Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy

With the ever increasing ubiquity of smart phones and mobile devices, social networking has become a trend that has captured attention and interest of one and all. Young people, middle aged, and older generations are all engaged to certain extent in some sort of social networking over the web. While there are both pros and cons attached to the use of social networks, the usage of social media interestingly has always shown an upward trend in popularity and consumption. Are there real benefits in getting connected to people using social networks? Or does the use of web based social media actually isolate people and diminish the necessity of meeting face to face? Do we really learn from using social media? Does the use of social networks enhance collaboration and promote motivation and collective intelligence and learning? This research based discussion evaluates social media as an emerging educational and performance improvement tool from the perspective of social cognitive theory and social constructivist theories. We discuss some existing research that used social media as a teaching learning tool. We end this discussion with a decision making framework matrix for educators contemplating using social media within their course pedagogy.

Tim Berners Lee (1998), the inventor of World Wide Web said, " The concept of the Web is of universal readership"... "The dream behind the Web is of a common information space in which we communicate by sharing information. " As consumers of the World Wide Web-an open, free, non-proprietary product, we cannot ignore the immense value and impact of the global system that Lee had created. Very few people in the world today can imagine a life without accessing the web for information or communication purposes. Several organizations heavily rely on the use of the Web and the Internet for their existence. This professional knowledge and skill discussion has changed contexts and circumstances under which organizations and businesses function in the era of media and web based technologies. It advocates innovation, creativity, and collaboration as a community-as the mantra for a successful enterprise. The discussion takes a closer look at some traditional media giants; some new successful web based media that have emerged during the past decade, by disrupting the foundations of the traditional media; and lastly, some very new, recent and fresh innovations in the media world for the Workforce Learning Professional (WLP). The discussion ends by addressing the various ways in which the potential of the Web enabled "Universal University" and the emerging social media can be used by organizations to achieve a shared purpose and add value to the global society. The Evolution of the World Wide Web 1.0, 2.0, 3.0…. We are living in a technology driven world. With the increasing use of the World Wide Web, Web 2.0 and, recently, the Web 3.0 in the workplace, organization work culture has undergone a major cultural shift during the last two decades. Availability and access to affordable and fast broadband Internet from workplace, home, or on the move (airports, on the flight, hospitals, malls, etc.) have opened up new opportunities to work, interact, socialize, cooperate, collaborate and communicate. Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 have changed the way in which the users interact with the World Wide Web. Unlike Web 1.0, users now,

Tim Berners Lee (1998), the inventor of World Wide Web said, “ The concept of the Web is of universal readership"... "The dream behind the Web is of a common information space in which we communicate by sharing information.” As consumers of the World Wide Web - an open, free, non-proprietary product, we cannot ignore the immense value and impact of the global system that Lee had created. Very few people in the world today can imagine a life without accessing the web for information or communication purposes. Several organizations heavily rely on the use of the Web and the Internet for their existence. This professional knowledge and skill discussion has changed contexts and circumstances under which organizations and businesses function in the era of media and web based technologies. It advocates innovation, creativity, and collaboration as a community - as the mantra for a successful enterprise. The discussion takes a closer look at some traditional media giants; some new...

With the ever increasing ubiquity of smart phones and mobile devices, social networking has become a trend that has captured attention and interest of one and all. Young people, middle aged, and older generations are all engaged to certain extent in some sort of social networking over the web. While there are both pros and cons attached to the use of social networks, the usage of social media interestingly has always shown an upward trend in popularity and consumption. Are there real benefits in getting connected to people using social networks? Or does the use of web based social media actually isolate people and diminish the necessity of meeting face to face? Do we really learn from using social media? Does the use of social networks enhance collaboration and promote motivation and collective intelligence and learning? This research based discussion evaluates social media as an emerging educational and performance improvement tool from the perspective of social cognitive theory an...

This paper reports on a naturalistic research project that was conducted in response to the educational concerns of the coastal rural communities of Labrador Straits. The research project investigated the current provision of education available to the children and the youth of these communities and found that due to declining population, changing demographics, lack of qualified teaching staff in the region and several other interrelated factors, there was an increased reliance on online learning in the small rural schools of the Straits as well as other rural regions of the province.

In April 2006, the Michigan State Board of Educa on and Michigan Legislatures adopted a rigorous package of high school gradua on requirements, one of which made Michigan the first state that incorporated an online learning gradua on requirement into the K‐12 curriculum. All Michigan's students entering high school during 2008‐2009 school year were required to complete online learning during their course of high school studies in order to graduate. Michigan Virtual School helped the schools in Michigan to fulfill this requirement by developing a 20‐hour online learning course called “Career Forward”. In December 2008, the Michigan Virtual University provided the Na onal Repository of Online Courses access to the CareerForward course content, allowing students from anywhere in the United States, the ability to access CareerForward free of charge. This evalua on study was conducted to provide Michigan Virtual School with informa on to improve the design and delivery of the Career ...