How is social media changing the world?

Is immediate access to information changing the way learners look at the world?

Clay Shirkey in his video "How social media can make history" provides further insight into these questions. One example, was a recent earthquake in China. The internet had postings from people impacted, before it was even announced by the US Weather Service. In comparison, an earthquake some years back, took 3 months before it was report. The message is that information is a "normalizer". Information often means power and now everyone has access. In the eLearning environment this allows for exploration information in ways previously not available. The eLearner can access information and do research on-demand. The issue, of course, is depth of information. As Howard Gardner indicates in his video on "Education, Social Media, and Ethics", someone will go to wikipedia or one or two sources and think they are now an expert.

Another interesting point Clay makes is that we not only receive information over the internet, but everyone can also be a producer of information quite easily. In the eLearning environment, this blurs the lines between who is the teacher and who is the student. Using this course as an example, I often find/reflect on information from other class members who have posted something, just as I do from the course material. However, in person meetings, the teacher-student role is more traditional. Ernie sets the pace and timing of the information.