This research investigates the process through which individuals build cohesive relationships in positively connected exchange relations. Positive connections exist any time exchange in one relation must precede exchange in another. Such situations arise through gatekeeping, in generalized exchange contexts, and when resources diffuse across a…

With celebrities discussing Twitter on television talk shows, Facebook being used by people to share pictures of their grandchildren, and academic seminars being delivered in Second Life, it is hard to get through a day without being faced with some sort of social networking tool. Librarians often talk about the importance of outreach and of…

Knowledge has become a decisive and competitive resource for local and global development, especially since the paradigm "knowledge for development" was initiated and promoted by the World Bank in 1998-1999. Through the use of novel management structures and technologically supported social networks, development organisations and…

Online safety is obsolete. A concept little changed since the 1990s, it's one size fits all, emphasizing fear instead of facts, with young people stereotyped as potential victims in a hostile media environment. It's past time for Online Safety 3.0. Why 3.0? Previous versions--1.0 and 2.0--focused on inappropriate content, adult-to-child crime, and…

Have you ever stopped to think about life before Google? We will make the argument that Google is the first manifestation of Web 2.0, of the power and promise of social networking and the ubiquitous wiki. We will discuss the positive influence of Google and how Google and other social networking tools afford librarians leading-edge technologies…

This paper describes an evaluation of the quality and utility of synchronous online interviewing for data collection in social network research. Synchronous online interviews facilitated by Instant Messenger as the communication medium, were undertaken with ten final year university students. Quantitative and qualitative content analysis of…

This article identifies 13 cultural trends that libraries can turn into opportunites to reach patrons. These trends include: Twitter, online reputation management, value added content, mobile marketing, and emotional connection.

As media digitizes, fragments and moves closer to the audience, the information and experiences become more a reflection of the community than a product delivered to the audience. The very nature of how people get and share information and experience things has changed, so naturally the individuals and organizations who create, consume and share…

This paper describes our experience of using Content Management Software (CMS), specifically Joomla, to build a real world domain-specific social network site (SNS) as a capstone project for graduate information systems and computer science students. As Web 2.0 technologies become increasingly important in driving business application development,…

Academic and social supports are usually treated as separate entities, and a heavier emphasis is generally given to academic support--the deliberate activities, structures, policies, and expectations that facilitate skill development and subject matter mastery. Social support consists of the intentional services, behaviors, structures, and…

This article describes a research group project that included students and faculty affiliated with Indiana University, along with secondary English teachers and administrators at several high schools in Southeast Indiana, as they developed and refined an approach to literacy instruction that embraces an expanded notion of literacy and supports…

In order to inform educators in higher education on the integration of Web 2.0 applications for engaging and effective learning experiences, this survey study compared the use and acceptance of Web 2.0 applications between American and Korean college students through the lens of cultural differences. Undergraduate students were recruited to…

Previous studies explored how urban or rural place of origin influences the source of social capital. There remains a need to consider how the place of origin affects the type of ties--family, friends, or "paisanos" (countrymen)--with those who provide support to migrants. We use data from the Mexican Migration Project (MMP128) and…

Social networking sites have seen tremendous growth and are widely used around the world. Nevertheless, the use of social networking sites in educational contexts is an under explored area. This paper uses a qualitative methodology, autoethnography, to investigate how social networking sites, specifically Facebook[TM], can help first semester…

This study investigates how pre-service and in-service teachers participate in an online community for learning to teach. Members' levels and patterns of participation and social interaction were examined via social network analysis of activity logs and content analysis of interviews. The results of the analyses show that (a) members' levels and…