Is there no end to the types of social media sites available?

There used to be a time when I could count on one hand the types of cars I saw on the road.  According to my dad there was Fords, Chevys and a handful of Dodges.  Now the options seem to be limitless, but they all share the same purpose...to get you from here to there.


I'm beginning to think the same rule applies to social media.  All that's ever talked about on the news media is the top few.  Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, but in a quick search online there is more social engagement tools than one can shake a stick at. 


In the post, Social Network Technologies, blogger edutechblogger introduces us to Saywire which is either the 21st century teacher's dream or the local high school administrator's nightmare.  In just two minutes time, I found myself moving from link to link.  Each page offered the type of tools that I could have only dreamed of 5 years ago.  My favorite would have to be the learning spaces that are part of the community commons.  edutechblogger suggests using the site for a literature book discussion which could be a fabulous lesson idea for any age learner. 

Considering the half-life of how information changes today at changing at rapid speed and much of the information a student needs is housed in equipment, not necessarily human brain matter (Davis, Edmunds & Kelly-Bateman, 2008) then doesn't it become highly important that as educators we play a prominent role in opening our students up to wider audience of learners?

Just like the cars models of yesterday, social media is evolving into a wider choice of tools to utilize in helping today's learners prepare for where they're headed tomorrow just a bit further on down the road.

Reference

 

Davis, C., Edmunds, E., & Kelly-Bateman, V. (2008). Connectivism. In M. Orey (Ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved from http://epltt.coe.uga.edu/index.php?title=Connectivism