Social+Networking

__**Social Networking**__**:**

//**What is Social Networking?**//

An online tool used to develop networks of friends and associates. These websites function as an online community between individuals of similar interests, such as hobbies, professions, political/religious views, age, etc. Once granted access to the website, users can create personal profiles and participate in online discussions with other users.

//**What free resources are available for Social Networking?**//

http://www.facebook.com/ http://www.myspace.com http://www.ning.com http://www.xanga.com http://www.livejournal.com http://www.classmates.com http://www.flickr.com http://www.theknot.com

//**What are web sites that have examples or models of Social Networking used for educational purposes?**//

//Professional (about teaching)// http://ncte2008.ning.com/ (this is a Social Network created for NCTE's annual conference)

//Students (for an assignment)// http://fairverona2.ning.com/ (these two links take you to an example assignment that was part of a unit on //Romeo and Juliet//) http://fairverona3.ning.com http://www.moodle.com http://www.edline.net T
 * Moodle is an online database schools can subscribe to for the students and teachers to use in the classroom. It acts as a protected online database where live chat discussions can occur. Students and teachers can also post documents, prompts, and questions to Moodle. For example, a teacher can post a journal prompt for the students to do for homework. Later that evening students can log in, find the prompt for their particular class, and respond to the prompt. This prevents students from "forgetting" their homework because the teacher can access it directly on the Moodle webpage. The downfall to this system is that not all students have internet or computer access at home to do homework, and teachers may not be able to have such an expectation for the entire class.
 * This link allows teachers and entire school districts to create a webpage in which educators post class objectives, assignments, grades, etc. to the website, and teachers and students are granted access to view the page.

//**How could Social Networking be used with the following audiences:**//

-Create an online forum to discuss feelings and interpretations of texts or ideas discussed in class. -Students act as a character from a piece of literature by creating a hypothetical profile on a social networking website and partake in discussion with other "characters" from the story, allowing for character analysis.
 * Students (i.e. writing assignments, class activities)

-Can be used as a resource page for students and parents regarding class work, homework, objectives, large assignments, expectations, etc. -Can communicate with other professionals in the subject area to gather, generate, and share educational activities, units, etc.
 * Faculty (i.e. resource sharing, professional development)

Parents can use networking websites such as http://www.classroll.com and http://www.edline.net to communicate with teachers. For example, if a parent is concerned about his or her child's grade in the class, he or she can send a message via classroll to the teacher. This is an easy way for the teacher and parents to communicate with one another. This can also be helpful when a student is frequently absent. If a particular student has a medical condition or is going through a difficult time, parents can message the teacher back and forth for homework, tests, and reading assignments. This is an easy way to have a direct connection between teacher and parents.
 * Parents (i.e. communication, sharing of student work)


 * //What could be problematic about Social Networking? What should teachers consider when they think about using Social Networks in their classrooms?//**

While social networking has a lot of benefits, issues such as privacy, efficiency, and accessibility can create problems when using such websites in the educational field. Because users of social network websites often create a personal profile, some people feel that the use of such websites crosses the boundary of professional into personal matters. Also, because students usually use such websites for communicating with friends or peers, students may have difficulty taking assignments seriously or understanding how to use the websites for professional/educational purposes. Lastly, various income levels and home situations can cause a dichotomy in the class in which some students have access to the internet at home while others do not have such sources available to them outside of the school.