Social network science: pedagogy, dialogue, deliberation

The online world constitutes an ever-expanding store and incubator for scientific information. It is also a social space where forms of creative interaction engender new ways of approaching science. Critically, the web is not only a repository of knowledge but a means with which to experience, inter...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Richard Watermeyer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sissa Medialab 2010-03-01
Series:JCOM: Journal of Science Communication
Subjects:
Online Access:http://jcom.sissa.it/archive/09/01/Jcom0901%282010%29A04/Jcom0901%282010%29A04.pdf
Description
Summary:The online world constitutes an ever-expanding store and incubator for scientific information. It is also a social space where forms of creative interaction engender new ways of approaching science. Critically, the web is not only a repository of knowledge but a means with which to experience, interact and even supplement this bank. Social Network Sites are a key feature of such activity. This paper explores the potential for Social Network Sites (SNS) as an innovative pedagogical tool that precipitate the ‘incidental learner’. I suggest that these online spaces, characterised by informality, open-access, user input and widespread popularity, offer a potentially indispensable means of furthering the public understanding of science; and significantly one that is rooted in dialogue.
ISSN:1824-2049