Why am I doing this course?

I have always had an interest in people, networks and interactions. My day-to-day work is focused on IT networks, but I have come to realize I am, for some reason, fascinated with networks in general. The idea of something moving from point A to point B often within a defined structure and the accompanying predefined rules (protocols) that describe the behaviour of things move along networks is interesting. This likely explains my interest in broader course work (e.g. the hydrosphere in geography, cardiovascular network in biology, etc.). This course seems like a natural extension to explore blending some of my favourite topics.

What do I expect to get out of this course?

To gain a well-rounded and better understanding/view of social technologies. As an IT professional working with young students I often see the divide between users (gamer, weekend hacker) and aspiring professional (someone who interested in technology beyond gaming, multimedia usage, end user activities in general).  So, instead of just using social media (which I rarely do), I would like to develop a more critical lens (a more professional perspective).

One reason to do this is to be in a better position to assess/discuss the use of social technologies at work (Fanshawe College). Just today I received an email regarding our growing online presence, and this is viewed as a good thing. However, I wonder how or if those in decision-making roles have any sense of social technology, for example advantage and disadvantages? Before they set out to grow our schools online presence was there any consideration to the possible negative side effects of this?

What do I hope to get out of this course?

What I stated above of course, I always thought expectations became realities?

I hope to come away with a broader understanding of social technologies, meaning beyond the understanding of how to use them as a promotional tool. The key points for me in the course syllabus are the variety of perspectives from which we can observe social technologies (technical, legal, ethical, etc.) and the soft processes of social systems.