Higher education is facing an identity crisis due to the rise of social media. Social media provides many of the same benefits as higher education such as access to resources, experts, and communities for intellectual discussion which were previously only available through institutions of higher education. Educators must adapt to this changing landscape and focus on guiding self-directed learners and modeling lifelong learning rather than acting as gatekeepers of knowledge.

1. A Futurist’s View of Higher Education: How Social Media is Pushing Higher Ed into Identity Crisis Sarah “Intellagirl” Robbins-Bell EduComm June 2008

2. Education is nearing a crisis

3. What does higher education provide? U

4. What does social media provide?

19. Shirky, Clay. Here Comes Everybody . NY: Penguin. 2008. The Promise The Tool The Bargain

20. The Promise U

21. The Tool U

22. The Bargain U Do the work to OUR standards and we’ll share our credentials/reputation with you

23. The Promise Everything/everyone you ever wanted to know is available

24. The Tool (s) dialogic media blogs wikis participatory social networks folksonomy audio video mobile RSS remix API convergence reputation community social hypertextual semantic discovery trust hypermediated augmented identity

25. The Bargain Participation Return

26. U

27. U

28. U

35. Monologic communication doesn’t allow for community, exchange of ideas

36. Dialogic communication remediates the lack of community in old models. Offers new ways to learn without the communities and structures created by institutions.

37. Education is Communication

38. Many of the benefits of institutional learning can now be accomplished via social media.

39. What is the educator’s role in a world where the production and consumption of information has been democratized, amateurized, and distributed? ?

40. Educators are no longer the GATEKEEPERS of knowledge

41. The New Role of Educators

42. Teaching students how to learn in an information economy

43. Serving as guides as students shape their own paths

44. Providing students with access to professional networks

45. Providing students with access to professional networks

46. Modeling Life-Long learning practices

47. Modeling Life-Long learning practices

48. Relating as more experienced community members rather than employers

49. Relating as more experienced community members rather than employers

50. Relating as more experienced community members rather than employers

51. Sarah “Intellagirl” Robbins SL: Intellagirl Tully Email: intellagirl@gmail.com Web: intellagirl.com Skype, Yahoo, AIM, Gchat: Intellagirl