http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com/2006/08/raise_the_collective_iq_of_wor.html
How does the social networking aspect of Facebook potentially lead to the creation of collective intelligence and why is this productive?
In this blog entry, I will discuss the Facebook’s collective intelligence potential through examining the content of the news article: For those with questions, Facebook offers answers (Evangelista, 2010). Facebook’s collective intelligence potential is used through Facebook Questions where members can ask questions and gain answers from more than 500 million people worldwide (Ross, 2010). Facebook Questions is a productive tool because it helps the user take advantage of the collective intelligence of knowledgeable people and/or your friends who know about your preferences. "Because questions will also appear to your friends and their friends, you'll receive answers that are more personalized to you" (Evangelista, 2010, p. D2).
You can request questions to the community through the "Ask Question" button at the top of the homepage. You can also add a photo or poll to make your question more visible and specific. All queries will be revealed to public. Friends or specific groups of people can be chosen by posing a question as a status update on your profile targeted to those people. Facebook Questions also enables you to check other people’s questions that are related to your subject.
For more information how to use this function, please go to the link http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=411795942130
“Collective intelligence (CI), … is a form of universally distributed intelligence, constantly enhanced, coordinated in real time ... The basis and goal of collective intelligence is the mutual recognition and enrichment of individuals rather than the cult of fetishized or hypostatized communities” (Lévy, 1997, p. 13). Jenkins (2007) emphasises that diversity is the key to a have richer final outcome in CI.
Facebook seems creative and useful in a similar way to Wikipedia to generate knowledge by people who share, produce and reproduce. (Although the self-correction process is effective, caution should be used when taking advantage of this digital tool.) Production of CI through Facebook may become more productive due to i) the gigantic information that 500 million people can share and ii) the system’s coordination that connects people who have the similar interests. However, it is crucial for educators to teach their students pedagogical challenges with this technology such as credibility, commercialisation, copyright and plagiarism.
References
Evangelista, B. (2010, July 30). For those with questions, Facebook offers answers. San Francisco Chronicle, Retrieved October 1, 2010, from http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/30/BUT21ELFTH.DTL
Jenkins, H. (2007). WHAT WIKIPEDIA CAN TEACH US ABOUT THE NEW MEDIA LITERACIES (PART TWO). Retrieved October 4, 2010, from
http://www.henryjenkins.org/2007/06/what_wikipedia_can_teach_us_ab_1.html
Lévy, P. (1997). Collective Intelligence: Mankind's Emerging World in Cyberspace ( R. Bononno, Trans. ). Cambridge, MA: Perseus Books.
Ross, B. (2010). Searching for answers through Facebook Questions. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=411795942130
Hi Sayuri, Wow you have really made me think about Facebook in a different light. I must admit that I never use it for this type of thing. For me Facebook has a different use than other social networking sites like Twitter. Facebook for me is my personal page, there is no way I would share the information on there with my professional colleagues. Perhaps I should start up a Mrs.Merchant Facebook page so I can use it in this way, that way I can keep my personal life private and still not miss out on the collective brain trust. The most intellectual thing that seems to come out my current Facebook page is "what should I cook for dinner" or "who needs tickets to the Big Day Out"? So now the challenge will be to get the rest or the school on board to loosen up security and allow some social networking so that we can all begin to use Facebook in a more intellectually meaningful way.
ReplyDeleteFacebook Questions is a fantastic application of this social networking site, particularly in regards to its educational applications and implications. Collective intelligence is certainly, in my opinion, one of the greatest benefits to come out of Web 2.0 technologies.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest challenges for educators and students in Australia at the moment, is that they are unable to harness many of the benefits and positive applications of sites such as Facebook, because they are blocked for use in schools by educational authorities. Often collaborative and useful applications such as Facebook Questions are overlooked as benefits, because such sites are seen as time-wasters or inappropriate for use by students and/or staff in a school environment.
I think the idea of having a professional Facebook persona (seperate to your personal Facebook account)is one way that this concern and inappropriate use might be overcome by schools. Both for students and for teachers.This will allow both accountability and practical experience in using and utilizing the site effectively.