How2Day: Social Learning Tools

According to Dr. Nancy Rubin, social learning tools are online or Web 2.0 programs which feature collaborative elements which can be used for teaching or learning. Social learning tools often include interactive elements, user-generated content and some form of information sharing. Some social learning tools are accessible by the whole world, while others may only be accessible to a select few, like a specific school classroom or group.

According to the Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies, weblogs and blogging tools, such as Wordpress and Blogger, are just a few of the most frequently used social learning tools. Blogs like the Big Think, features articles and conversations with some of the world's most celebrated thinkers, and shares this information with the general public. A blog becomes a collaborative and social teaching tool when it allows interaction. The Big Think and a number of other blogs allow readers to ask questions and get responses from typically hard-to-reach people. Micro-blogging tools, like Twitter, also help spread information quickly and can be used for learning purposes.

As another type of social learning tool, hosting and sharing websites typically spread information through an image or sound. Popular sites like YouTube, Flickr and Slideshare, allow users to share a variety of images, and they also provide a platform for educators. A professor or teacher can record a class or lecture and post it on YouTube for a student to view later. A class presentation can be viewed via Slideshare, and images a student needs to recognize for a test can be uploaded to Flickr.

The home of user-generated content and knowledge, wikis provide ways for everyday people to spread what they know, making them a popular social learning tool. Wikis feature information created through a collaborative effort. Everything from writing the article to updating it is typically a social experience. Instead of having a student write a paper, a progressive educator can request that a student or group of students write a wiki entry for an item that doesn't have one, or for an item that needs to be filled out.

A wide range of other collaborative, social learning tools are available on the Internet today, and the number continues to grow. Online websites, like Google or Gaggle, provide applications to store and share a wide range of documents online, so multiple users can collaborate on the same paper or project without ever leaving the comfort of their own homes. Other tools, like Skype, allow students to meet without a physical meeting.

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