Social Networking

I think that social networking is a good resource to use in schools. It allows the students to interact with one another outside of school. Schools should filter social networks because there are too many things out there the students do not need to be exposed to, especially if this is in an elementary school, middle school or high school.
Some pros to social networking are it keeps the students connected with the other students and faculty. It allows for group work to be done when it is not possible to meet outside of class. Another pro is that it can be filtered and not everyone will have access to the network. A lot of young people are already involved in face book or my space and this allows them to have friends and choosing to socialize with some but not all. So I look at face book and my space as a form of filtered social networking.
I know at the school my children attend they have to sign in to get on the computer and there are only certain places they can go. Someone that is not in their system would not be able to sign on. It is also like this at the elementary school where I am doing my clinical. Maybe this is a form of social networking.



Social Networking Resources


Willard, Nancy (2006). Schools and Online Social Networking. Education World, from http://www.education-world.com/a_issues/issues/issues423.shtml

Snyder, Tamara (2007). Social Networking: Their Space. edutopia, from
http://www.edutopia.org/whats-next-2007-school-social-networking

Cava, M (2009). Boomers Zero in On Social Network. USA Today, from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2009-03-26-boomer-social-networking_N.htm

Andrews, R (2007). Don't Tell Your Parents: Schools Embrace MySpace. WIRED, from http://www.wired.com/culture/education/news/2007/04/myspaceforschool

Paton, G (2009). Twitter is put on new primary school curriculum . Telegraph.co.uk, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/technology/twitter/5050261/Twitter-is-put-on- new-primary-school-curriculum.html