Social Media
Though social media are popular teacher collaboration
tools, they are still often used primarily for informal
learning or as adjuncts to online courses. However,
EDC’s research has found that social media offer greater
differentiated and individualized learning than the standard, one-size-fits-all online courses delivered through a
learning management system. They are simple to use,
offer highly personalized content and instruction, and
allow teachers to share ideas and collaborate with a more
intimate group of colleagues within micro-networks or
“social nicheworks.” And their often bite-sized offerings
allow teachers to drop in and out of learning experiences
as desired.
The promise of social media as a mainstream teacher
learning tool continues to improve as a result of ongoing
improvement in both app development and enhancements
in the utility and functionality of social media sites. For ex-
ample, professional social networking sites, such as Edmo-
do, mimic many of the social features of Facebook but have
additional professional functionality that allows teachers
to join groups, attend lectures, co-develop activities, par-
ticipate in blogs, and more.
•;Convergence;of;technology
applications;and;platforms
For;example,;despite;the
startup;difficulties;of;Google
TV;and;Apple;TV;and;propri-
etary;restrictions;by;TV;manu-
facturers,;the;trend;toward
IPTV;and;all;versions;of;web-
enabled;TV;is;expanding;glob-
ally.;By;2016,;it’s;estimated
that;400;million;households
will;have;some;type;of;web-
enabled;television,;while;1. 5
billion;people;will;own;some
device;that;will;connect;tele-
visions;to;the;internet.;Many
HD;televisions;and;companies
offer;backup;video;services,
mobile;services;(such;as;pod-
casting;and;programming;via
cell;phones),;easier;connec-
tions;to;laptops,;and
libraries;of;web;apps;that
allow;users;to;immediately
stream;high-resolution;video
content;to;cell;phones.;Many
consider;programming;such
as;The;Teaching;Channel
( www.teachingchannel.org)
to;be;an;optimal;teacher-
learning;vehicle;because
it;offers;personalized;and
differentiated;learning.
Rapid Global Growth
in Affordable Access
Since;2000,;Asian;growth;rates
in;broadband;internet,;cellular,
and;mobile;coverage;have;far
outpaced;those;in;other;parts
of;the;globe.;According;to;a
2010;U.S.;Department;of;Com-
merce;survey,;households;in
Hong;Kong,;South;Korea,;and
Singapore;have;nearly;universal
access;to;broadband;internet
service;(99%,;97%,;and;96%,
respectively),;compared;to;69%
access;in;the;United;States.
Their;access;is;also;cheaper:
One;megabit;per;second;is
less;than;$0.001;in;Japan;and
$0.21;in;South;Korea,;versus
$1.10;in;the;United;States,;ac-
cording;to;a;2012;Organisation
for;Economic;Cooperation;and
Development;survey.
