Online Communities Flashcards
What is an online community?
A group of people with a shared common interest who communicate online
The function of social networking sites:
Allows members to connect through their shared interests and relationships. These communities include professional networks and personal networks
Features that enable the functioning of social networking sites:
- Profiles
- Friend request/follow/connect
- Stream/timeline
- Posts
- Groups/circles
- Tags
- User suggestions
- Reactions/likes
- Share
- Comments
- Third-party integration
- Private/direct message
- Notifications
- Analytics
“Social networks are powerful marketing tools”. Explain
Because they contain a huge amount of information that people post about themselves. This info. can be analyzed and stored in a database and then sold to advertisers so that they can advertise through targeted marketing.
Members can also pay a fee to promote their posts (used by org.)
Sponsored posts (profile data is not accessed)
Functions of tags:
- Allow members to categorize the content they create and post on SNS
- Other members can then search for content using tags that were added to the content when it was posted
Use of analytics:
- Allow members to see info. about how other people reacted to their posts.
- Helps org. identify their most effective communications so that they can increase the size of their networks and gain followers
Examples of online gaming:
PlayStation Network
X-box Live
Steam
MMORPG
Features that enable the function of online gaming communities:
- User profiles
- Notifications
- Experience points
- Statuses
- Links to social media
- Information that tells the user how to complete the game
- Discussion boards and forums
Examples of online workplaces:
Adobe Connect
Slack
Microsoft SharePoint
Workplace by Facebook
Features that enable the function of online workplaces:
- Cloud storage (storage provided by servers connected to the internet) and web applications
- Comments
- Enabling documents to be edited by two or more workers at a time
- Messaging systems
- Shared calendars
- Shared contact lists
- Chat rooms
- Systems for booking resources
- Virtual meeting spaces: presentations, video conferencing, speak using VoIP
Examples of VLEs:
Pearson Active Teach Google Classroom Moodle Schoology Blackboard
The function of VLEs:
To allow students and teachers to access learning and assessment materials
Features that enable the function of VLEs:
- A wall or timeline that contains posts
- A notice board for announcements
- Ability to share audio, video…
- Quizzes or MCQs that are graded electronically and automatically
- Tools for submitting assignments
- Communication tools
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
- Log-in system (SSO)
- Document editors
- Gradebooks (to monitor progress)
- Access statistics
What are examples of user-generated sites?
Wikis: an encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Discogs
Forums: Yahoo, Google Groups, Quora, The Student Room
What are wikis?
A website or database that is developed by a number of collaborating users, all of who can add and edit content
Features that enable the function of wikis:
- Member accounts (track…)
- An edit button: text editor
- Structured language: allows formatting or add links to other content
- Search tools
What is an online forum?
A website or web page where users can post comments and information.
Also known as bulletin boards or notice boards
The function of forums:
To allow members of the community with online spaces for structured discussions. Posts are arranged in topics or threads
What is third-party integration?
Websites include direct links to SNS so that people can easily share the information provided on the third-party website
Features that enable the function of forums:
- Groups
- Moderators (allow or block posts)
- Administrators (moderators + demote/promote moderators)
- Posts
- Threads (messages concerning the same subject)
- Sticky notes
- Ratings
- Private/direct messaging
Safety features of forums:
- Word or URL censoring
- Ignore or block
- Rules and acceptable use policies
- Report or flag a user or a post
Examples of video-sharing and photo-sharing sites:
Vimeo Flickr 500 px Giphy Youtube
Features that enable the function of video-sharing and photo-sharing sites:
- User accounts and profiles
- Content management systems
- Comments
- Ratings
- Tags
- Third-party integration
What are blogs and vlogs?
Blog: website or web page that is updated regularly, often written like a diary or a series of articles
Vlog: video blog
The function of blogs and vlogs:
Allow people to create online diaries of events or articles
Features that enable the function of blogs and vlogs:
- User accounts and profiles
- Text editors
- Tools for uploading videos and photographs
- Tags
- Ratings
- Comments
- Third-party integration
What are social bookmarking sites?
Allow users to use tags to categorize and share web documents and URLs with other people
Examples of social bookmarking sites:
Pinterest Reddit Digg Pocket StumbleUpon
Features that enable the function of social bookmarking sites:
- Tags
- User accounts
- Third-party integration
- Social networking features to connect users to each other
Advantage and disadvantage of anonymity:
Advantage: keeps users safe; protects user identity from other users and third-party
Disadvantage: can lead to misrepresentation (pretending to be someone they aren’t).
Person id unidentifiable/ untrackable.
How can location data be given away?
By uploading geotagged photos to photo-sharing sites
Users can include their location in their posts. How is this information provided?
This information is provided by GPS data or it can be calculated by the user’s Wi-Fi access points or ISP data
