The document discusses the impact of social networks on students and education. It notes that social networks have historically spanned cultures, trades, and geography, bringing business opportunities and enforcing social norms. Today, social networks span both formal and informal groups online and offline. Looking to the future, social networks will span skills and connect people globally, becoming an important source for collaboration. The document advocates that students, faculty, and professionals leverage social networks to develop skills, gain experience and mentorship, and prepare for future opportunities in a more interconnected world.

1. Social Networks & Their Impact on
Students & Education
Effective Analysis & Mining Tactics
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 1

2. Humans are Social Beings
• Civilized humans always live and interact in groups
• Every human is born ‘incomplete’ and needs other
humans to survive and thrive
• Networking bonds are thus necessary for individual
and community growth & harmony
• Networking needs maintain balance of power and
peace amongst people and communities
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 2

3. Social Networks - Past
• Social networks spanned culture/caste, arts, trade &
geographic afilliations
• Social networks were a source of societal recognition
/prestige
• Social networks brought business prosperity e.g.
Guru
• Social networks ensured security & justice e.g.
village sarpanch
• Social networks spread ‘acceptable behavioural
norms’
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 3

4. Social Networks - Present
• Social networks span ‘success-status’ (wealth,
competence, knowledge, contacts)
• Social networks span work/formal groups
• Social networks span informal groups
• Social networks span statutory/govt. groups
• Social networks span special interest groups
• Social networks span alumni groups
• Social networks span religion based groups
• Source for work opportunities, self growth, social solace,
world collaboration & peace
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 4

5. Social Networks - Future
• Social networks span ‘info-status’
• Social networks span skills specialisation
• Social networks span informal groups
• Social networks span govt./ world bodies groups
• Social networks span human interest groups
• Social networks span ‘glocal’ groups
• Source for e-community ties, ‘PQ’ development,
glocal collaboration & everlasting peace
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 5

6. Global Warming of The ‘Other-Kind’!
• Capitalism is now the dominant ideology
• Gobalism replaces regionalism
• 24X7X365 replaces 9X5X6
• Internet invades communication space
• Competence replaces conflicts
• Skills replace skepticism
• Economics binds people in everlasting warmth
• This ‘global-warmth’ creates new business models and
role models : BPO & DotCom Business
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 6

7. Facts Driving Social Networking
• 47% of global GDP is contributed by TNC
• 65% of world businesses are SMEs
• Technology & Info are the new sources of power
• Collaboration replaces dominance for sustaining power
e.g. coalition govt. , G-20 group
• Internet increasingly used for psychological & pathological
well being
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 7

8. Social Networking & Education
• Education is the bedrock of civilized socialization
• Education thrives on free flow of knowledge & info
• Education is source of new norms of collaboration e.g.
internet
• Education options are increasingly driven by corporate
competence needs
• Education & social networks are ‘made for each other’
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 8

9. Social Networks Mining
• Offline networks: one2one
: events –work, social & political
• Online networks: info based
: emotions based
: special needs based
: casual friendship based
• Telephonic : Group Conferencing work
: Tele-classes
: Tele-medicine
: Tele Counseling
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 9

10. Leveraging Social Networks: Students
• Prepare for evolving future trends
• Develop realistic goals
• Build life strategy maps
• Build virtual info-libraries
• Connect with competence
• Get projects, build experience
• Prepare for ‘fractional-skills-hire’ future
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 10

11. Leveraging Social Networks: Faculty
• Get insights about future realities
• Develop better mentoring (and not just teaching)
capabilities
• Benefit from more enriching life strategy maps
• Build virtual info-libraries
• Connect with alumni & unique skills
• Persuade opinion leaders & business leaders,
• Create a new win-win educational style & infrastructure
(online and offline)
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 11

12. Leveraging Social Networks: Professional
• Proactively address future possibilities
• Mentor and get mentored
• Build realistic life strategy maps
• Benefit from smart knowledge management
• Connect with peers, seniors, juniors & opinion leaders
• Leverage freedom from ‘storage-devices’ ,
• Innovate, simplify and fly
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 12

13. Leveraging Social Networks: Evangelist
• Prepare for future eventualities
• Spread competence based harmony
• Create +ve pressure groups
• Create info-armed intelligentsia
• Create new success sources e.g online B2B sourcing from
China
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 13

14. Social Networks: Exciting Times Ahead
• Free flow of competent people like ‘hot money’
• P2P outsourcing
• Find new professional peers, mentors, friends, soul mates
• Learn new ways of interconnected lives
• Endless opportunities, lifelong growth & earnings
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 14

15. Preparing Self for Social Networking
• Professional – ‘right time, right skills, right behaviour,
right thinking’
• Psychological – +ve wellness, “Born2Excel’ attitude
• Emotional - spiritual harmony
• Physical – 24X7 fitness, self care always
• Communication – you, you’re best brand
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 15

16. Social Networks- ‘Power Mantras’
• There is Money in Harmony
• United we win divided we loose
• There are no strangers in today’s interconnected world,
only people who haven't met
• Success is a marathon not 100 meter dash
• Think Global Act Local
ANSHUMALI SAXENA Apr 2009 16