Windows Live Messenger
From LIS 460 Summer 2007
Contents |
What is Windows Live Messenger?
Windows Live Messenger was born from Miscrosoft Network's (MSN) Messenger, an instant messaging freeware created for the Microsoft Windows operating system. With hundreds of millions of customers worldwide, Windows Live Messenger is the largest IM network on the web. Self-dubbed as the "next generation of MSN," the client is still commonly referred to as "MSN."
What can it do?
MSN, created in 1999, was originally intended for home computer use. It went from providing basic features, such as plain text messaging and simple contact lists, to more sophisticated features such as file sharing, access to hotmail, support for voice conversations, webcams, interactive gaming, and of course lots of opportunity for integrating emoticons, winks, styled text and more. Features that are new to Windows Live Messenger are: "sharing folder" which allows a folder to be literally shared between two computers, PC-to-phone calls (available only in select countries), interoperability with Yahoo!, offline messaging, and games/applications. Also new in March 2007 is the "i'm" initiative, which connects the user to nine organizations dedicated to social causes. Every time the user has a conversation with these organizations, Microsoft Corp. donates a portion of their advertising revenue. The "i'm" initiative is only available in the U.S.
How can Windows Live Messenger be used in the school library setting?
In various school districts, MSN was one of the first clients to be filtered from high school computers. IM was not only deemed a distraction from academics for students in computer labs, but it posed security risks as students could be chatting with anyone outside of the school community. With the advent of IM and chatrooms came online predators posing as teenagers, causing media hysteria and online safety websites like Perverted-Justice.com. Even though there are potential risks, IM freeware like Windows Live Messenger has benefits that could outweight the dangers. Firstly, online safety should be part of any information literacy curriculum, and what better way to teach it than in the safety of a school setting? Children/teens use IM outside of school hours without any formal teaching; having structured lessons and practical activities related to curriculum using IM is a great way to keep students motivated in a monitored and safe environment. The learning potentials are endless using freeware like Windows Live Messenger: it can cultivate mentorship opportunities between the younger and older grades (younger buddies could IM their older buddies with questions), classrooms in different parts of the world can contact each other to get authentic information for cultural projects, and files can be shared between students to create truly collaborative projects. Not only would IM in school libraries and classrooms enhance the learning of students, but teachers could greatly benefit as well. Teachers could communicate with each other without having to wait until recess, lunch or after school. It would greatly decrease the time involved in creating collaborative units which is often the biggest roadblock for teachers. Teachers could contact each other easily during the afternoons and evenings when realistically most of the lesson planning is being created. There are many advantages to implementing Windows Live Messenger at a schoolwide level.
Questions still lingering...
Even though there are exciting learning potentials using Windows Live Messenger, I still feel a little uneasy about the safety issues and potential distractions IM poses to students. If schools get involved in this, the lines between academic and social networking are blurred. Where does the school project end and socializing begin? Will the school be responsible for the student's use outside of school hours, even if the use is supposedly "school related"? How will parents feel about the introduction of this tool in the schools? Also, if it is readily available to all students, the potential for "not on-task" behaviour is increased. I want to put the trust in students by saying most of them will not abuse the privilege- and even if they do use IM for socializing during class hours, is it any different than what they do right now anyway (just in a different format)?- but realistically, at least upon initial introduction, there will be students who use IM for less-than-academic reasons. By opening up this opportunity for more distraction, are schools lowering their expectations for on-task behaviour in their students?
Links
Windows Live Messenger- by Microsoft
