Recently I was interviewed by a local news anchor for a story on Social Media and Relationships. She did a wonderful job with the angle of "Now and Then"! However it was not my angle or my story...
The story I wanted to tell is how social media and EMDT have given me amazing connections and relationships. When I began the Education, Media Design and Technology masters program through Full Sail University online I was already a Facebook user. I had experienced instant messaging, and had heard of Skype... but I had no idea how vital the use of social media was about to become!
First there was the profile...what information should I include to portray myself to my classmates and course directors? Skype and iChat soon became the norm for communication...type chats with icons, video chats, screen sharing, as well as conference calls for group meetings helped me build relationships and feel connected. During class Wimba sessions, my group of friends would often have either Skype or iChat open as well to safeguard against accidentally typing a private observation to the "main room"! Social media enables this masters program to have the personal, connected feeling that would not be expected in an online program.
Being a mentor in the EMDT program has resulted in many more connections and relationships, and again, social media facilitates this. When my father died suddenly in February, I was auditing a course as well as being a mentor. I was overwhelmed by the heartfelt support that came in the form of emails, facebook posts, Skype and iChat messages...some from EMDT students I had not even "met"!
I can't begin to imagine life now without social media... a message popping up that makes me smile, the opportunity to reach across time zones and miles to answer a question, brainstorm, just connect!
The rich relationships that have been added to my life....that is the story I wanted to tell!
Hi, Kathy - you are one of the people I am so grateful to have connected with in the program. That time you took to help me with World of Warcraft was just so special. Flying through the air was just terrific. I'll be finishing the program in a few weeks, and I'm hoping I can stay connected to the special people I've met in the program. We're all going to meet in person at graduation, and that will be so emotional. We've been through a lot together, and that's real testament to the program and the ways we were able to connect using social media. We're so lucky to have you as a mentor, and thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings about the program.
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