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Social Media Spotlight: Carole Burns

By Tim Cigelske, Comm '04

Before she became the director of Marquette's Wakerly Technology Training Center, Carole Burns started exploring Second Life, an online virtual world created by its own users. Her goal was to find a venue for her son, who has Asperger Syndrome, to learn social skills and "test drive" life. "It was a great success," she says. "Social media may just be key to opening up doors that may not have been available to autistic community members." Today she uses social media to stay in touch with others in autism groups, as well as keep on top of online communication trends to teach at Marquette. 

In the first of an occasional series on the use of social media in the Marquette community, Burns talks about her Ph.D. proposal about social media and autism, where she thinks social media is headed and her advice to others using these tools.

What's your biggest success story with social media?

My son. He became more outgoing and met friends online with similar interests. Since no one could see him, he was less anxious about new situations. We explored shopping malls, campus life and other locations that people with social skills take for granted. I have also worked with a number of friends' children. My Ph.D. proposal focuses on the use of social media with individuals on the autism spectrum. Individuals on the autism spectrum can have normal or even high intelligence levels, but trying to communicate and be social outside of their world is difficult. Things such as body language and sarcasm generally trip up them up. Social media tools normalize the world for high-functioning individuals on the spectrum.

How do you use social media for work?

I teach digital storytelling, so I use social media to make contact with members of the New Media Consortium and find new trends and techniques. Along with my blog — which I don't update as often as I'd like — I have videos produced by my student workers, photos of events, my monthly newsletter and an area where anyone can register for classes being taught in the Wakerly Technology Training Center.

Where do you see social media headed in the future?

I see social media use pushing out some common websites and becoming more prevalent in society. As baby boomers retire, the XYZ generation will take over companies and move toward what they know. They will use social media venues to conduct business and save money by reducing the need for costly travel. Customers will expect the ease of contact with suppliers and mobile devices will get employees out from behind desks and allow for the work-from-home experience we have been striving for since the early 1980s.

What social media projects are you currently working on?

One of the programs launching this semester is a 10-week multimedia workshop open to the public.  This course will teach social media, Adobe products and Final Cut Pro in a digital storytelling format.  The goal of the program is to give displaced workers an opportunity to learn marketable skills and build a portfolio website.

Do you have any advice for students, faculty and alumni using social media?

Don't just jump from one to the other without thought, because chasing trends just slows you down and complicates life. I keep a binder that is separated into sections. Each has a blank piece of paper — yes, paper! — where I write down relevant sites and tools. Find tools that pertain to your needs and use them in a cohesive fashion.