Social Networking: A Definition
Whenever I think of Social networking, I think of the Beach Boys song “I get around” because essentially what you’re doing is cruising around the internet and making your people skills visible.
Social networking is defined by about.com as “web-based networking which occurs through a variety of websites that allow users to share content, interact, and develop communities around similar interests.
Social networking sites allow users to do three things:
1) Create a public, semi-public, or private profile
2) Create a list of users to share connections and updates with
3) View and traverse the profiles, connections, and updates of those other users
Social networking in Schools
I believe social networking certainly has a place in the school system, but in order for it to be used effectively, you must follow some of the suggestions in Library 2.0 and Beyond.
1. Explore the website beforehand
2. Set the ground rules
3. Have students add specific content that is decided upon by the teacher/SLMS/and principal if necessary.
4. Update regularly to ensure that the project is successful and being utilized to its fullest potential.
In order to screen out online predators, the SLMS can be in charge of who is added as a user or “friend” and who is not (as opposed to students) and can also control the privacy settings on the account.. You are under no obligation to add users or “friends” to your profile. This is also one instance where a blog is useful because you can block who sees and does not see your content. The teacher and SLMS can also help oversee comments and delete those that are deemed to be derogatory. Maintaining a social networking website profile can mean A LOT of extra work, so be sure you are prepared to undertake this amount of responsibility.
I believe that websites like ThinkQuest are most useful for schools because they are designed to be used in an educational setting only. Online predators are not as much of a concern because privacy settings are strict and controlled. Content is geared for all age groups of students without being inappropriate or harmful. It also hosts contents to see which schools can come up with the best educational webpages and webquests.
Our school filters social networking sites to a great extent. We aren’t allowed to use blogs or any services that require you to sign up with a username and password. This means that sites such as Flickr, Delicious, blogs, glogs, and other userful tools are not available. In order to use social networking websites, we have to get permission. But we have had success stories! There was one teacher in our system who had never used technology before and wanted to talk to her son in Argentina so she could teach her students about Hispanic heritage month. She had alerted the media specialist, who in turn had to alerted the county technology specialist. The county technology specialist came and set up her classroom with a webcam and unblocked Skype. The students had a wonderful time learning about Argentina and were featured in the county newspaper!
Social Networking Sites: Going beyond the Classroom
We know the common social networking sites like blogger, flickr, facebook, and myspace. But here are some lesser known sites you may not know as much about. I’m sure you could come up with a lot of ways to use these in the classroom. Many of the uses are obvious (i.e. using Zoopa for advertising/marketing classes to create and upload their own ads or using DeviantArt for art classes to upload their student work and create a portfolio).
Thinkquest
http://www.thinkquest.org/en/
This is a website where students can create and share their own webpages. A contest is hosted annually for the best one and prizes are awarded to the winning school. Previous entries are not deleted, but rather showcased and hosted in the ThinkQuest library.
Italki
http://www.italki.com/
A place where students learning a foreign language (and the teachers who teach them) can network. Students and teachers can get help with their writing, get feedback on their speaking skills, and make friends with others around the world to practice the language they are learning.
ScienceStage
http://sciencestage.com/
A collection of science multimedia uploaded by scientists from around the world. You don’t have to join to browse the collection of videos, documents, and group discussions about everything from astronomy to engineering.
GoodReads
http://www.goodreads.com/
LibraryThing is a popular website, but there are also other websites out there such as Goodreads. You can create your own booklists, take book quizzes, answer trivia questions, see what your friends are reading, and browse current titles.
Shelfari
http://www.shelfari.com/
Shelfari is run by Amazon.com. It is basically a virtual bookshelf which you can share with your friends. You can write and edit plot summaries, enter quotations, character descriptions, and other fun facts about the books.
Wattpad
http://www.wattpad.com/
Wattpad is a place for up and coming writers to share their stories with each other through video, text, and audio. Others can read the posted fiction and comment. There are many categories including poetry, humor, historical fiction, and even fan fiction (most of which are based on popular book series such as Harry Potter).
Zooppa
http://zooppa.com/
Zoopa hosts contests for advertising and marketing campaigns. All you have to do is sign up, choose the contest you want to participate in, create and upload your video advertisement, view other submissions, and wait to see if you’re chosen as a finalist. Great for advertising and marketing classes!
DeviantArt
http://www.deviantart.com/
Deviant Art allows you to create a profile, post your own artwork onto that profile, and network with other artists. There are several discussion groups, and a shop where you can order prints (with the artist’s permission). Great for art classes!
Disaboom
http://www.disaboom.com/
Disaboom allows people with disabilities to network, learn about their rights, obtain products and services, discuss mobility and job advocacy, discuss recreational activities, and much more! This is an awesome networking site with a lot of resources that will help disabled students (and their parents) not feel so isolated in the community!
Being willing to devote the time necessary to ensure safety and manage the interactions on a social networking website is a good point. It must be ongoing and carefully supervised. I like your suggestion of how the teacher/media specialist can be in charge of who is added to the “friends” list and comments and posts can be screened and deleted if inappropriate. Last year, I used Skype to have my PreK class talk to a local singer/storyteller on a Promethean board in the media center. It was free, totally interactive and my children thoroughly enjoyed it. It is important to consider the age of our children and address safety.
ReplyDeleteYour list of different content sites just shows that there is something for everyone out there. Going to a subject specific site might be a little safer in that conversations and posts consist of a pre-defined topic. I love the examples and will be exploring these more!
Wow, excellent links, and that is a great post! I am glad that you brought up the conundrum of having such wonderful opportunities at our fingertips but being fettered by filters. I think, as we all realized during our internet filtering assignment, that the main issue is that filtering policies and procedures need to be updated and refined. The example you gave of the teacher that was able to use a previously blocked site for her class highlights the trial we must face. However, it also shows what a wonderful and engaging educational tool social networking can be for students
ReplyDeleteBlake
Nice title! I love that you included a definition for social networking! It sounds so formal when defined! I agree with you that social networking has a place in schools. It is important to follow the suggestions in Library 2.0 and Beyond and I believe that the first 3 suggestions are easily accomplished and are steps that we as teachers normally take:
ReplyDelete1. Explore the website beforehand
2. Set the ground rules
3. Have students add specific content that is decided upon by the teacher/SLMS/and principal if necessary.
The 4th suggestion is the most difficult because it requires a LOT of time and effort:
4. Update regularly to ensure that the project is successful and being utilized to its fullest potential.
Our cataloging software contains a social networking component called Destiny Quest. Students can only be 'friended' by current students at the school. Destiny Quest could be utilized by students and teachers that are looking for a networking site to use at school. Destiny Quest may also be accessed from home if desired.
Thanks for including the links. I will check out the websites.
Group 6, I LOVE your Blog Title! It is funny that you mention you get to make your people skills visible. When I think of online social networks, I am under the impression that the people with the least amount of people skills are improving theirs. Online social networking provides a platform for those that lack social skills or confidence. And this is true for many students. You can put yourself in your best light. The links to uncommon social networking sites is a great contribution. I am familiar with ThinkQuest and GoodReads but not the others. You made sure to include various demographics and subject matter.
ReplyDelete