Fun with Social Media: Google+ and Pinterest
Schedule:
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
9:30 to 11:30 am
Fee:
$25
Prerequisites:
This is hands-on type class. It is recommended that you know how to get online, click to a new Window and use Google search. Click and drag, and basic Windows operating skills will be used. If you would like to use Pinterest in class, but don't have a Pinterest ID, you will need to have a Facebook or Twitter account in order to sign up for Pinterest. They don't have to be linked, but you'll need one or the either to register. If you already have Google+ and/or Pinterest IDs, and would like to use them in class, bring (or memorize) the IDs and passwords.
Description:
When you think of online social networks, the names that tend to come up are Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and, perhaps, Tumblr. Two fast-growing social networks are poised to join that list.
Google+, a network started by search behemoth Google last summer, already has 90 million users and, some estimates suggest, could reach 400 milllion by the end of 2012.
Pinterest, a much more niche network where people can post images of things they like (clothes, products, hairstyles), has had a scorching run the past two months, with about 17 million page views in January as of this writing. The company won't say publicly how many subscribers it has, but some estimates put it at about 4 million users.
The Google+ social network allows users to sort contacts into 'circles' and create group video-chat 'Hangouts.'
Pinterest Home Page
As we go through the various activities (adding a friend to a circle in Google or "pinning" an item in Pinterest, for example), students will be able to participate or watch and learn. Students that are interested in signing up for Pinterest will need to request an invitation to join from someone who already has Pinterest. So, ask a friend who is already on Pinterest, or request an invitation from the Pinterest website.
Why might you be interested in Pinterest? It's a very visual and easy to use tool to help people organize and share items (particularly images) online. You can find and save a variety or recipes, for example. Or, famous works of art, or photography or fun craft ideas. People with Pinterest are able to follow other "pinners" and see what they tag, and you can also follow a stream of general activity to see what people around the world are pinning. Pins can come from within Pinterest (for example, if you see an image that you would like to re-pin) but they can also come from all over the Internet--if you're on another site and see an image you like, you can pin that as well.
The Pinterest "About" page gives a little more information as well.
There will be some discussion on privacy issues. The class will be part demonstration/discussion and part hands-on.
Instructor:
