Social+Networking

Christine Rizkallah Laura Tinkleman Julie Reed

Social Networking   

Social networking is the grouping of individuals into specific groups, like small rural communities or a neighborhood subdivision. Although social networking is possible in person, especially with growing technology social networking is more common online. 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. Most social network services are web based and provide means for users to interact over the internet such as email and instant messaging. Although online communities are sometimes considered as a social network service in a broader sense, social network service usually means an individual-centered service whereas online community service are group centered.Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events, and interests within their individual networks.

What is the impact of this issue on K-12 schools, educators, and students?

The popularity of social networking has increased greatly in the past few years. With technology increasing ways that make it easier for us to social network at the push of a button it's no wonder that this upcoming generation has cell phones glued to their sides. Email is a great example of social networking that students and teachers in higher grade levels in this age can use to communicate. Educators can teach students how to use educational social networking sites like wikis, and diigo. Although this quick and easy communication has many pros it has cons as well. Safety and privacy are lacking on social networking sites. No matter how many times someone tells you there are privacy settings, nothing you put out in the world is private. Once it goes out there into someone else's hands, it is no longer yours. For students and educators alike this is a big issue because both can get themselves in major trouble or even put themselves in danger. Students and teachers can both be at risk of humiliation, danger, and ruining their future. This is why it should be stressed in any grade level the importance of keeping personal information private. The negative effects social networking has imposed on students and teachers is their growth in vocabulary becomes stunted because of the social networking explosion, where teachers end up with papers using the same 100 words over and over. Social networking has also come close to replacing actual social interactions like group projects. This can impact the student by weakening their ability to pick up on nonverbal cues.

Integrating social networking into daily instruction:

Grades 5-8 Social networking can certainly be used for students in grades 5-8. Middle school is a time where student’s brains are flourishing and can be easily influenced by ideas and things they see in the media, and in school. This can be a good thing, when parents and teachers provide positive examples, and it can also be quite harmful because of cyber bullying. When teachers become educated on social networking, students can have a great experience and can use it to better their education. For example, twitter accounts or online journaling websites can be used in class to reflect, or post about a certain topic throughout the year. These sights can be used as reflection, as assessment, and even to chart progress. The students would enjoy it because it is on the computer, and on a popular website, however it is pertinent these sites are highly monitored by the teacher. Wiki's can be used for these students to have blogs about an assignment or an essay question or a math problem they get for homework. Since these students are just starting to use social networking sites, it is important for the teacher to explain the safety precautions of talking on blogs, or sites where we may not know the user on the other end is someone they say they are.



Grades 7-9 Social networking can be used for the students in all these grade levels. They can use educational social networking sites such as wikis. They will most likely be using social networking sites with their friends which is where the safety aspects should be approached on what is and is not appropriate to put up. This can be done in a lesson by using examples of what has happened to other people. At this age many students are getting Facebooks, so the teacher can make a Facebook group for her class and the students can then post questions about homework, and so forth.

Grades 9-12 Social networking is definitely going to occur during this time of a students education. The majority of these students are already using social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace. The teacher can integrate social networking to their class by posting lesson plans or videos on wiki sites and have the students go back to review them and ask questions about it. If every lesson plan is posted or at least two a week, and the students have to comment and leave a comment on someone else's this will open space for communication and learning at the same time outside of the classroom. The teacher should check privacy settings on these sites to protect the information being posted. Students in high school can start using conferencing social networking tools, which can be used in the foreign language classes.

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http://studentsandacademics.com/home.php this is a really interesting social networking website where you can chat with your teachers or classmates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCnPSEw2p0w&feature=related Students take social networking to a different level. Something to think about as a teacher.
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