Social Media and Learning

 I am really in love with this notion, especially within our current culture, where social media has such a heavy presence. If that power could be harness for collective knowledge sharing for a benefit of society, what a beautiful thing that would be. In my days of youth I remember teachers always dismissing Wikipedia. It was a common statement from high school teachers and professors, now I think it's taken a little different. Wikipedia is a valuable tool, it an exceptional way to explore the big picture. From this vast outlook one can then delve into the chinks, fissures, and crevices they so desire. Isn't that how our desire for knowledge often starts? So, why were we so swift to vilifying Wikipedia? Today, I think we see this with A.I. As we a suddenly faced with a new litany of what-ifs. Now, lets look beyond the horrors of omni Consumer Products and Cyberdine. I'm trying to focus on the good it can do. Could you imagine being able to reference and work along side, or even discuss different ideas with A.I.? There is almost a whimsy to it. Or learning to effectively work the A.I. to make it do what we so need it to. There will be challenges, and it will impact us as a culture, just as social media has, just as television, just as the printing press. 

Engagement is a vital element to learning, and being able to effectively learn in an environment that is engaging to a user could lead to better, and more board knowledge absorption. People are varied, board, and different, as our learning options also need to be. Social Media is a large arena in our lives today, to dismiss the possible learning within that realm, is dismissing many potential future opportunities.