Moving forward…with a new project

I’ve let myself fall behind on assignments for IP&T 682, in part from indecision on a topic, but mostly from diverting my time to other work and personal projects. Throw in WCET09 and a bout of the flu, and it’s Really Time to Get On Track. The class wiki reminds me that I still need to post the following:

1. One-page summary, and description of the funnel shape and cadence of the summary
2. Outline of proposal and timeline
3. Draft of budget

I’ve already switched gears in terms of the project to align with a UVU project I’m working on. Here’s an initial 200 word intro with question:

Web-based social media applications are alluring to educators seeking to revitalize learning, maintain relevance, engage learners, and realize potential benefits of “Web 2.0″ memes. Educational institutions may seek to provide social media or Web 2.0-like systems to their campus through locally hosted solutions. While locally hosted and managed solutions offer advantages to the community (especially in satisfying perceived needs for institutional control of information and activities), they risk losing authenticity and genuine Web 2.0 corollaries such as network effects.

Such consequences may not even be realized, however, if the community rejects institutionally controlled social media in favor of existing authentic and non-institutional services. Institutions considering locally hosted social media systems may predict certain measures of success by first comparing prospective user attitudes toward public versus institutional social media. A survey aimed at measuring prospective user attitudes could also reveal general trends and attitudes toward digital culture, informal learning, and the prevalence of social media use amongst community populations. It might also suggest educational community attitudes toward institutional systems in general.

Q: How do attitudes of prospective users in an educational community differ toward institutionally controlled social media learning and communication systems versus authentic social media informal or independent learning and communication systems?