I took a class this semester about Digital Media online. I was mildly interested, and now I’ve become consumed with it, partly because I never realized how much social media has become part of our online lives. I have had to try more new sites and check out different apps than ever before, partly out of curiosity, and partly to understand the many videos and apps and blogs that are introducing social media to me in a way I didn’t know existed until this class.
It’s probably the only online class that I’ve enjoyed. Frankly, I prefer being in class and meeting people and seeing the teacher. I like this class because the teacher mixes up his video lecture with other experts. I typically wait until the weekend to do my online homework because I have more time to focus and because I never know how long it’s going to take me to get through whatever the teacher has posted.
Suffice it to say that this Sunday my mind went into overload when logged in to see what homework awaited. Not only did I have tons of links to YouTube and HootSuite University, but also additional optional videos about LinkedIn, Google+ and more… and as I’m clicking through the links, commenting on discussions and working through HootSuite… my Hootsuite messes up and drops my FB Admin link for school …. and then StumbleUpon inserts a toolbar for Google Chrome which allows me to share my “likes” to FB and Twitter simultaneously (and even linkedin)…. but good lord…. how much of these different types of mediums do we need to focus on?
It’s almost 10 pm and I’m wondering if my professor would not have been better off to say we were going to focus on 5 types of social media and practice with 3 of them, rather than to bomb our brains with so much information about so many different kinds of media? I mean, if you’re learning about social media, don’t you need to qualify that all the things online are not dumped into the same category? I didn’t realize it…but I’m the student here so I shouldn’t know that. If I did, then I’m a step ahead. Half way through the semester I’m listening to Gary Vaynerchuk ramble so fast through a video that I realize the nugget of wisdom he is giving away is, there are categories for social media and different apps/software/sites do different things. It’s not all vanilla.
I’m still overwhelmed by it all, but I am wishing I’d seen Gary’s video first. Thanks @garyvee for clarifying that because until now, I thought you were just a wine expert! Whew… now back to the rest of my 30 learning video’s.
llmkillian 