Reflecting on Week 7

There are a multitude of interesting and helpful tools available to instructional designers who wish to encourage social web based learning. The trick, it seems, is being able to match the selected tool to the audience. For example, some tools might have higher adoption rates if the audience is predisposed to behaviors which are supported by the piece of technology. For instance, it seems to reason that there would be a higher rate of acceptance and use of social media based for those who are both active, and have a desire to post/respond to content as produsers.

In the end, there needs to be a coordinated effort by the key stakeholders to support the implementation of the tool, and provide alternative methods for those who are not comfortable utilizing the technology. As evidenced in the ISLT program at FSU, social engagement has frequently been used to promote learning and discussion among the students in the program. However, these activities have sometimes been supplementary in nature, and alternative options allow the learners to engage in via different methods. 

Perhaps the best approach, when looking to social learning tools to enhance learning, is to view the various pieces of technology as "tools in a tool bag," so to speak. Each likely can, and does have utility. However, their use should be selective in nature, and viewed as not the solution, but simply an aide in a larger context.