are guiding younger generations regarding safe internet use and effective research skills.

While it is imperative that social networking tools are explored and utilized by anyone guiding young people to better meet their needs (e.g., parents, teachers, information professionals, and members of helping professions, like school counselors), it is equally important to understand that regardless of age or previous experience with internet tools, more and more people rely upon Web 2.0 tools to meet their needs, whether to enhance the creative process, as a marketing tool for companies, to receive up-to-date news alerts, or to access information on any topic imaginable.

In general, as an information professional, the value and dominance of the use of these tools must be appreciated. As a librarian, I believe that it is imperative to integrate the use of these tools. Seeing them as invalid, completely unreliable, or as a threat does not serve patrons or the library system as a whole. Just as card catalogs are now on the computer, librarians need to see that the way information is being accessed and created is changing. For me, the librarian’s/my goal is to be an effective guide to access information. It always has been in my opinion. With new avenues of accessing information comes the need for individuals who know how to navigate through misinformation and unreliable resources, and who can convey effective methods that empower the patron. Perhaps this is the mission for the 2.0 Librarian. It is one that I would be happy to engage in.

As an information professional engaging with young people, the goal (or rather goals) becomes more complex. Guidance is paramount. Learning and creativity cannot and should not be stifled at this stage of development. Intellectual freedom and perceptions of control help foster a positive sense of self. Yet many adults fear for young people using these tools. Often they feel that the educational value of the tools is lost in a sea of potentially harmful content. It is easy to forget the underlying role and purpose of these tools (especially as educational methods), the information it contains and it’s various methods of being created and shared: to aid young people in their search for creative outlets, education, information seeking, critical thinking skills, and self-reliance.

Yes the fear of negative exposure or possible negative off-line implications are real, but the ways to combat these problems cannot be to eliminate their use entirely. To effectively reach students, these tools are necessary. With the rise of mobile devices, it is nearly impossible to stop students from using these tools on or off school property, so why not incorporate the tools in the classroom? Teach students how these tools can be used effectively and safely, and where to go and how to ask for help in a safe, non-judgmental environment (connecting students to information professionals). Engage in the creation of clear concise policies that outline acceptable use and why other use is prohibited. Collaborate with students to include their concerns in regards to policies that affect them and their education. I think the best method; the method I would like to employ when working with young people, is to make them partners in their own learning processes. Combining the tools they enjoy and are comfortable with along with guidance and an understanding of what is needed to serve student needs and organization/school needs. This collaborative method of learning is what the Web 2.0 tools (and beyond) are all about!