Is language a barrier to social media?

Multilingual online collaboration can work if the people involved are motivated to make it work. The tools are there.   If there is resistance from students, it seems like the teacher needs to take another look at the task.  The goals/purpose/outcome/rewards of the collaboration are what would make it worthwhile to students and drive their engagement.

First, I only speak English and so can't comment on issues those who speak other languages might feel about participating in online webtools. But I thought that some people, whether they only speak English or are multi-lingual, might just have problems with sharing things on the internet. We hear all about what people do online being held against the like not getting a job or into a college because of inappropriate content on their MySpace page. Or maybe it's a privacy issue - they just don't feel comfortable putting their ideas, thoughts, feelings or opinions out there because someone could take offense (again, it being held against them). Depending on the topic, I know that I might not feel so comfortable sharing information with others online - and wondering who might have access to it or how I might be perceived by others.

You make a good point in your last paragraph.  I actually like to type and can do it as fast as I think and it's so much faster than when I try to compose my thoughts with pen and paper. But if I was a slower typer or didn't like to type and I knew it would have to type 6-10 sentences in French or some other language to get even one point across when I could easily share it in class in a minute or less, I'd rather not participate online.

One more thing to consider.  I consider myself pretty technical and internet-savvy, but have been reluctant to get my Facebook account set up. I had created it a while ago, but found it to be not so easy to 'learn' how to set it up and understand. Just this week, I started looking for people I know, adding them as friends. But I am confused as to what others see on my page? Do they see everything that my crazy sister puts on there? And if so how do I make that stop because it's embarrassing. I didn't get onto Facebook, MySpace or other social networks because I didn't have the time or patience to set it up and learn about it. And I'm technical! Go figure... What about people who are not as 'comfortable' with the internet and technology.  

Just some things to think about...

Hi Helena,
That was a very interesting topic that yo have raised here. I am multi-lingual. My native language is Spanish, I live in a Portuguese speaking environment and therefore speak and write in Portuguese, too and a long time ago I studied some French. When you say that in order to say I do not agree, you really have to beat about the bush in French is exactly what happens not only in French, but in all three Romance languages. However, I can asure you that that does not discourage anyone from writing his/her opinion on anything. What I think happened to your classmates is the fact that they are not used to using digital language. That was the language barrier!
Agree with me?

Hello,
interesting to hear that you have a bit of the same problem with all the three romance languages, doesn't surprise me. But you say people overcome that obstacle if they're motivated enough to express themselves. And I guess you hit the point there...the people I worked with weren't motivated enough, that's the real barrier, I think you're right.
Seems like we're far behind though over here in using the web for education, we'll see, in a few years it might change.
Thank's.

You're definitely right. The question is, how is it possible to motivate students to collaborate online? The concept is new and it seems important to get the message through about the advantage of this aspect of education.
Thank's.

I know what you meen, I'm starting to get really into social media and webtools, but I'm not that interested in facebook. Yeah, what about a crazy sister or whatever, how do people deal with that? Maybe linkedin is better?
Thanks for your answer.

I teach ESL to students in the US.  The barriers I see are not so much linguistic as technological, motivational, and cultural.  The first two have already been discussed.  For the technology part, I am lucky enough to have time to take my students to a computer lab and walk them through how to use the wiki. (We keep it pretty simple.)  For motivational ... well ... they cannot pass if they do not do their homework (which the wiki is).  The more accountable the students are for the work, the more likely they are to do it.  (This problem is across languages/cultures.  I know someone who took a number of courses online.  One semester, he had discussions with himself because his group members did not participate!)

The cultural part is that many of my students are not used to working in groups.  In their countries, the teachers talked to them, and they listened.  The concept of collaboration ... or even understanding the value of it ... is "foreign" to some of them.  Through practice and explanation of why we do things, they get better ... most of them at least.

(Can't delete my double post.)

Hello Karen,
I'm not sure what ESL is...?
I relate to what you say about having discussions to oneself cause others won't participate, happened to me too! You're lucky to have access to a weblab, seems a very good solution.
I'm glad you took the time to answer my question, thanks!
So maybe barriers are more about motivation and technology than language. And also, as you mention, the lack of experience in group-work. I've heard of the expression "web-fear" which might be another obstacle englobing the others. ??
Do other teachers follow you with wiki pedagogy or do you have the feeling that they don't really get the point of it?

Hello again,
You suggest that the barrier is more due to the fact that they're not used to digital language and I think you're absolutely right.
But how come they're not used to it? Are they not interested or do they not realise what is going on on the web? About opportunities to collaborate, share, co-create...
Is this about web-fear or about being conservative or something else?
It intrigues me...