Seeking an Encompassing Term for the Benefits of Using Social Media

I'm looking for the term, or a term, that explains to someone who just doesn't get exactly what using social media can provide to a person or a group of people.

As Clive Shepherd mentioned earlier today on his posting "Social learning is not the same as social media," social learning has been around as long as there have been humans.  The introduction of social media has only provided yet another means to learn together.  Social media also provides us with the ability "to collaborate on tasks, to promote goods and services, to entertain each other, to exchange information and so on." - Clive Shepherd.

So if social learning doesn't cover it all what term does? Perhaps "Social Media Experiencing"?

Top 10 Tweets from #lrnchat - July 7, 2011

Let's face it; I can never pick just ten.

These entries have won the coveted "Top 10 Tweets" award based on originality, costume and choreography.

Photo by opensourceway.com
Created by Colleen Simon for opensource.com
CC: BY-SA

Early Session
Q0) Introductions
@Robin_Bridson: Do you play one on TV? RT @JaneBozarth: Note: I am NOT a social media expert. #lrnchat

@aaronesilvers: #lrnchat oh, btw, I’m Aaron Silvers. I like to rock the party


Q1) Social media has changed how people learn forever. What else has it changed forever?

@trinarimmer: Q1) Great quote I saw the other day, “I love my computer because that’s where all my friends live.” That sums it up for me. #lrnchat


@edCetraTraining: Q1) introduction of Acronyms… birth of a new language. English? Grammar? Syntax?? #lrnchat


@ddogaudium: Q1) It has forever changed the power balance between those who hold information and those to whom it is disseminated #lrnchat


Q2) How do you learn differently now, because of social media, than you did before social media? 


@StephanieDaul: Q2) I feel like I have more control over my learning – I decide what, where and when I learn #lrnchat


@LnDDave: Q1) My ability to know almost anything at any time. I carry the world in my pocket now. #lrnchat


@ChelleRobertson: My learning is in continuous beta version, meaning its ALWAYS improving and never static. #lrnchat


Q3) What are some ways you learn through social media that aren’t collaborative, with other people per-se?


@AndreaMay1: Q3) The conversation is “recorded” with SoMe. I can go back and explore on my time line rather than anyone else’s #lrnchat


@NolanHabegger: Q3) Quiet observation (“lurking”) and watching others collaborate – sometimes you learn more by NOT asking questions #lrnchat


@ChristyATucker: Q3) I do a fair amount of lurking (ie “legitimate peripheral participation”) #lrnchat


Q4) How are social media and social learning different? Is it important to explain the difference to people? 


@espnguyen: Q4) Social Media = the tools. Social Learning = Leveraging the tools to do the learning. #lrnchat


@Tracy_Parish: Q4)Watch kids do something & then follow 1 another doing same thing. Social learning-no media involved, just mud. #lrnchat


@kelly_smith01: Q4) Social learning does not have a schedule, appear in a catalog, or have a lesson plan. It happens. Anytime anywhere. #lrnchat