Saturday, December 5, 2009
Social Networking in the Classroom Using a Ning
I am in a group that is exploring how to use a social networking tool (Ning) in the classroom. We spent most of our time together exploring how to use/manage the Ning. Then we shared ideas with each other about how we are using a Ning for professional development and/or in the classroom with our students. Several members of our group are concerned with the safety of a social network being used in a school setting...myself included. However, I think that so many of my students (junior high age) are already using a social network that it may be a good idea to incorporate one into the classroom setting so that I can teach appropriate use of this tool that is so widely used today. There is even concern with age and using a social network, is it o.k. to use a social network with student younger than 13? Any thoughts? Here is a link that someone in our group discovered to a Ning that talks about the guidelines of using a Ning with students ....http://education.ning.com/profiles/blogs/guidelines-for-using-ning-in-a
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I would be interested in learning more about this. In our school we use a discussion process in our reading program that aims to move kids to higher levels of thinking. Kids will stop me in the hallway after their reading classes and tell me something they thought of after class or later during the perios. It makes me think that we are missing out on the positive effects of latent learning because we can't always facilitate discussion when the kids re really ready to contribute. I have wondering if a social networking site could be set up within a school that allowed kids to keep adding to literary discussions began in class. I think it would add a whole new level of participation, how cool to have different teachers and multiple classes of students thinking, writing and responding to literature. I am interesting in hearing more about how Ning is working for people.
ReplyDeleteThere were some questions about whether or not children under the age of the 13 should be using a Ning due to privacy issues in relation to COPPA. Here is the link where we found some information about COPPA.....
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Online_Protection_Act
Recently, my middle schoolers have been talking about how they use Facebook quite often. The thought has crossed my mind about instructing to the use of social networking rather than turning our heads the other way. I am pleased to see someone has developed a program to be used for this specifically for education use. Also, I'm curious to find out more about it. My school? Probably won't be allowed to use until a plan is developed to support some type of positive impact on learning or social skills, and that whole COPPA issue seems pretty legit.
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