While looking for an article to read on the topic of social networking in education, I was struck by the lack of current materials on this topic. Most of them were from 2006. This seems incredible to me. At a time when kids are becoming more technologically savvy at increasingly younger ages, one would think the topic would be discussed much more frequently. I notice as a teacher and as a parent, that children as young as 3rd grade are getting involved with social networking sites and are dependent on them for much of their social communication. On the up side, kids are able to develop relationships with other kids from all around the world and broaden their knowledge of different cultures. On the other hand, they are exposed to opportunist, who aren't what they seem. I won't continue down that road since that side of the topic is covered on every network news program and media source out there.
From the stand point of education, I find my students interested in reading and writing because of their social networking connections. Kids who would never dream of reading a book, or writing a multiple paragraph essay are happily reading each other's profiles, updates and the like, while creating them for their own pages. Without knowing it, they are practicing their reading and writing. One may argue that the writing on these venues is not good writing, but I would counter, that if they are making their thoughts and opinions understood, then there is value in the form of expression.
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Where were you searching for your article? Just curious if you were on the free web or an electronic Stritch database. I agree, this topic just keeps getting bigger and begs to be discussed by educators. Your point about students practicing their communication skills is interesting. How do we as educators tap into that? (I am not sure, but there has to be a productive way :)
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