When one thinks of social networking you may initially think of facebook or myspace. These are only a couple of networking sites that are out there and taking the world over in a frenzy. Up until last year, I had heard of such sites but I had never dappled or discovered much about it. Now I have my own spot out there on facebook as well. Thanks to it, I have reconnected with many friends that I had lost touch with. Mind you I do have many contacts that are just acquaintances, but its all still quite entertaining. You can be reminded when it is someone's birthday; send a pleasant hello along to another person; share a good laugh here and there. I think it's quite entertaining. Unfortunately, one can get themselves quite wrapped up while social networking. This holds true for much of the internet. I do believe we can now call it....Time-sucker or even the pedagogy of propinquity, both are terms that indicate internet learning! The latter sounds more sophisticated and can be easily adopted by teaching professionals.
For educators, we must adhere to a professional conduct, on and off the job. That goes without saying. Now we must extend that thinking to online as well. In September 2007 there was an interesting article that was published in September 2007 Issue of Manitoba Teacher. Facebook - Caught in the web I do believe that most teachers that do use these social networking sites use them for educational purposes, bridging that gap between the classroom and technology. Teachers are infusing technology into their way of conducting their course work. This is fabulous. However, there are school boards out there that do not recognize this as a useful tool, but rather a harmful entity that could ruin one's career. I am sure that with time, research, and educating peers and colleagues, most everyone will come to see social networking as a valuable, insightful tool for all to use.
If one is to take this whole social networking to another level and go beyond entertaining, they would embrace the opportunity to collaborate with others in different places around the country while working on courses, presentations, studies, etc. Just think of the possibilities...right at your fingertips you have a recorded log of items and messages that have been shared, links to bountiful resources and networking with others and their colleagues as well. Learning together as many is better than only one because so many other ideas are formed and further, or even different learning can be applied.
I say bring it on....bring social networking into the classroom and collaborating rooms....let social learning take us to newer and better levels of education.
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Sheri's thoughts about the utility of social software reminded me of a recent case involving a Facebook study group at Ryerson University (http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/309855). The ensuing uproar illustrated the enormous generation gap between 'digital natives'(people born after 1980) and 'digital immigrants'(anyone born before 1980). These terms refer to the general comfort level and familiarity with technology that each group experiences in their digital lives. The premise is that 'natives', raised in an environment that embraces knowledge of digital technology, are more at ease with computer associated activities than those of us educated before the widespread use of said technologies. I fall solidly in the 'immigrant' demographic, and acknowledge that facility with computers is something that one must work at to become relatively proficient. However, I welcome the use of social software applications in the field of education, and look forward to a change in attitude regarding their acceptance as a means of collaborative learning. Our class is an example of how successful online networking can be conducted. The group is able to interact in a common forum, despite our geographic isolation. As a rural development student, I see the possibilities of these wonderful social networks in terms of promoting social capital in smaller communities throughout the province. Those who formulate education(and rural) policy would be wise to look to the future, and pay heed to the direction social networking is headed. Both students and educators would be ill served if emerging technologies are ignored, or vilified, by dated attitudes in education administration structures.
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