Those who saw the "The Social Network" over the long weekend might have been surprised by the reminder of how different life was before Facebook — when "networking website" was a euphemism for online matchmaking and writing on someone's wall would have been considered vandalism. It's undeniable that, in less than a decade, this one particular brand of social networking has grown faster than most others. As Facebook has expanded across campuses and borders, it has faced criticism over privacy and usage issues. Luckily, interesting alternatives are already out there, and others are being developed.
While it sometimes seems like a Facebook profile is the primary way to have an online presence, it does not take much investigation to realize that Mark Zuckerberg doesn't have a monopoly on online social interaction. There are sites that cater to narrower interests and minimize opportunities for self-incrimination, such as LinkedIn for professionals or Last.fm for music fans. We were also pleased to read a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education that highlights a different form of networking centered around college academics. These forums aim to create an online network of students, faculty and administrators and strengthen connections among all those interested in a particular course.
The University of Pennsylvania, for example, recently launched the Open Learning Commons, designed to encourage online interactions focused on course material. According to the Daily Pennsylvanian, the prototype "allows interested people within and outside the Penn community to participate in classroom activities from the Web." The developers of Open Learning Commons claim that this network goes beyond the Blackboard system because of the emphasis it places on social connections between students, professors and interested outsiders.
We are glad to see that the social networking trend is being incorporated appropriately and usefully in college courses. While the MyCourses interface isn't quite as spiffy as Facebook or Brown's new homepage, Brown generally makes good use of technology in and out of classrooms. But we hope that Brown students will take greater advantage of the tools at their disposal for communicating with classmates and professors. Most of us are comfortable using MyCourses to look up assignments, but the discussion boards tend to be underutilized or disorganized in many classes. We're often told to ask questions in class because other students are probably thinking the same thing. That idea also seems to support greater use of online message boards to discuss and inquire about coursework.
It can be difficult to connect with a professor or TA in person or seek help from a fellow student you don't know outside of class, but social networking-type sites offer just the kind of space for communication our generation has become accustomed to using. Brown may not need a separate networking platform to get faculty, staff and students to connect, but by expanding and improving resources like the Blackboard system, we could foster a more connected learning approach within the University.
Editorials are written by The Herald's editorial page board. Send comments to editorials (at) browndailyherald.com.
