CRICOS #00212K

CRICOS #00212K

Do you YouTube? Wanna come to MySpace?

Musings on narcissism in the 21st century student

Yoni Ryan

University of Canberra

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CRICOS #00212K

Narcissism in cyber space?

• www.myspace.com/99696839

• www.myspace.com/your_deepest_fear_of_life

• www.myspace.com/taniapiccolo

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CRICOS #00212K

Kath: Look at moy, look at moiye. Kimmy, look at moiye.

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CRICOS #00212K

Overview

• Examine the social and technological phenomena of social media:

1. by canvassing some of the print media reaction to social media

2. by exploring more serious commentary

3. by suggesting some reasons for the popularity of social media

• Outline the common responses of the HE community

• Suggest some further responses

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CRICOS #00212K

Print media reactions

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Serious commentary

• Demos: ‘Digital Curriculum:Their Space’ 2006

• Twenge San Diego University

• Birkerts: The Gutenberg Elegies 1994

• Dusseldorp Skills Forum 2007

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Why the massive popularity?

• Powerlessness

• ‘Natives’ vs ‘immigrants’ and incomprehension

• Delayed identity formation

• ‘You have zero privacy already’

• Exploration of identity: ‘playing’

• A technical ‘exclusion’ zone from parents

• Our focus on job-ready graduates and online ‘knowledge’

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Common responses in HE

• Alarmism

• Denial

• Limited use as a ‘bolt-on’

• Embedding in curriculum design

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Additional responses

• A thorough overhaul of curriculum design and development

• Innovative use of social technologies for support services

• A re-examination of the role of a university education

• Simplified applications and technical compatibility

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Acknowledgements

I am deeply indebted for technical assistance (and some good discussion!) to Jennifer Jones,

LearnOnLine Manager, UC, and Matt Bacon, Educational Technologist, UC. I have also learned lots from the mashedlc team; see

http://mashedlc.edu.au.

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Alternate responses

• Wikis for community life: http://wiki.case.edu/Main_Page

• Blogs for FYE experiences e.g. Uni Melb:

http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/transition/starting/blog.html (and note last years have come back! Why not all years?)

• Facebook: pick US uni for examples

• http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/news/podcast/eli/ELIEP9 for use of SecondLife via EdNA

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CRICOS #00212K

• http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/pid/1