My name is Maryam Shirdel Pour and I am teaching EDCI 338: Social Media and personalized learning Section A01.
I’m looking forward to getting to know each of you as we develop new skills and deepen our understanding of Social Media and personalized learning together over this semester.

In the following weeks, we will be exploring the application of social media in educational contexts in relation to personalized learning. We will be using blogs and other social media tools to develop learning networks and literacy.

This is an online course and we will meet every Wednesday at 10am PST on Zoom. The Zoom link can be found on Social Spaces page (details will also be provided on the course outline).This site is set up to house the course contents. Readings, videos, and other important updates will be presented here. Please make sure to check the site regularly to reach out to class updates.

I would appreciate it if you could complete the following task before we meet.

1. We will be using an instant messaging system to stay connected throughout the term both in class and beyond. It is called Mattermost (similar to the Slack messaging application) and will allow us to connect collectively, in small groups, or one-to-one via text. This service is hosted in BC and is specifically available for educational institutions. Please either use your first name & last name (e.g.: maryamshirdelpour) or use your UVic Netlink ID (e.g.: mshirdelpour) when you create your Mattermost user name. Sign up for a Mattermost account using the link on the social space page.

NOTE: this link should only be clicked on a laptop or desktop machine. Using a phone or tablet may throw errors. Once an account is created, Mattermost works well on mobile devices, including apps if you want them.

2. We will be using the Hypothes.is social annotation tool to engage with the readings in our course. With this tool, you can highlight, make comments, pose questions, etc. directly on individual sections within the readings. As well, you can respond and engage in discussion with each other based on the annotations and we will use these artefacts to drive discussion and debate. This service is not hosted in BC, so if you choose to use a pseudonym, that is ok. If you are willing, using the same username for both Mattermost and Hypothes.is will help me identify you. Sign up for a Hypothesis account using the link on the social space page.

You will also need to complete a Learning Pathways survey that will help me to understand more about you as well as provide me with a link to your blog URL.

You can always contact me if you have questions or concerns, and I will reply as quickly as possible. Mattermost will be the quickest way to get a response.