I first heard about this little social-networking giant when my then-14-year-old suddenly seemed to be taking a serious interest in photography. Since then, I've come to see Instagram as more like the next Facebook than just another cellphone app (FB was smart to acquire it!). It's almost game-like because it blends photography and socializing in a playful way, and only partly because of all the … [Read more...] about Instagram: U13s’ No. 1 workaround?
Global ‘collective of information’: Student
A couple of things 21-year-old US student Charles Tong told YPULSE in its latest "millennial interview" reminded me of a study of Brazilians his age. Referring to the site where President Obama made a seemingly impromptu appearance this week, Charles talked about how reddit is one of his favorite social sites "because it easily connects me to millions of other anonymous like-minded users around my … [Read more...] about Global ‘collective of information’: Student
Individual & social ’embodiment’ online: Key eating-disorders study
"Eating disorders affect between 1 and 4 percent of young adult women" and are on the increase, diagnoses having "risen more than 50% since the 1970s," according to the authors of "Pro-anorexia Communities and Online Interaction: Bringing the Pro-ana Body Online." But, before this important study, rare coverage in the news media did little besides increase speculation that these communities are … [Read more...] about Individual & social ’embodiment’ online: Key eating-disorders study
Some mobile learning myth-busting
As I read "5 myths about mobile learning," I realized how literal we are in our assumptions – and how much we base them on a technology's physical properties. When you really think about it – or compare the assumptions to the reality – it can make you smile (if you don't let yourself get discouraged by the resistance these assumptions symbolize). The first few myths educator Nicky Blockly shares … [Read more...] about Some mobile learning myth-busting
‘Bullying’ & ‘peer victimization’: Clearer terms, better communication
I suspect two reasons why people (mistakenly) think cyberbullying is on the rise are… Its increased visibility: Cruel words and behaviors are unprecedentedly public now, because of the social Web, so that's what's actually growing – the exposure – which is sometimes confused with the behavior itself. The confusion needs to be cleared up. The exposure may be scary, but it's a net gain because … [Read more...] about ‘Bullying’ & ‘peer victimization’: Clearer terms, better communication