MODULE 5 0LJ Task 3 Shifting Trends

From the video, I have identified 5 examples of trends which are changing the way people behave as digital citizens in our social media landscape.

 

Decline of traditional media and advertising

It makes sense from a strategic organisational point of view to advertise where the clients are.  The statistics provided in this video clip indicates a decline in traditional means of media and advertising.  Interestingly, this is because people are connecting and sharing and digesting this information through hand held devices, phone apps, e-book readers and social media, consequently readership of traditional formats has decreased. As Qualman (2013, ix) says "we don't find the news the news finds us".
 On the other hand, to reflect changing behaviours, digital advertising has increased exponentially.  Social media technologies have created the opportunity to advertise on a global scale, reaching out to potential audiences never before imagined.  For example, Charles Sturt University must be doing a huge marketing drive at the moment; I am seeing the CSU banner everywhere on line, even in the most unlikely places.    

Handheld Devices

Mobile social networking is on the increase, providing access and delivery channels with over 16.2 million people have mobile phones with internet connection (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012).  Feather (2006) makes the important point that, “The idea that information comes from a specific place or through a particular person is in its dying days (p.5).  The video makes the interesting prediction that by 2020 mobile phones will be the world’s primary connection tool.  To illustrate how academic institutions are meeting that user behaviour change.  Bond University has introduced a phone app which provides seamless access to ilearn (student information hub), iTunes (tutorials), Library (Yaye!), News/Events and basic what’s happening information.  As far as mobile phone policies goes the organisation recognises that although mobile phones are prevalent, the policies state no talking on phones allowed in silent study areas or in lectures. 

Everything is digitised-everything online

Digital newspapers, magazines, books, music, television and video’s can be accessed through the internet.  In libraries, the digital and online aspects from ebooks, databases, catalogues, Libguides, podcasts, blogs have become so expected that it is a core service provision.

From another perspective, I have discovered an online digitisation project that has made incredible use of technologies.  The Jewish Holocaust Centre is a mass digitisation project by Museum Victoria that has preserved the memory of holocaust victims and their stories.  Using the latest technologies story pods have been created telling survivor stories and their pictures.  Education program targeted from primary through to high school students all aimed at making sure this atrocity towards mankind will never happen again.  This brought to life something so real to me, it was absolutely heartbreaking.

Jewish Holocaust Centre 

Using Web 2.0 tools for collaboration

Social media technologies have created the opportunity for collaboration between libraries and users in an online environment.  Communities of practice are prevalent in organisations with enabling technologies creating a corporate culture conducive to knowledge sharing.  Wegner (2006) best defines the term Communities of Practice as “groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn to do it better as they interact regularly “(p.1).  A good example of this is the intranet which provides a powerful tool for communication and collaboration, presenting data and information and the means to create and share knowledge in one accessible place (Sayed, Jabeau & Aref, 2009).  

Visits to Social Networking platforms

In this rapidly changing digital environment, it is important to stay relevant by gauging what is the latest technology being used. According to this video clip, 250 million visitors to 3 large social networking platforms every month- these did not exist 6 years prior to that.  To illustrate, the 2010 Pew study revealed that blogs are being used 50% less by young users since 2006 (Agosta & Abbas, 2011). Implementation of Web 2.0 technologies needs to be undertaken with careful analysis of client demand. This can be achieved by establishing transparent feedback mechanisms and continuous evaluation of any services and programs implemented.

References

Agosto, D., & Abbas, J. (2011). What do public librarians really do with social networking? Profiles of five public libraries. In D. Agosto & J. Abbas (Eds.), Teens, Libraries, and Social Networking : What Librarians Need to Know. Retrieved from Ebook Library.

Australian Bureau of Statistics.(2011).Household Use of Information Technology (No8146.0). Canberra: Author.

Feather, J. (2006). The context of change: information professionals and the information professions in an information society. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 23, 3-9.

Qualman, E.(2013). Socialnomics now: social media changes the way we live and do business (2nd ed). New Jersey:John Wiley and sons.

Sayed, B.T.,Jabeau, N. & Aref, M.M. (2009). An archetype to sustain knowledge, International Journal of Social Sciences, 4(4), 228-232.