Social+Networking


 * = [[image:Social_Networks.png width="280" height="227"]]

|| What do you think...

Should educators consider social networks an evil mind numbing distraction to their students?

//**or**//
Could educators look for creative ways to succesfully engage their students using the power of social networking?

There is not a right or wrong answer here, I believe that as an educator we should be open to both possibilities. To say Social networking is not a distraction is absurd and there is no need arguing with one who would make such a remark! However, we need to realize that students today our wired differently and social networking is a powerful tool that can be tapped.

Why not get students chatting about an educational topic on facebook? Why not have them use twitter for homework help? Why not use You Tube or School Tube to post student projects?

Don't get so distracted reasoning why we shouldn't use it, that you can't see all the powerful ways we could use it. Notice the last line of the definition below...isn't there a place in education for something that allows you to do all that? || __**From Wikipedia: **__ A social network service  is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of [|social networks] or  [|social relations]  among people, e.g., who share interests and/or activities. A social network service essentially consists of a representation of each user (often a profile), his/her social links, and a variety of additional services. Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.

                             
 * [[image:twitter.png width="112" height="95"]] || How could you use social networking? When our 8th graders travel to Washington D.C. we use Twitter to share our experience with elementary students back home. Students tweet about their experience and upload pictures from the various sites we go to. When we get back we host an online chat for elementary students to get on and ask 8th graders questions about the trip. Social networking serves to help the 8th graders appreciate their experience more and gets elementary kids excited to learn about the nations capital.

     <span style="color: #660099; font-family: Georgia,serif;">  <span style="color: #660099; font-family: Georgia,serif;">  <span style="color: #660099; font-family: Georgia,serif;">  I ask again how could you use Social Networking? Share your experiences or ideas below! ||