Purdue University in the ‘Hotseat’
You may or may not know that Facebook was created back in 2004 as a social network for Harvard students. In the 5 short years since Facebook started it has become the 2nd most visited website in the world for the past 3 months, with visits from more than 25% of all internet users all over the globe.
Facebook is one of the reasons that social media has become so pervasive in our society today. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is actually users 35 and older. Even though it seems that everyone is on Facebook now, it’s nice to see an Indiana college bringing Facebook back to its roots and using it and other social media utilities (such as Twitter) in a new initiative called Hotseat.
Hotseat, a social networking-powered mobile Web application, creates a collaborative classroom, allowing students to provide near real-time feedback during class and enabling professors to adjust the course content and improve the learning experience. Students can post messages to Hotseat using their Facebook or Twitter accounts, sending text messages, or logging in to the Hotseat Web site. – Purdue University’s Hotseat website
Students can log onto the Hotseat system from their laptops or mobile phones and can ask questions in real time as a lecture is being given. This is especially helpful in large classrooms where students might be intimidated asking questions. Since Hotseat is displayed on a screen at the front of the classroom, the professor and students alike can see the questions as they are asked. This enables the professor to address questions immediately and tailor his or her instruction to the class.
Watch the video below for a more in-depth explanation of what Hotseat is and can offer to students and professors.
Hotseat is in its pilot semester now and the University hopes to eventually use Hotseat in every class on campus. What kinds of uses could you see with an application like Hotseat in your job? Would you be interested in using an application like Hotseat at the next conference you attend?
