Social+Networking

people.
 * < [[image:Sidebar.jpg width="215" height="470"]] ||< Social Networking is a form of communication that creates/maintains connectivity between

Currently, the term has become synonymous with social networking that takes place via the internet, and the major internet forums for social networking, currently, are:

Twitter Myspace and Facebook.

Of the three, Facebook seems to be the most ubiquitous, with more than 600 million active users. In fact, as a sign of how dominant Facebook is, you can now create your MySpace login by linking to a Facebook account.

Increasingly, these social media sites are reaching into all aspects of the public consciousness, including educations. As will everything, there are positive and negative attributes to social networking being used as a teaching tool.

While Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook all allow students to express themselves and create a persona online, educators can sometimes run into trouble with the material being posted on these websites. Because these social networking sites are open to everyone, all types of information can be shared, which can be detrimental to any educator's attempt at using these social networking sites. In order to combat this, there is one viable option an educator can use. It is known as Ning.

Here is an example of a Ning made website, tailor made for school librarians in the UK:



Ning.com is a website that allows anyone to create their own social networking domain. While there is a fee involved, if an educator is serious enough about using social networking, then Ning is the place to do it. It allows people to join and create their online persona, as well as all of the other aspects of Twitter, Myspace, and Facebook. This includes sharing photos, chatting online, starting blogs, emails, etc. The one option that an educator has that they may not be given on the traditional social networking sites is the ability to screen applicants and allow only the members of their classroom, after school club, sports team, etc., to join.

This ability to screen applicants allows the creator to make sure that the social networking site is being used properly and by the right people. The creator can tailor his/her site to focus on one subject and focus the discussion on issues that he/she deem fit, rather than allowing anyone to just sign up and "jump in." A "safe zone" can be created, where students can feel comfortable sharing their ideas and realize that only their peers will be interacting with what they are saying. (Source: Adventures in Web 2.0)

Here is a link to a video on Youtube about what Ning offers and what some of the websites look like: Ning Video.

Indeed, social networking is not going away anytime soon. Modern students are already on at least one of the traditional social networking sites. Why not use these skills that they have already mastered and bring them into the modern classroom? Ning allows teachers to do just that, and with the proper setting, cooperation, and support, social networking can be fully integrated into anyone's classroom.

Links: Teaching Tolerance website: This is a great reference site for articles: []

Some significant articles: Social Media in the Schoolhouse Getting Past the ‘Digital Divide’

Interesting videos: Does Facebook Belong In The Classroom? Twitter in the classroom?

Some sample WebQuests based on Facebook: Much Ado About . . . Facebook Romeo and Juliet: Are Currently on Facebook

Our Group Facebook page: Chris Kim and Matt ||