In this study, we explore the cognitive style profiles and linguistic patterns of self-organizing groups within a web-based graduate education course to determine how cognitive preferences and individual behaviors influence the patterns of information exchange and the formation of communication hierarchies in an online classroom. Network analysis…

A new culture called Second Life [TM] has emerged that promises innovative strategies for everything from social interactions to business. Some educators believe it may hold new and unique opportunities for teaching and learning. Second Life [TM] (SL) is the creation of Linden Labs, a San Francisco-based corporation defined by its creators as "an…

We investigate the role of relationship closeness, which is adapted from social network theory, in developmental relationships using a sample of 278 full-time working individuals. We theorize that personality, operationalized with the Five Factor Model, is associated with relationship closeness which is positively related to developer assistance…

Objective: To examine adolescent tobacco use among members of the South-Eastern Europe (SEE) Health Network using data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Methods: Nationally representative samples were drawn from students in grades associated with youth aged 13 to 15 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former…

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 20 early adopter consumers, who used social networks in their decision-making process to purchase a component or complete high-technology home entertainment system. Four core themes of communication, convenience, cost, and technology emerged. Subthemes encompassed…

The study of the information behavior of Puerto Ricans and their reliance on personal social networks to procure needed information upon their migration to Central Florida is the core of this research. Life experiences of the researcher, as well as unstructured observations made in Puerto Rico from 1980 to 1996, and in Central Florida from 1996 to…

Social networks have given rise to a reading activity called an online literature circle. Generally from four to six students meet together in an online chat room to discuss the same reading. In this environment students engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss and respond to books. Collaboration is at the heart of this…

Young people in jobs without training are ubiquitous but invisible, working in shops, cafes, and other low-waged, low-status occupations. Commonly elided with young people who are not in education, employment or training, they are positioned as the "thick bunch" with empty and meaningless working lives. The main purpose of the research was to…

Web 2.0 tools enable today's writers to connect with their audience in unprecedented ways. The advent of social networking and other Web 2.0 tools have changed the rules for how authors and book publishers market and communicate with their audience. Through tools like blogs, Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook, Young Adult (YA) lit authors can choose…

This paper investigates the customer service and library staff benefits of using Vocera badges (www.vocera.com), a portable wireless technology (WiFi), to facilitate roving reference service. Use of portable voice communication devices allows help to be taken to the people and away from service desks. These communication technologies allow library…

The purpose of this article is to discuss the following question: What is the potential of social networking within cooperative online education? Social networking does not necessarily involve communication, dialogue, or collaboration. Instead, the authors argue that "transparency" is a unique feature of social networking services.…

Blue State Digital, the company that helped catapult Barack Obama into the White House, is courting colleges. Some are welcoming the political rainmaker inside their wrought-iron gates. But some skeptics question whether what works in the digital war room of a political campaign can translate into the academic arena. The world of college fund…

This chapter describes social capital theory as a framework for exploring women's networking and social capital resources. It presents the foundational assumptions of the theory, the benefits and risks of social capital engagement, a feminist critique of social capital, and the role of social capital in adult learning.

Humans are social beings endowed with intrinsic and extrinsic capabilities and a desire to seek and receive social support from one another. The extent to which this action takes place varies as people move farther away from their familiar environment to new locations. Many immigrant women have traveled far and wide in search of "better…

Identifying the factors affecting the retention of volunteers in their activities is one of the main objectives for researchers and volunteer managers. There have been many studies with this aim and many factors affecting sustained volunteerism have been identified. However, one of the limits of these models is the low percentage of explained…