I found a blog that makes some strong arguments towards the importance of incorporating social networking in schools to keep up to date with the 21st century. While Facebook and Myspace may not be suitable for the educational context of the classroom, there is no need to ban all forms of social networking sites. Safe and relevant social networking sites are starting to develop, for example, elgg and Ning.
But it also makes sense to think about ways to incorporate specialized social networking tools in class. The Flat Classroom Project is one example where educators have built social-networking sites (mostly using Ning) specifically for use in class and home assignments. Not only does this allow for educationally relevant communication for students in the classroom, but for them to interact with students in far away classrooms both in the U.S. and abroad so students around the world can reach and learn from each other.
Companies have realised how vital social networking is in schools to encourage social interaction through collaboration, and tools they use outside of school, bridging the gap between the home context and school for more effective education. It also helps students connect with people in other countries for cultural awareness and for ICT education. The blog has an podcast detailing companies who are starting to build social networking tools catered for the school environment, discussing what is on offer and what many school are currently missing.
