How does a Twitter discussion compare to a BlackBoard Discussion? To an in-class discussion?

Twitter discussions are usually short in length, as users are limited to 140 characters of text. It is more of a direct method of communication. Twitter also shows only the latest tweets, so responding to tweets that were tweeted several days ago are no longer relevant. BlackBoard discussions is not limited to this, as anything can be discussed through BlackBoard whether they happened today or in the past. These discussions are limited, however, to how often responders submit responses and this can delay or be detrimental to the flow of conversation. In-class discussions remove these delays, and these conversations are usually the most involved and complex out of the three. The only disadvantage I can think of is the ability to communicate with others in short notice, as you would need to set up a discussion were everyone would need to be present right away. This is exactly where Twitter would come in handy, as users are mostly present at all times (by receiving notifications) and can be involved in a discussion very quickly.

Social Media Sites and How They Compare to One Another

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, as well as Snapchat are all social media sites that have things in common and are different from one another. Out of all four of these sites, Facebook is undoubtedly the most popular, but not necessarily the most effective, as Facebook is kind of a jack of all trades when it comes to focusing on certain applications of social media. Users have the ability to write posts, share photos and videos, as well as create small businesses. This is advantageous in a certain way since users have the ability to write posts and share media, however, if users want a more focused approach, they would opt for either twitter, which focuses on writing posts, or Instagram, which focuses on the media portion. Snapchat is unique in its own right, since users can create stories that can be sent to friends and viewed for a few seconds, and dissapears after 24 hours. It is more of a "live in the moment" approach and is usually not used for serious matters like the other three sites would be. All these sites except for Snapchat can be used to find jobs as well as promote businesses.

Social Networking: What Is It and Helpful or Not?

Social Networking is a game changer. It can be useful to anyone who simply wants to keep in touch with families and friends all the way up to boosting sales in small businesses. The vast majority of content on social media is also outstanding, as it is created by individuals and empowers them rather than solely relying on corporations for information. This allows us to stay informed in our ever changing world almost instantaneously. Furthermore, people can connect with others around the globe such as a business owner in China or a friend in Columbia so there is literally no limitations on obtaining information on a global scale.

However, this is not all handy dandy. Is there a "dark side" to social networking? Let's think about it. We are given a tremendous amount of power and control over what the world views about us. Say, for example, a bully wants to display his domination over others. Without social media, it is only those in his surroundings who will be affected by his bullying. Also, the bully is exposed to people which make it more difficult for him to attack others. However, what happens when he gets access to a large amount of people, and has the ability to post anonymously? For example, in an article by The Chronicle of Higher Education, it is mentioned that "Students have more ways than ever to post anonymous attacks on classmates, thanks (or rather, no thanks) to new and expanded online forums promising to be bigger and juicier than the infamous JuicyCampus, which drew fierce protests from harassed students before it shut down earlier this year." This obviously can cause tremendous negative effects on the individual, and ultimately society as well.

Regardless of the positive and negative aspects of social networking, it is undeniable that it is evolving rapidly. In an article by the New York Times, it is stated that Facebook is developing a new graph search, which allows users to "tailor their searches, such as by specifying music and restaurants that their friends like, or their favorite dentist. The reverse is also possible, such as discovering friends who have an interest in a particular topic." Will it be good or bad for society? We don't know yet. But we do know that it is an amazing step forward in terms of technological advancements, and will allow for more personalization than ever before.



Sources:

 http://www.chronicle.com/article/theyre-backtheyre-bad-/48220

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-01-15/news/chi-facebook-01152013_1_ceo-mark-zuckerberg-social-network-long-term-money-making-prospects