Social media and education

In a fascinating infographic, we get a look at how social media is used around the world by a variety of countries. Some stats might surprise you.

If your impression of social media is limited to your friends posting cat videos and teenagers glued to their iPhones – think again.

Social media possesses incredible influential power, and since the advent of the Internet it's evolved from a simple way for people to keep in touch into a massive global network connecting organizations, communities and people.Social media is the easiest, fastest and most explosive way to transmit and receive information! And best of all – absolutely anyone can take advantage of it.

Check out the infographic to learn how to embrace the ubiquity of social media and use its power to better yourself, your business, or cause, and find a host of statistics and facts that may surprise you about the influence of social media...

My classmates and I are in the Design for Social Innovation program because we identified problems in our communities, companies, or cultures and are keen to figure them out. But before talking about any solution or outcome, one must first frame the problem—by thoughtfully examining the system it’s part of to understand where and how to get involved.

 Learning to use systems thinking, a holistic approach to problem solving that emphasizes contextual understanding, has helped me with team management, project planning, creative work, and even relationships. And for wicked problems like healthcare that confront business, nature, and society, it’s proving to be imperative.So, where to even begin? “We have to invent boundaries for clarity and sanity,” advises systems thinking pioneer Donella Meadows. Sometimes a simple infographic works to tell the story. Designing visual maps and models helps us immediately find connections and describe relationships. Creating models helps in seeing the big picture and one's place within it.

We're all already using Twitter it seems. But should we? This flowchart answers the big question: should you use Twitter?

While the origins of social media can be traced back to the late 1970s, the medium didn’t really begin to develop until 1993, with the world wide web.

From here, we never looked back. But even as far as 2006 social media was predominately a text-based pursuit. So what’s changed since?

The global domination of YouTube, the rise of Pinterest and the success of Instagram has made social media an increasingly visual platform. And with good reason: users are far more likely to engage with brands who post images and video, and, subsequently, both Facebook and Twitter have taken steps to better-incorporate this content into their channels over the past twelve months.

This infographic takes a closer look at how the shift to a visual social world has developed, and includes six tips for brands on how to use these tools to bolster their marketing strategy.

A massive survey of internet users reveals trends in social media usage across numerous platforms, ages, races, genders, population density and more...

The Pew Research Center has released the results of a comprehensive survey, conducted over several years to evaluate which demographics were using social media, and on which platforms. Which social networking sites emerged on top?

Of the online adults surveyed at the end of 2012:

Find more statistics, findings and takeaways on how Americans appear to be using social media, based on this recent study.

Are passwords dead?

According to Wired's Mat Honan, they ought to be. Honan is the technology journalist who was hacked last year. In just a few minutes, his entire digital life, including photos of his young daughter, disappeared. If it can happen to a tech-savvy writer like Honan, it can happen to anyone.

Many face the challenge of getting visibility on Facebook in the newsfeed, especially for business pages.  And, maybe that’s why I’m hearing more and more people talking about moving over to Google+.

It’s estimated that only about 10% of the people who follow your Facebook page, actually see your content. So you’re left to spend an unreal amount of time posting pictures, videos, polls and links in the hope that your followers will see and engage with your content. Or, you can advertise your content with promoted posts and offers in an attempt to get attention in the newsfeed.

If you’re committed to marketing your business on Facebook (and with over 1 billion users, who isn’t?), the infographic below may help you choose how to engage for the best return on your investment of time.

There's a whole galaxy of terminology that you should know about when it comes to education technology. From PLNs to Blended Learning to Synchronous Online Learning... it can get overwhelming.

Successful entrepreneurs are able to convert a vision into reality, and they’re able to triumph over adversity. 2012 saw the rise of several such individuals who were able to leave a lasting mark in the online sphere.

Paul Sciarra and Ben Silbermann launched Pinterest in 2010, and the photo-sharing networking tool surged in popularity in 2012. Despite a difficult start, Sciarra and Silbermann refused to accept defeat—they continued to improve Pinterest, and the rest is history...

The minds behind Twitter, Turntable, and Rockmelt are also among the most successful online business pioneers of 2012. Do you use any of these social networking tools? Check out the infographic to learn more.

The infographic may be designed for small business owners but it's worthwhile for any teacher, student, parent, or other Edudemic reader looking for the quick bites of the social networks.