Social Network Sites - Some Perspectives

Social Networking Sites are going to be a prevalent part of the Web experience of our students. Are we compelled to bring SNS to the classroom? Or, like cell phones, are SN Sites destined to be a service that wasn't meant to be shoehorned into schools?

Steve Hargadon is optimistic about the use of SN Sites in a school setting. He explains that the technology can deliver a great tool for teachers and students, but that concerns with FaceBook and MySpace have discouraged us from exploring the possibilities.

Hargadon is responsible for setting up Classroom 2.0, a website for teachers interested in using Web 2.0 services in the classroom. He points out that the benefit of SN Sites need not be restricted to teachers.

The twist here, of course, is that Classroom 2.0 is a network for teachers (yes, adults, those sometimes called "digital immigrants!) who are interested in the use of Web 2.0 in the classroom and who are using the site for personal professional development. The ability to have productive, engaging dialog with others in a community is a natural fit for all ages in education.

The article then includes a long list of Social Networking examples in education. My sense is that the quality of the examples is mixed. It is difficult to gauge the amount of activity and relevance of the sites because many of them are closed. Many of the sites are built around technology from Ning , which allows users to design their own closed SN Site.

Across Generations is a site which offers homework help and project advice (helping you succeed in school) within a social networking environment. The site states that an email to parents will be used to confirm student identity.

Big Dog Science is set up to provide a "network for Big Dog students to share class notes, project ideas, absentee work, quiz and test study material, peer tutoring and general classroom information".

Second Grade asked me to log in with a Ning ID. I am blocked from further access as my membership is pending review. This is a wise idea.

Christopher Dawson is also excited about social networking sites used in schools. He proposes that students are so accustomed to using SN Sites, that we can't pass up the use of the tool as teachers. Dawson explains that a custom designed, closed Ning site may be the best way to go.

Robin Good touches on the incredible popularity of social networking site with young people. He points out that we may be underestimating the value of SN Sites. Students engage in creative activities and express themselves in sophisticated ways. Many of the students most involved are non-conformists who have a significant influence on their peers. Good also explains that one of the most common topics in the social networking context is school, so that schools using SN services is a natural fit.

Quite a different take on SN Sites can be found here. The author, Nancy Willard, spells out three concerns with SN Sites. Young people are not making good choices about how much information they post about themselves. Their parents are not aware of this. Complete strangers (predators) may be attracted to these sites to initiate inappropriate relationships. Willard concludes that educators need to be aware of the pitfalls, and that school use of computers must be directed toward well planned instructional activities, whether they include the use of SN Sites or not.

It has been very hard for me to measure the success of SN Sites as an educational tool. The examples that I have seen did not seem to be thriving, but the best thought out sites are probably completely closed. If a school was to try and harness the potential of social networking, the best approach seems to be using a closed site of their own, created with a service like Ning.

posted by John Lobe @ 7:53 AM